Category: Discussion Posts

The TIME 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

The Biblioshelf6 Comments

Aloha Bibliofriends,

Several months ago (back last year!) I was scrolling through my news feed and the Time 100 Greatest Fantasy Novels of all time popped up! I couldn’t resist clicking on it and I knew back then in October that I wanted to do a post on it. If you love your fantasy fiction and you haven’t seen the list yet, you should definitely check it out here! Each cover takes you to a link giving more information about each novel that made the cut – very helpful for the ones you may not have heard of!

I wanted to see how many of them I had read altogether so split the 100 up into 3 different parts:
Books I’ve already read = 📖
Books currently purchased and on my physical TBR = 📚
Books I’m wishing to buy and read in the future = ✨

The run down – in chronological order:

The Arabian Nights ✨

Le Morte D’Arthur by Thomas Malory

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 📖

Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll 📖

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit ✨

Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers 📚

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 📚

The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis 📖

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien 📖

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien 📖

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien 📖

A Hero Born by Jin Yong

The Once and Future King by T.H. White ✨

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl 📖

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

The Wandering Unicorn by Manuel Mujica Lainez ✨

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin 📖

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart ✨

The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin 📚

Watership Down by Richard Adams 📚

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

The Princess Bride by William Goldman 📚

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter 📖

The BFG by Roald Dahl 📖

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce ✨

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Redwall by Brain Jacques

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Whynn Jones

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman 📖

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie 📚

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Tigana by Guy Gabriel Kay ✨

The Golden Compass (Northern Lights) by Philip Pullman 📖

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman 📖

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman 📚

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling 📖

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley ✨

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin 📖

American Gods by Neil Gaiman 📖

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling 📖

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson ✨

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss ✨

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare 📖

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin ✨

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin ✨

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor ✨

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern ✨

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller ✨

Angelfall by Susan Ee

A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell 📚

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro 📚

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 📚

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin ✨

Get in Trouble by Kelly Link

The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo 📖

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh ✨

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders 📖

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir 📚

The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi

The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang

The Changeling by Victor Lavalle

Jade City by Fonda Lee ✨

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi 📚

Blanca and Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore ✨

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 📚

Circe by Madeline Miller 📖

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang 📚

Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James ✨

Children on Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi ✨

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang 📚

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia ✨

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal 📚

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez 📖

Books I’ve already read: 22/100
Books purchased and on my TBR: 16/100
Books I want to buy/read in the future: 22/100

Total: 60/100

Normally I’m quite bad with lists so I don’t feel that this isn’t too bad for me although it could be way better – hopefully 2021 will have me ticking lots more of these off my list as part of my reading goals! Obviously one of my all time favourites Tolkien was on the list (yay!) – not gonna lie, I’m happy my favourite Harry Potter book Half-Blood Prince was on there too! I was amazed to see one of my favourite reads of 2020, Woven in Moonlight, made it onto this list as well – I’m so excited for the sequel to come out later this month! I also can’t wait to start reading The Poppy War Series which is one of the ones I definitely will be reading in 2021 – I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about it.

How did you score? How many of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of all time have you read? Were there any surprises on the list for you or novels which you feel have been tragically missed off? Which ones are on your TBR? As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

If Lord of the Rings characters had modern day occupations – Part 4

The Biblioshelf5 Comments

Aloha Bibliofriends,

Today is the final part of ‘If Lord of the Rings Characters Had Modern Day Occupations’! If you’ve been reading and keeping up with all of the series so far – THANK YOU! ☺️ As I said in Part 1, this is the first time I’ve written posts quite like this so it was a bit of an anxious leap into the unknown!
If you’ve missed any the previous instalments in this mini-series you can catch them here:
Part 1 – Gandalf, Frodo, Samwise
Part 2 – Elrond, Eowyn, Faramir
Part 3 – Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn & Arwen

