Top Ten Picks: Favorite Books to Movies

Hi, top ten picks is a bookish meme hosted by Random Ramblings where we pick our top ten favorite things about books according to the topics she picks. This weeks topic: Our favorite books into movies!

1. The Thin Man
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love Nick and Nora Charles, they never fail to make me smile. I think this is my favorite book into movie because I read the book, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't as much fun as the movie. This is a rare case of the movie was better than the book, and I think that's all thanks to Myrna Loy and William Powell who have the best chemistry together as the witty, cocktail drinking couple who solve crime, with their faithful dog Asta.

2. Anne of Green Gables
I have gone on a lot about this series only because that's how amazing it is. I like this book into movie because it is superbly cast, well acted, and the storyline is spot on. I don't think anyone could do a better version ever.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
This is my favorite book of the series so I was really anxious when this movie was coming out. Now this is my favorite movie of the movie series. :) It was very well done, the directing was particularly good. Also the acting was better at this point as well. I actually liked Hermione where as before she had always driven me crazy.

4. A Little Princess
This movie makes me cry every time I watch it. It is brilliantly filmed and acted. Absolutely heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. While not entirely faithful to the book, it is still a fabulous adaptation of the classic novel. But in all seriousness I prefer the movie ending anyway. :P

5. Fantastic Mr. Fox
This movie is absolutely stunning in every sense of the word. Expanding on the underdog story by Roald Dahl Fantastic Mr. Fox has everything you would expect of top notch entertainment, stellar voice acting, wonderful direction and script, and it is really one of the best stop motion if not one of the best pictures to come out of Hollywood in 2009. Yeah I really love this movie. If you haven't seen it, see it! :D

6. Horton Hears a Who!
After butchering two of the best beloved stories by Dr. Seuss Hollywood finally came out with a movie that wouldn't have the poor guy rolling around in his grave. This colorful adaptation of his book Horton Hears a Who, reminds us all why we love this brilliant fellows creative imagination. While adding on but not taking away from the original source HHAW is heartwarming, funny, and just nice to look at. I mean who doesn't love Horton? Who doesn't love those fluffy little who's? Someone with no heart that's who. :P Anyway, a lovely adaptation well worth watching.

7. Hoodwinked!
Loosely based off of the classic fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" this imaginative, inventive, and just plain all around clever retelling is one of my favorite movies of all time. Bringing new twists, featuring a mystery complete with a Nick Charles based detective, and wonderful characters you only thought you knew, this low budget flick is one to re-watch and re-watch until you've caught every wonderful detail and subtle bits of humor.

8. Howl's Moving Castle
Based off of the lovely book by the imaginative Dianna Wynne Jones this adaptation is by renowned filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. With two such unique minds as Jones and Miyazaki this film cannot help but be amazing. While not entirely faithful to Jone's original novel, Miyazaki's admiration for her work shines through in this heartfelt, and magical movie about finding your worth. An absolute gem you must see.

9. Sense and Sensibility (2008)
I know lots of people lean towards the 1995 version, and I will be one of the first people to tell you how brilliant that adaptation is. The script is amazing and a credit to Emma Thompson's amazing talents. But I absolutely loved the 2008 version. I don't know why really, I was just glued to the screen the whole time, which is amazing because I read the book and seen the 1995 version about a million times since my childhood. I just found it thoroughly enthralling and dramatic and I really liked the cast. I get particular giggles from both movies, since in the 1995 version Colonel Brandon (whats his first name?) is played by Alan Rickman who goes on to play Snape in the HP series, and I know the guy (but not his name) who plays CB in the 2008 version from Doctor Who.

10. Emma 2009
Ooooh I reached 10? Really I didn't think I could do it! Anyway this is the best adaptation of one of my favorite JA novels. Brilliantly acted, and wonderfully scripted, I watched this version while drinking tea and delicious light refreshments with my friend. It only added to the atmosphere. :D Anyway I love this version, I really need to own it.

Well that's all for this particularly late meme. There are still tons of other books to movies I love like Series of Unfortunate Events, Ella Enchanted, The breathtakingly spot on version of Pride and Prejudice from A&E that I've been watching again since I was a little girl, and Nancy Drew. But I ran out of numbers. :(
Until next time,

Top Ten Picks: Favorite Male Literary Character

Top Ten Picks is a meme hosted by Random Ramblings. Every week she picks a topic for us to pick our top ten favorites of. This weeks topic is Top Ten Literary Males. So here our my top ten in no particular order because I can't pick a favorite.

