TTT - Top Ten Books That Will Make You Swoon

It's time to link up with the Broke and the Bookish again!
I'm not much of a swooner when it comes to books. I tend to squee over the adorableness rather than get weak at the knees. Still, here are ten books that made me squee throughout.

1. Persuasion - Jane Austen
The only book I've come across that genuinely makes me swoony. Hands down my favourite Austen book and one of my favourite books of all time. (Its modernised version, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, may be a little rubbish in parts, but the scene where Bridget and Mark finally talk things through makes me Feel All The Feels)

2. Stay Awhile - Alysia Gray Painter
Oh my God, THIS BOOK. Despite the fact that we're three books into the series and Fair and Gomery have yet to kiss, you wouldn't think this would be swoony. But it is. It's just the most squee-worthy thing on the planet.

3. Anywhere - J. Meyers
I'm a sucker for the good old "teenagers meet and fall in love while travelling" thing, and this one delivers in fine form. It's adorable, from start to finish.

4. Anna and the French Kiss/Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins
Yes, I'm shoving two books into one spot. I honestly couldn't pick between them. They're both full of Kermit-flail worthy cuteness.

5. Attachments - Rainbow Rowell
Okay, so this has a slightly creepy stalkery vibe in that Lincoln falls for Beth by monitoring her emails at work. But it was so squee-worthy that I ended up not even remotely caring.

6. Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
Yes, I'm putting two Rainbow Rowell books back to back. What are you going to do about it? I adored everything about Fangirl, but the relationship between Cath and Levi was fantastic.

7. Let It Snow - Maureen Johnson, John Green & Lauren Myracle
Three lots of overlapping adorableness? BRB, SQUEEING.

8. Newt's Emerald - Garth Nix
I spent a decent chunk of reading this book yelling "JUST KISS ALREADY!!!" at my Kindle. In short, it's stupidly cute.

9. Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood
Sure, the relationship in this isn't exactly the focus of the story. But it's still pretty magical. (See what I did there??)

10. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith
Remember that whole "teenagers meet and fall in love while travelling" thing that I mentioned earlier? Yeah, that.

What books make you swoon/squee?

K xx

Top Ten Tuesday - Fall TBR List

I'm linking up with The Broke and the Bookish again for Top Ten Tuesday this week!

The theme this week is the ten books topping your TBR list this season (which, for me, is spring rather than autumn). I'm not great at keeping up with TBR lists, partly because I'm reliant on the library for most of my books and they rudely refuse to buy the books I want, or I go to get them on my Kindle, and they're like $15, which seems completely ridiculous for an e-book, so I wait around in the hopes that they'll go on sale and then forget all about their existence.

ANYWAY. That's a really long winded way of saying that I'm 10,000% sure that I will not read all ten of these books between now and the end of November (summer starts on 1 December here, so I'm using that as the cut off!). But I *do* have several of them on preorder, so I'll at least cross off a few!

Allegiant - Veronica Roth
OMG SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK. Especially now that the Divergent movie trailer has been released.

Curtsies and Conspiracies - Gail Carriger
I'd prefer if it were a new Parasol Protectorate book - the first book in the Finishing School series was good but not great - but I love Carriger's writing so much that I'll take whatever I can get!

Mad About the Boy - Helen Fielding
I adore the Bridget Jones books, perhaps because I relate a little too much to Bridget's special brand of crazy. So I was crazy excited to see that there was a new one coming out. Although given that it's been the better part of fifteen years since The Edge of Reason, it will be very interesting to see if Fielding can still deliver the same hilarity without making Bridget seem a wee bit pathetic...

Raising Steam - Terry Pratchett
Every Discworld book automatically gets added to my TBR list, and they've always delivered in spectacular fashion. I have high hopes that this will be no exception.

More Than This - Patrick Ness
I've adored every single Patrick Ness book that I've read, even when they've made me ugly cry like a lunatic. This one sounds completely intriguing.

Hyperbole and a Half - Allie Brosh
The minute Allie announced that she had a book coming out, I went and preordered it. I've missed her blog so much over the past year or so, so I'm insanely excited about her book.

Never Fade - Alexandra Bracken 
I had a few niggling problems with The Darkest Minds, but I'm still dying to know what happens next!

Wild Justice - Kelley Armstrong
I've been a little dubious in the past about the Nadia Stafford books. I've enjoyed them, but they've always lacked a little bit of the readability that I loved in Armstrong's other books. That said, it's been a long time since Armstrong's added to the series and I'm interested to see where she takes it.

