Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Words/Topics That Instantly Make Me Want to Pick Up a Book

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
Words can evoke lots of emotions or feelings or just plain, old nostalgia. Other times, words can entice you and make your ears perk up or your eyebrows raise. Topics and words go hand in hand because words make topics. I might be spinning you around in circles, but the point is: there are certain words or topics that will immediately interest you. Here are mine (that I could think of) below:

Emotional
When I see a blogger or hear someone say that the book they read was amazing and "so emotional" or a tearjerker, I'm instantly intrigued. Issue books are hit and miss for me, but you can have a book that makes you tear up without it being sunken down by all the issues. The Fault in Our Stars, Second Chance Summer, or Mockingjay, anyone? 

Retelling
I mentioned it in trends and I'll mention it again: I love retellings. Sure, some retellings have been told A LOT (ahem, Pride and Prejudice and Cinderella), but even those have a place in my heart because the repeated retellings are redone for a reason. You really can't get enough of Mr. Darcy. And like I mentioned in my trends post, there are numerous books that could be retold and haven't...yet. 

Orphan
Before you call me a hypocrite, hear me out. I know I have said repeatedly that I wish for more happy families. However, I have always been interested in the orphan aspect. When someone says "orphan," I wonder if she'll go looking for her family. Is her family actually dead? What's the backstory here? 

Amnesia
Considering that Anastasia is one of my favorite animated movies of all time, my ears instantly perk up at any mention of amnesia. This also ties in with the point above. Anastasia wasn't an orphan, but she THOUGHT she was. Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter, the latest Gallagher Girl book does this the amnesia plot so well. So if I see anything about amnesia, I'm there. 

Secret
Ooh, the mystery. Either you're about to be told insider information like in Secrets of My Hollywood Life or there's a "secret" that can ultimately shake a family like in Belles (both books by Jen Calonita). I don't care either way because secrets are fun. 

Princess
It might seem girly of me, but I love royalty. Young Victoria is one of my favorite movies, I adore The Princess Diaries series, and I will pounce at any mention of anything related to royalty. In YA, that's usually "princess." Even one of my favorite adult Christian books is The Princess by Lori Wick (which includes an arranged marriage of sorts). 

Parallel Universes
Who doesn't love parallel universes? Whether in TV shows, movies, or books, they're so interesting to watch. They might be for standalone books or in the end of the series like There's No Place Like Home by Jen Calonita where you are attached to the characters and know how they really are. You get to see what life would have been like or how great their life really is. 

Disguise
Who doesn't love disguises? Whether it be for criminal activity, sleuthing, or a girl pretending to be a boy...there will be adventure and fun and greatness ahead. Seven Daughters and Seven Sons has a girl disguising herself as a boy to make money and ultimately falls in love with a prince. The first book in the Gallagher Girls has a spy pretending to be normal and starts a romance with an actual normal guy. Heist Society involves a robber and her family taking on many disguises and personas to continue with their adventures. Lots of superheros have a disguise and their other persona is freaking great. I don't think I need to continue anymore because obviously this is an AWESOME plot. 


Boarding school
Source
It's also a great way to get parents out of the way. But besides that, you get more interaction with the main character and their friends. It's a great time to see the chemistry evolve with two characters or provide some kind of hierarchy. Two words: Gallagher Girls.

Camp
It's also another trend that I love, especially for a summer read. Like boarding schools, it's a great way to see more of the beloved friends, more drama, and usually some cute boys as well. The fact that I've always wanted to go to a camp like the ones in these fictional books make me love them even more. 

~*~
What words perk your ears up? 

39 comments:

  1. Parallel Universe. D'OH! and Camp. Y'know, I really think I thought TOO hard this week, lol. Great picks!!
    <3! New follower!! :)
    Beth | The Reading Vixens
    Vixen's Top Ten!

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  2. OMG me 2. I can't get enough of disguises, emotional books, secrets or any of them. Cool post

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  3. I said boarding schools too - I love those books!

    Check out my TTT!

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  4. I love retold stories, too. It is fun to see how different authors can change up a classic. Parallel universes are awesome. Great list!