1. Tom Fitzgerald A.K.A The Great Brain
When I was little these we're my favorite books. The Great Brain series tells the story of Tom Fitzgerald a smart, money loving, and somewhat criminally minded young boy who loves to outsmart the kids and grown ups in his town. It is narrated by Tom's little brother John who is ever disapproving but always in awe of the things his brother gets away with. I always loved to read about all the cons Tom would pull and I must say I loved him to bits for it. Possibly because in my secret heart I had always wanted to do something similar. :P


2. Neville Longbottom
He is one of my favorite characters in HP because he is a truly brave loyal character. Even from the first book, when he tries to stop the "power of 3" from getting into trouble. I think what I like most about this character is, he does things that he is afraid of. He also has a very heartbreaking story. I'm not ashamed to say I cried during the 5th book, and it's just a testament to what a great character J.K. Rowling created. Also I'd like to thank the editor who accepted J.K's book because he told her to put more Neville in it. :) Also I loved him in the 7th book as well. He really grows as a character throughout the series from the "worst wizard" in the first book to a hero in the last.

3. Percy Jackson
This brave little hero capture my affections from the first book. He is absolutely fantastic. He is the typical boy, fun loving, hyper, and full of humor. His narrations are a joy to read, which was a pleasant surprise for me because I didn't think I would like this series so much. I think I like Percy so much because for some odd reason I always thought that is I had a little brother he would be like Percy. I know that sounds completely odd but that was how real he was too me. It definitely took me by surprise how attached I became to him, and again it's just another testament of great writing by Rick Riordan.

4. Christopher Chant A.K.A Chrestomanci
Well this one I picked more as a fun character than any specific deep reason for why I like him. Smart, and quirky Christopher is first introduced as the Chrestomanci in "Charmed Life" a very powerful magician who see's that magic remains in hand in all of the realms of the universe. If you chant is name 3 times he will come and help you out of any magical problem you have with his quick wit and clever use of magic. I like reading his character it's very imaginative and funny. I also like the crazy outfits Dianna Wynne Jones is always putting him in. :P

5. Twig
Twig is the first protagonist introduced in The highly imaginative and adventurous series The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. Raised by a family of woodtrolls Twig starts out as an impetuous, immature, angst ridden boy. You're wondering where the desirable qualities come in. I guess it's all in the character growth here. All alone wandering through the dangerous Deepwoods Twig learns a lot about himself and does plenty of growing up, as he tries to survive and find the people he belongs with. As the series progresses Twig turns into a brave and caring young man, although always impetious, and I like that about him.

6. Sherlock Holmes
The quintessential detective Sherlock Holmes was based off of Edgar Allen Poe's lesser known detective C. Auguste Dupin. Be that as it may Sherlock Holmes is a unique character in and of himself. Bringing cold clear logic to the table, Sherlock Holmes is still as popular today as he was when the stories were first published, and it's no mystery why. :P He is clever, full of justice, and very human. He is full of faults, as prone to addictions as the next person, and he is a confirmed bachelor. He has taken a million readers on a ton of adventures and will continue to do so for many years to come. I first read Sherlock Holmes because as a mystery fan I felt I could not call myself one unless I read SH. I wasn't sure I would like it.You can see how wrong I was. :)


7. Linus Van Pelt
Little Linus Van Pelt is Charlie Browns best friend. He is extremely smart, able to quote Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, and verses from the bible. He is very knowledgeable of human nature. Yet he constantly has to carry around his blankie, confuses Christmas and Halloween, and waits every year for the Great Pumpkin in the Pumpkin patch. Linus has always been my favorite peanuts character, and probably always will be. It's great to see the world through the eyes of such a smart yet innocent child.

8. Eustace Scrubbs
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." and so is introduced one of my favorite characters in The Chronicles of Narnia series. At first an annoying boy who loves to make fun of his cousins Edmund and Lucy, Eustace is transported to Narnia with them, and goes on a great adventure that changes his life and character. I like a lot of character like this, and I think it's because they are so terrible at first, and they go through a lot of bad stuff because of their selfishness and stupid decisions. But they are so terrible that they cannot change, and learn their lesson. These types of characters in the end are loved not because they were always good but because they were bad, and became stronger characters because of how far they fall. In the end they are braver and more loyal to their cause because they have seen what the other side is like, and how it did not benefit them. Eustace's story is somewhat similar to Edmund's and they are both my favorite. But I like Eustace more although I couldn't quite tell you why. Also the two books he is in are my two favorite Narnia books the 2nd being The Silver Chair.

