Game of thrones: Top Five Characters

Hello! Had a good week? 

Right, anyone familiar with this? Game of Thrones, or as known to readers of the series as 'A Song of Ice and Fire' is one of my favourite series of all time.With a cast so complex and huge it's easy to have favourites, yet harder to choose! .Today I'd like to share my top five characters from the series, so hear it goes...

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

You’re a fairytale retelling. You’re not meant to be dull.

This is a retelling of 'Little Red Riding Hood', with a love story.

In an effort to break up my reading of ‘Parade’s End’, I picked this book up. Light, I thought. Fluffy, I thought. With a few bad-ass werewolf-killing main characters. Awesome, I thought. HOW COULD I BE SO WRONG?

Why I did not like this book.

Number 1) The plot, summed up in a paragraph on the blurb, is painful. Painfully dragged out, painfully guessable. And very, very irritating. I knew what was going on by chapter 1. CHAPTER 1. This is not meant to happen. I shouldn’t know the entire plot by chapter 1!

Number 2) Really, really boring characters. ‘Nuff said.

Number 3) I felt the world struggled to ‘gel’ with the fantasy world and the modern day world. It felt unrealistic and unnatural.

Number 4) The romance felt forced and clichéd.

I’m finished. I think I have.



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My 5 worst books ever

It's sad, yet inevitable - we're all going to to have books we detest. So in an effort for you to know my reading tastes better I posted my favourite books last week and now a return with my least favourite books. Unlike the previous list, this is in order. 

Top Ten Books and Series

 Hello everyone, happy Wednesday! (This is a thing.)

Here's my top ten series and books, as I don't read enough series to condone a top ten series list. They aren't ordered they are simply the books which I think are the best.

1. A Song Of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin

Possibly one of the best  series I have ever read. Mr Martin introduces us to a complex world with compelling, unforgettable characters. Twists, turns, extremely well written characters and character death scenes are his forte.

2. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling


Do I need to explain? Harry Potter was my childhood and with it's crazily imaginative world and engrossing characters it will remain one of my favourite series of all time.

3.Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

I read this last year, and was blown away by the depth of this YA historical fiction novel. It's set in the 1950s in New Orleans.Josie is trying to break away from being known as the prostitute's daughter and she wishes to go to college. However, the French Quarter isn't safe with death and gangsters lurking around the corner.

4.Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Nominated for the Carnegie medal. This book is a strong work, about the strength of friendship. It's a historical novel that I couldn't stop thinking about for days. I can't wait to get my hands on 'Rose Under Fire'!

5.Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Funny, romantic complete with beautiful writing this classic is a classic. It is surprisingly hilarious, and the characters are really relate able. A classic Classic!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jacob Jankowski is a young college student. When his parents suddenly die, he leaves his Ivy-League college for the circus. There he meets Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, and her husband August. He becomes circus vet, and cares for the new elephant Rosie, as his feelings for Marlena deepen.

I enjoyed reading this one. I liked the fast paced nature of the novel, and I loved the era it was set in. I finished it in one day, and I was really engrossed. I was never bored throughout reading the book. I liked the contrast between old Jacob and young Jacob. However, there’s going to be a ‘but’.

But, I felt that the characters were far too underdeveloped. The only really fleshed out character was Jacob. The so called ‘heroine’ was a walking signpost with the name ‘Marlena’ on it. She was so incredibly flat that it is no surprise that I felt Jacob’s relationship with her had no chemistry. I wish the romance hadn’t been there because I didn’t think it was handled that well. I also hoped that each character would’ve been many layered, interesting and colourful. This is a circus, for crying out loud.

I think another reason I didn’t love this book was because I wanted a book like HBO’s show ‘Carnivale’. This show (sadly cancelled,) mostly relied on character development and magical realism. Therefore the entire cast was layered and rich. No Mary-Sues there. I really missed a magical element from ‘Water for Elephants’, as I think magic and circuses go hand in hand.

I might still watch the film, as it has got one of my favourite actors in it, (Christoph Waltz.) If you haven’t seen the show (Carnivale) I would highly recommend it, but maybe give ‘Water for Elephants’ a miss.



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Hello. An Introduction

   

Welcome to 'Soup Dragon Novels'!

I am Lucy, lover of books. More specifically, YA, classics, adult literature...well, anything really. 

I also love TV shows like Game of Thrones and Battlestar Gallatica. 

Since the name of this blog is 'Soup Dragon Novels' I did watch The Clangers as a child. I did love them despite only watching a few episodes.

I am a massive fan of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings (Even though I've only read Fellowship), and HBO's Carnivale (sadly canceled.) I also love Doctor Who and Sherlock.

Have fun reading my blog, and a happy new year!

- Lucy x.