Galadriel: Fashion Queen

Initially starting small, Galadriel developed her own jewellery line of delicate rings and necklaces featuring some of the rarest and precious gemstones and metals from around the globe. Her brand sky-rocketed when a middle-eastern princess commissioned Galadriel to design her wedding tiara when she married one of the world’s most eligible billionaires. A rapid shoot-to-fame and being so in-demand nearly collapsed her entire company however, after taking some time out at Elrond’s exclusive Dellriven retreat, Galadriel returned to the fashion world completely overhauling her brand’s identity and ethos. With their new signature ‘Mallorn tree’ logo, Galadriel’s company Nenya, set upon their mission to be the first and only sustainable, ethical haute couture fashion house around the globe. The company has outfitted many stars for high-profile events including the Met Gala and Oscars, as well as appearing on some of the world’s most renowned fashion runways and the pages of the glossiest magazines. Galadriel’s creative flair and waspish prowess has enabled her to rise to the very top of the world’s fashion royalty and now Nenya is one of the only brands today’s A-Listers want to be seen in.

Eomer: Bloodstock Agent – Godolphin

Having access to some of the most affluent connections in the horse-racing industry through sister Eowyn, Eomer also found himself with a role working for one of the largest owners in the business. With an analytical mind and a great deal of integrity, Eomer was soon snapped up by Godolphin to head their team of bloodstock agents. With a keen-eye for evaluating horses and an almost photographic memory of equine bloodlines, Eomer carved out a shrewd reputation for himself in the industry catapulting the Godolphin team to huge successes with horses such as: Barney Roy, Dubawi, Dawn Approach and Kayf Tara.

Saruman: Arboretum Janitor

After a seemingly endless stint in Sabaneta Prison, Venezuela – Saruman resolved to put all matters and mis-deeds of his former life as “Sauron’s bitch” behind him. Having had extensive therapy for his onset dendrophobia (fear of trees), Saruman was forced to live out the rest of his sentence doing community service work at Westonbirt Arboretum in the leafy Cotswolds of England. His previous convictions, criminal record and lack of skills meant that he could only be employed to work as a janitor with responsibilities such as collecting rubbish and refuse from around the forest. Sometimes, when he is alone wandering through the trees, he swears he can hear them whispering…

That’s a wrap!!! I’ve had so much fun writing these posts and researching all of the little details to finish them off! I think Eowyn, Galadriel and Gandalf were some of my favourite ones to write. Which was your favourite? Are there any characters I’ve missed who you have a good idea for? Let me know your thoughts by dropping me a comment below!

Thanks for reading,
T xx

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters – these posts are purely from my wild, at times crazy, imagination and sometimes use vague reflections of real-world truths. They are purely meant for entertainment purposes only and are not designed to cause offense or upset in any way.

If Lord of the Rings characters had modern day occupations – Part 3

The Biblioshelf4 Comments

It’s Saturday Bibliofriends,

That means it’s time for Part 3 of ‘If Lord of the Rings Characters Had Modern Day Occupations’!
If you missed the previous instalments you can catch them here:
Part 1 – Gandalf, Frodo, Samwise
Part 2 – Elrond, Eowyn, Faramir

Legolas: Fashion Model / Actor / Boat Designer

In his early career, Legolas spent some time as a fashion model and B-Movie actor being picked out for his lustrous long locks and willow-like figure. Touted as a gay icon, his life was plagued by paparazzi who constantly hounded him about his love-life until he was forced to come out of the closet and admit his sexuality. Tired of the exhaustive, partying lifestyle of LA, Legolas packed up and went backpacking with his close friend Gimli in the forests of Scandinavia. It was there where he met his current life-partner Kristoffsven and the pair now live in a humble treehouse where they make wooden sailboats which they ship all across Europe and naturally, to the Grey Havens.