9. Encyclopedia Brown
Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown is one of my favorite boy detectives. I started reading them when I was 11 and was simple crazy about them. I loved how clever Encyclopedia was and also how modest he was. He is always willing to help people with their problems but he's not loud or obnoxious about it. The mysteries he solves are not easy ones either. They are written in a figure it out yourself format, there are clues in the passages so that by the end of the story you should be able to figure out the solution. I rarely did though and usually went to the back of the book to read the solution. But it never took away from my enjoyment of the stories.


10. Mr. Knightley
Ah Mr. Knightley, possibly my favorite Austen hero. I absolutely came to love him while reading Emma. Wise and steadfast, Mr. Knightley has known Emma since she was a child. Her knows just how silly and impetuous she can be. He also knows that she has a good heart and he absolutely loves her flaws and all. I like that he can talk to her, and tell her where she's gone wrong, and even though it's criticism, it's loving and meant kindly, and only for her best. I also love how jealous he is of Frank Churchhill, that adds a great comical side to his character. :)

Well that's it for today. Again there not done in order of importance only in order of them popping into my head. :P Also I love all the Austen hero's but Knightley is my favorite. My 2nd is Henry Tilney. :) Most of my favorite characters are from MG novels as I haven't found any amazing YA hero's and I haven't read that many adult books yet. What are your favorite male literary characters?

Top Ten Picks: Favorite Reads This Year (so far)

Top Ten Picks is a weekly meme hosted by Jillian over at Random Ramblings. It's lot's of fun, and this weeks question is: What are your favorite reads so far this year. Thanks to my goodreads list I think I can answer this. :)

Okay in the number one slot:
1. The Anne of Green Gables Series by L.M. Montgomery
I've read Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, and Anne of Windy Poplar so far this year. I adore every single one of them to pieces. I am now reading Anne's House of Dreams and hope to continue to the end of the series.

2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
I read an abridged version of the Odyssey when I was around 12 years old and really enjoyed it. But in the Sea of Monsters Rick Riordan updates it with his usual brand of humor, and imagination and I loved it! I also learned some new interesting facts like the fact that cyclops's were the sons of Poseidon and a Nereid.

3. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Jane Austen pokes fun at gothic novels. What's not to love? I read this light fluffy comedy in one day, and really enjoyed it. All of her jabs at usual gothic novels we're so funny especially during the 1st chapter, here's one particular part I found especially funny: "Her father was a clergymen, without being neglected, or poor, and a very respectable man, though his name was Richard-and he had never been handsome. He had considerable independence, besides two good livings-and he was not in the least addicted to locking up his daughters."

4. Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop by Jennifer Allison
I have been loving this young psychic mysteries series for a while now. So much so I actually got this in hardcover when it came out. It is one of the best in the series next to The Ladies of the Lake and the mysteries are starting to get more complex. Also now I want to go visit the spy museum in Washington.

5. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
I saw the 2005 movie when it came out on DVD, before I knew it was a books series. I thought it was bizarre but brilliant. Then I found out it was a book series and have always wanted to read it. I only got around to it this year. The book is only a little bit different from the movie, (which I guess means they did a good job) and is just as bizarre and brilliant. Also my reading this book started a discussion on 42 in my family for about 2 weeks.

6. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie's 2nd novel, is very fun. It's not too intense, but it's also not to light so that you aren't interested. The main characters are what really interest you though. Tommy and Tuppence are another one of my favorite literary couples. :)

7. The Case of the Left Handed Lady by Nancy Springer
This is the 2nd book in the Enola Holmes series. It's also the last one I read. I don't know why though. I absolutely loved it. It was a very smart, and sometimes frightening mystery. It tells the story of Sherlock Holmes much younger sister, and her fight for her freedom and the things she does to help people in need.

8. The Crime at Black Dudley
Margery Allingham's firs novel featuring her soon to be famous amateur sleuth Albert Campion. No wonder because he stole the show from the 1st main character Dr. Abbershaw. This was a nice English manor thriller that I had a lot of fun reading, and I hope to read more in the series later on this year.

9. Heist Society by Ally Carter
In this her first YA none Gallagher Girl book Ally has started (hopefully) another fun series about a teenage thief and her companions who try to clear their fathers name of a crime he didn't commit. At least not this time. It's very fun, very Oceans Eleven for tweens and teens.

10. My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison
This novel was very cute, and imaginative. It was one of the better fairy tale oriented YA novels I have read. Ever. The main character was cute, there were some nice playful twists and the fairy godmother was hilarious, the the situations she got the main character into were very funny. I laughed out loud on more then one occasion.