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  5. Retellings are brilliant. I love reading author's interpretations. Great list!

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    1. Me too, it's a fun way to spin your favorite story or see someone else's perspective!

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  6. Disguise is a good one! I too would like to see more boarding schools and more camp books! More princess books would be cool too! Lovely list this week <3

    Jasmine

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  7. First off, I adore Anastasia! It's one of my favorite animated films, too. It never, ever gets old for me. Love the story, the music, the characters (and the actors who voice them) -- just everything.

    As for books, I love a good orphan story, too, but I especially love when said orphan ends up in a happy family. A good adoption story ALWAYS hits me right in my adoptive mother's heart :)

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    Replies
    1. Yay! It's seems like no one ever talks about it.

      OH YES. Gosh, that would be great. Aw, you adopt? That's wonderful! When I get married, I would like to adopt someday :)

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  8. i love love love your list like wooow jut stated everthign i forgot to say (anastisa was my favourite film growing up
    check out mine
    new follower (follow back)
    http://nabooksvsboys.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/top-ten-tuesday_30.html

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  9. Great list - I completely forgot about princesses and boarding school (and university) books.

    Here's my Top Ten Tuesday.

    Sarah

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  10. Great list!! Sometimes I really love emotional books, but sometimes there a little much for me.
    Old follower
    my TTT
    http://kimberlysnovelnotes.blogspot.com/2013/04/top-ten-tuesday-19.html

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  11. Fantastic list! I also had boarding school in My Top Ten

    Have a great week!

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  12. Loving the list. I would totally agree with boarding school, camp and parallel universes for sure! :)

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  13. Parallel Universes!!! I wish I had added that on mine! :) And your 'Secrets' section has me excited, because I'll be reading 'Belles' soon! I love your list!

    Alice @ Alice in Readerland

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    Replies
    1. Yay! That book is a hit or miss for some people, but I adore Jen Calonita. You gotta tell me how you like it!

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  14. I love retellings and princesses too! It's funny that you talk about Anastasia, because I was thinking the other day that it's a largely overlooked Disney movie. My favorite is The Little Mermaid, but I do think the concept of the historical Anastasia is fascinating. Parallel universes on the other hand, make me automatically put a book down. Like love triangles where a girl has to fight over two guys, having to deal with two realities is not my thing at all!

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    1. It really is! Well, actually, it's not Disney. But it is a overlooked animated movie a lot of times. Oh, I totally understand! I never thought about it that way before.

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  15. Awesome choice! Anastasia is one of my favourite movies too!

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  16. Yes to all of this! The amnesia ploy is becoming overdone, but I still believe that it can be fantastic when executed well. And who doesn't want to read about princesses? A lot of people, I'm sure, but I am not one of them.

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    1. It is?! I've been trying to find amnesia plots everywhere, but the only ones I know are Unremembered...and possibly Cinder if you can count that. Recs?

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    2. What about Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin?

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  17. Oh! Camps & Retellings almost made my list too! I love those kind of books! Thanks for sharing :)

    &
    Thanks for stopping by!
    Kar @ Pause Time

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  18. Oh, yeah...secrets and parallel universes! Those will get me every time. :) Great list!

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  19. Oh so many of these words I would never have thought of as being important in giving a book a try. Parallel universes and emotional are definitely words which I find important in convincing me to give a book a try and I think anything with the word road trip would also convince me. Great list Sunny! :)

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    Replies
    1. Yes, road trips! That should've made my list. Thanks!

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  20. Definitely agree! Although I refuse to ever read The Fault in Our Stars, no matter how amazing I'm sure it is. I don't need to put myself through that kind of pain.
    I need to read some more retelling books. And maybe write one... >:D

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  21. I am so sad I didn't do this topic this week. I MAY have to choose it for the next rewind. I am a sucker for amnesia books, too. There's something so sad but hopeful about them, when you have a character struggling to remember who they are.

    Molli | Once Upon a Prologue

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  22. I also love boarding schools and retellings is on my list, but I forgot about disguises! I get so nervous worrying that the character is going to get found out!

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