Gimli: Retired

Coming into a massive inheritance from a distant-cousin-thrice-removed, Gimli retired early and now lives a relatively easy life. He spends a majority of the year travelling around the earth to spend time with his friends. He recently purchased a treehouse right next door to Legolas and Kristoffven and spends a lot of time at his Scandinavian retreat; however, he avoids the months when illegal dwarf-tossing competitions take place… just in case! As a part-time hobby, Gimli enjoys participating in medieval re-enactments and often loans his extensive private collections of historic weaponry and armoury to various museums and exhibitions.

Aragorn and Arwen: Philanthropists / ‘Royal Celebrities’

Having reclaimed the throne of Gondor and successfully restoring the bloodline of Kings, Aragorn and Arwen found themselves a little stifled by a life of royal oppression. Tired of living in the goldfish bowl at court, not being able to speak their own minds about political matters or causes of global injustice, Aragorn and Arwen deserted their realm in a quest for a more financially independent, private family life. The couple needed an escape pronto and were relieved when their long-time confidante Gandalf offered them the use of his private jet and an unlimited free lease on his stunning waterfront mansion in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Massive fences were erected around the property to try and prevent paparazzi drones from flying in. Having seemingly dropped off the radar, the only people with any current access to the couple are two freelance journalists believed to be writing a biography of the former royals – even though a spokesperson for the couple stated that Aragorn and Arwen would not actually be contributing to the book themselves. An early tabloid-leak (thought to be from a hacked mobile phone), revealed details of an interview with James Corden which seems to support the rumours that Arwen has set her sights on becoming the future Secretary-General of the United Nations whilst Aragorn will be creating his own global TV production company. So much for the quiet life! 😉

Would you go and visit Legolas and Kristoffsven? Perhaps you’ve seen Gimli in one of his medieval reenactments or you’re just itching to get your hands on Aragorn and Arwen’s new bio:

Thanks to Jens Hansen! Rad Lain in Sindarin (ish…!)

Let me know your thoughts by dropping me a comment below about the different jobs you would have given these characters.

Next week in the final part, your featured LOTR beloveds are: Galadriel, Eomer and Saruman!

Thanks for reading,
T xx

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters – these posts are purely from my wild, at times crazy, imagination and sometimes use vague reflections of real-world truths. They are purely meant for entertainment purposes only and are not designed to cause offense or upset in any way.

If Lord of the Rings characters had modern day occupations – Part 2

The Biblioshelf4 Comments

Happy Weekend Bibliofriends,

Back for Part 2 of my nerdy little series reimagining the lives of my favourite Lord of the Rings characters if they lived in today’s world. If you missed last week’s episode, you can find Part 1 here.

Elrond: Yogi / Spiritual Guru

Still wanting to offer counsel and refuge, Elrond now runs his very own spiritual mountain retreat for wayward souls. ‘Dellriven’ offers a comprehensive yet flexible programme for those seeking to find some inner purpose and get their life’s journey back on track. Blessed with the gift of foresight, Elrond can also be booked for special one-on-one consultations and tarot readings providing advice from a plethora of subjects including business, relationships and even ‘12 types of cakes to satisfy your sweet tooth’.

Eowyn: Horse-Racing Presenter and Activist

Showing an affinity for horses, Eowyn was working at a popular racing yard when she was talent-spotted by Sky Sports after stepping up to present the Grand National when the main presenter was knocked out by one of the declared runners whilst on set. Showcasing her astute knowledge of horses and her passion for the sport, Eowyn is now a regular face at all of the key fixtures across the racing calendar and has even been flown to the Middle East, Australia and America to host some of the world’s most famous horse races. Being a female in an industry which is still heavily dominated by the patriarchy, Eowyn is an active feminist, has recently become a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and is about to produce her own podcast rumoured to be titled, “I Am No Man”.