Top Ten Picks: Favorite Writers

Top ten picks is a weekly meme hosted by Random Ramblings where each week a new topic is chosen to pick your ten ten favorites from. This weeks top ten: Favorite writers. :)
There are so many brilliant writers out there, and to choose a favorite would be so hard for me, but I could pick ten in no particular order so here it goes.

1. A. A. Milne
Well he popped into my head rather randomly but really he is one of my favorites. Even now I love to read the Winnie the Pooh stories, they make me laugh, and there are wonderful little lessons to learn from the animals in the Hundred Acre Woods, like accepting your friends for how they are in "In Which Tigger is Unbounced" and blind prejudice against things we don't understand in "In Which Kanga and baby Roo Come to the Forest, and Piglet has a Bath." which are both two of my favorites. Like Dr. Suess's stories, A. A. Milne's aren't just for children.

2. Jane Austen
Well here she is! You we're expecting her right. ;) Anyway I must say I never truly appreciated Jane Austen until after I read Emma and Persuasion two of my favorite by her. I read P&P and S&S when I was younger and although I liked them I never really loved them, not like I love Emma and Persuasion now. Maybe I'll revisit P&P and S&S with my new found love for classics and appreciate them like I should.

3. L.M. Montgomery
You can read all about my love for her in this post. Really I can not begin to explain just how happy this author makes me when I read her books.

4. Ellen Raskin
I love this author because not only does she write mind-boggling mysteries for Young Adults and Middle graders, but because she actually leaves clues all through the book so that you can solve it right along with the characters. I mean, truthfully I've never succeeded in solving any of her stories before they were done, but looking back through them I saw that I could have. This author is really not to be missed. My two favorite novels of hers are The Westing Game and The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon(I mean Noel).

5. Agatha Christie
I have always loved mysteries but there are two...no three authors I knew I had to read to really call myself a mystery fan. One was Arthur Conan Doyle, the other was Edgar Allen Poe and the third was the queen of crime herself Agatha Christie. She is absolutely brilliant. I read The Body in the Library and The Mysterious Affair at Styles, but after And Then There Were None I was hooked on this ladies novels.

6. Dianna Wynne Jones
I have already mentioned probably about a million times how much I enjoy DWJ's novels. They are wonderful examples of great british fantasy. She also writes some science fiction too. My three favorite novels by her are Charmed Life, Howl's Moving Castle, and The Game.

7. Elizabeth Gaskell
My friend Katherine over at A Love for Literature introduced me to this brilliant writer. I am reading Wives and Daughters right now, and am absolutely loving it. She has a wonderful style of writing, you just float into her books without realizing it. I have bought The Cranford Chronicles and am very interested in reading more of her work.

8. Beverly Cleary
I grew up on a healthy diet of Ramona, Henry Huggins, and Ralph S. Mouse. I loved every one of the books I read by Beverly Cleary, I really related to Ramona. -_-; But really she wrote some of the funniest, most touching books, ever written for children and I will definitely be saving her works for my future children. Also I can relate to Beverly Cleary as a writer because she wrote in her autobiography how she struggles with describing things and I also struggle with the same thing.
9. Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, two of the most influential books I have ever read. Taking experiences from her own life, FHB wrote wonderful stories about forgiveness, the power of love, and new beginnings, that can be appreciated by readers no matter what their age. Sarah Crewe and Mary Lennox are really two of the strongest female characters ever written, and who even now I look up to.

10. Rick Riordan
AHHH! This was such a good top ten picks and there are still so many authors I love!!! But I thought I'd end with one of my favorite modern day writers Rick Riordan. He is a really brilliant and imaginative writer, and it's too bad The Percy Jackson movie didn't live up to it's potential. I really love that series, and read the first book in the 39 clue's series which was cute. I can't wait to read The Kane Chronicles as well, I picked up the 1st book in the series for my b-day. :) Also can this guy name a chapter or what?! I am looking forward to the future books this man will write, because I think he's got a really great style.

TopTenPicks: Female Characters You Admire

Top Ten Picks is a meme hosted by Random Ramblings where she post's just about that -- her top 10 picks! Every week, there will be a different and specific topic given. You can then choose 10 of your picks from that given category, create the list, and post them up on your blog!
For this week, the topic is on: Female Characters You Admire. It can be for any reason at all.
I saw this meme over at her blog and really wanted to join in. I only got around to it today. >_<

1. Anne ShirleyLet me just put it this way: I don't think I'd like to live in a world where L.M. Montgomery never wrote about that ever dramatic but always lovable red-head. I think this is where I first got my obsession's with red hair from. I've loved this series ever since I was a little girl, because I could relate to Anne Shirley. My mom always said I was a lot like her. No book series can calm me and make me feel more at home then this one can, and it's all because I like so many girl's have found a kindred spirit in Anne.

2. Elizabeth Bennet
Again who doesn't admire Elizabeth Bennet. Elegent, charming, witty, strong willed, and one who can eventually be owned up to their mistakes. I've always admired Elizabeth Bennet, I've always wanted to be like her, but truthfully I think the only way I am like her is that I also can't embroider cushions, or play the pianoforte well. -_-;

3. Sophie Hatter

The reason I admire Sophie Hatter is because she is thrown into a lot of strange situation's against her will. But she never let's it get the better of her. She keep's moving forward even after being turned into a little old women and find's her inner strength along the way. Also she's the only one who can get the better of drama king Howl and that's pretty impressive in and of itself. I encourage anyone who has seen the movie and never read the book to read it, and vice-versa because I love them both.

4. Nancy Drew

Ah, Nancy Drew. Timeless, intrepid, Nancy Drew. I always wanted to be Nancy Drew. Running around, solving mysteries, having adventures, yes, that is the life I crave. Nancy is great because she is another strong female who never gives up. She uses her clever mind to outwit the bad guys, and learns new thing's along the way that will eventually help her solve a future mystery. Nancy Drew has changed a bit over the years (truthfully if you can believe it she was much more feistier in the original 1920 novels then she is today.) but she still appeals to girls with a sense of adventure.

5. Tabitha Ruth "Turtle" Wexler Okay so one of the main reason I like this character is because we share the 1st same name. Also because she kick's people who make her mad and I've sometimes felt like doing that to people who make me mad as well. I never have because well, I'm not sure I could live with the guilt afterward of hurting someone physically, and number two because I'd have gotten in trouble. -_-; Okay so maybe that isn't a terribly admirable quality. But actually the real reason I admire Turtle is because she always say's what's on her mind, she is not afraid of anyone or anything, she will stop at nothing to get what she want's and she's terribly clever. She understands the stock market and I think anyone who can do that is terribly clever.

6. Ananka Fishbein

This is another one of my ultimate favorite character's of all time. I really clicked with Ananka. She love's books, she is witty and adventurous, yet she had an underlying insecurity that she struggle's with. She meet's Kiki Strike, and Kiki help's her discover just what she is made out of. Ananka is also the child of two parents who believe a house should be covered from wall to wall with books. Kiki Strike is one of my favorite books and Ananka is one of the greatest narrators I have had the pleasure of reading.

7. Mary Lennox
Well, there are plenty of reason's to admire Mary Lennox. Here is a girl who was spoiled and unloved, who's parent's died, and who was then sent to live with an aloof uncle. Mary could have turned into quite a horrible person. But that's the wonderful thing about her. She didn't. She changed, she grew, from an unpleasant skinny child into a loving young lady who made a garden and the people around her grow in beauty and love. I didn't read this novel when I was young. But I loved it just the same. I feel anyone can learn from the amazing journey that is Mary Lennox's story.

8. Irene AdlerShe beat Sherlock Holme's at his own game. Need there be any other reason to admire her. ~_^ P.S. I haven't seen the movie version, I have only read the short story with her. But this was the only picture I could find.

9. Luna Lovegood
Luna is possibly one of the best characters to come out of Harry Potter, along with Neville but this is a girl questionnaire. I admire Luna because she is terribly true to herself. She does not try to impress people by being someone she's not. She has faced adversary and come out on top. She is an incurable optimist. She is trusting, and trustworthy. I have always liked Luna from the 1st moment she appeared in HP number 5. There's just something about her.

10. Jo March
Oh my gosh my last one. Well I wanted to make it a good one and I can't think of a better way than with Jo March. She is another female I'd like to be like. She is again strong willed, and loves her family most of all, and she want's to be a writer. She is definitely flawed, and doesn't like change, but learns a lot about herself and the people around her through it all. Haha when I started this meme I was afraid I couldn't finish it, but now I realize there were a lot of character's I admired and these 10 are definitely my favorite and have always been (for the most part) since I was little.

Again, if you would like to join in, all you have to do is:

1. Do a post, listing all your answers. You do not have to include pictures, descriptions, or explanations, but if you would like to do so, feel free! Then go over to Random Ramblings and post your post link in her Mr. Linky!!!