Faramir: PTSD Trauma Commander and Trustee of Invictus Games

Faramir, having known the horrors of war and being of an empathic nature, set about to rehabilitate and revitalise soldiers retuning from conflicts with PTSD. His gentle nature and natural leadership qualities made him the perfect person to set up the initiative. With many successes and case stories to his name, Faramir and his team embarked upon a journey to set up other training and rehabilitation centres around the world. Most recently, Faramir has joined the Governance Committee of the Invictus Games as a trustee in the hope of shining a light on life after service for thousands of former service recruits worldwide.
P.S. He’s still madly in love with Eowyn!

There had to be a horse-racing one in there at some point didn’t there?! 😂Let me know your thoughts by dropping me a comment below about the different jobs you would have given these characters.

Next week in part 3, your featured Middle Earthers are: Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn & Arwen!

Thanks for reading,
T xx

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters – these posts are purely from my wild, at times crazy, imagination and sometimes use vague reflections of real-world truths. They are purely meant for entertainment purposes only and are not designed to cause offense or upset in any way.

If Lord of the Rings characters had modern day occupations – Part 1

The Biblioshelf9 Comments

Happy Saturday Bibliofriends,

I’m back with a brand-new series of discussion posts throughout the whole of October! This month, I’m thinking about Lord of the Rings characters and what types of jobs or occupations they would have if they lived in our world today. From Frodo to Faramir, Samwise to Saruman – this discussion post in four weekly parts is me doing something slightly different and creative to my normal list-based / review posts. I hope you enjoy it!

Gandalf: CEO and Owner of Olórin’s Dens

Gandalf is the owner of a chain of highly lucrative, very elite private members clubs in the most luxurious cities across the world. The Olórin’s Dens are sumptuously decadent establishments where the highest profiles in our society go to unwind and relax (The Obamas, Princess Beatrice and Lin Chi-Ling have all been spotted there on occasion); think dark-wood panelling, velvet smoking jackets and champagne only available to purchase by the magnum (at a minimum). Be sure not to accidentally wander into the speakeasy bars of the club though, you may find yourself mingling with curiously strange folk who go by the names of wizard, elf or even eat… As a side venture (and a way to fund all of his Dens), Gandalf runs the world’s most renowned fireworks company which supplies the likes of New Year’s Eve displays in London, Sydney and Singapore – it’s even rumoured he also contributed to Taylor Swift’s infamous 4th of July weekends.

Frodo Baggins: Part-Time Author / Full-Time Recluse

Since relocating to his own private Scottish highland island, Frodo has been busy writing folklore anthologies and publishing his own range of Gothic quest myths for the YA audience (under a pseudonym of course!). When he is not writing, Frodo enjoys beachcombing to look for sea glass that washes up on his misty shores. Having had his fill of adventure to last several Ages, Frodo is often so reclusive that it takes his publisher around 8-14 months just to receive any correspondence from him.

Samwise and Rosie Gamgee: Founders of the Gamgee Juice Distillery

Samwise and his wife Rosie are just about to hit the London market with their range of organic, vegan juice drinks. Having purchased their extensive Somerset farm over a decade ago, the couple have spent time lovingly nurturing their crops from seed to sapling. Expanding into the botanical trend, the pair have cultivated their very own range of micro-herbs and rare berry specimens including Jostaberries, Lingenberries and Redcurrants. A firm favourite at farmers’ markets across their local county, the Gamgees range of juices, presses and smoothies have garnered many awards and are highly acclaimed to cure mild maladies such as relief for joint aches, stomach conditions and problems with skin complexion. Samwise and Rosie are also in talks with a large London Publishing House to write a collaboration with Jamie Oliver on how best to taste-match your juices with clean, fresh recipes. 

What do you think? Can you imagine any of these characters actually doing these types of things in our modern day world? What occupations would you give them?

Next week, we’re thinking about Elrond, Eowyn and Faramir so get your ideas in for what types of jobs/lives these guys could be having in the 21st Century!

Thanks for reading,
T xx

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters – these posts are purely from my wild, at times crazy, imagination and sometimes use vague reflections of real-world truths. They are purely meant for entertainment purposes only and are not designed to cause offense or upset in any way.