A Study in Silks - Emma Jane Holloway 
Steampunk and magic and a dose of Sherlock Holmes-y stuff? Um, YES PLEASE.

Two - LeighAnn Kopans
I really enjoyed One, despite having some initial hesitations about the insta-love-ness of the relationship between Mer and Elias, so I'm really looking forward to this coming out next month.

What new releases are you excited about over the next few months??

K xx

Socially awkward, party of one

So if you know me at all, you'll know that I hate the phone pretty much more than anything ever. Hello, I'm a blogger. I work best in text format, you know? Of course you know. You guys have seen my vlogs.

So today something happened that means I can show you how to react like a normal person, and not the way I did. It's for your own good. And probably mine...

Anyway, the phone rang while I was using the exercise bike this morning. I managed to actually get OFF the exercise bike, which was a step in the right direction because usually me rushing to do such things ends like this:

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So I get to the phone and this happens:

Me: Hello, Kirsti speaking.
Random Old Lady: Yes, I'm phoning to confirm a booking?

Now, this is the point in the conversation where any normal person would say "Um. Booking?". But no, not me. Partly because I was brain addled from staggering off the exercise bike and to the phone, and partly because my parents are going away this weekend, and I foolishly assumed it was in regards to the booking for their accommodation. So:

Me: Oh. Okay?
ROL: Hello?
Me: Hello.
ROL: Hello? Yes, I'm calling to confirm a booking.
Me: Right.
ROL: So what do I need to give you?
Me: Um?? Is this about [insert town here] this weekend?
ROL: Oh, no. The booking's for the 25th.
Me: The 25th? Are you sure?
ROL: Yes. And my name is [insert name here] and my insurance policy is [insert number here].
Me: Oh. Um. I think you might have the wrong number.
ROL: No. The card said to ring this number.
Me: Is it possible that you dialled wrong?
ROL: No.
Me: Well, you've phoned a private residence.........
ROL: Oh. It's not a hospital?
Me: No. No, it's not.
ROL: Oh. But I phoned the number on the card!
Me: What was the number?
ROL: [insert number that's out by one digit here]
Me: Oh. You've phoned [insert actual number].
ROL: I've phoned what?
Me: [insert actual number].
ROL: Oh. WHOOPS. Sorry. Bye!

So yeah. That happened. Public service announcement: when you get a strange phone call, don't just assume that it's relevant to you...

Who hates the phone as much as I do?

K xx

Movie Monday: Bridget Jones' Diary

It's the first Movie Monday post for 2013, so it seemed only appropriate that we start the year off with some nice New Year's resolutions, courtesy of the one and only Bridget Jones!

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I love the crap out of this movie, and I will never ever get sick of watching it.

Reasons why Bridget Jones' Diary is awesome:
1. Colin Firth. Playing Mr. Darcy AGAIN. I mean, come on.

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2. Giant pants.
3. Renee Zellweger. She may be completely and utterly horrific in the sequel, but she's perfect in this.
4. Reading poetry in rowboats.

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5. Hugh Grant. This is one of the few movies (along with Love Actually) in which I think he's brilliant.
6. Bridget's New Year's Resolution.
7. Christmas jumpers.

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8. Bridget singing at the Christmas party.
9. The soundtrack
10. Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones as Bridget's parents.

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11. Turkey curry buffets.
12. Bridget's friends - Shaz, Jude, and Tom.

13. Blue soup.

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14. The fight between Mark and Daniel.

15. Bridget works at Pemberley Press. GENIUS.

16. The hilariously awful fire station scene.

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17. Turning up at a party in a bunny costume.

18. The cameo by Crispin Bonham-Carter (aka Mr. Bingley from Pride and Prejudice)
19. Bridget's hair when they arrive at their mini-break.

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20. The ending.
21. The scene where Mark helps Bridget with cooking her birthday dinner.
22. Impersonating Bridget's mum and Una with the gravy.
23. Bridget stumbling off the exercise bike.

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24. Taking over the driving. ESPECIALLY for the look on Gemma Jones' face.
25. It's written by Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis.
26. A million and one Harry Potter connections.

Plus, as always, the following quotes:
- "Come on. Why don't we see if Mark fancies a gherkin?"
- "How interesting. What a gripping life you do lead."
- "He's just a big knobhead with no knob."
- "How's it look? "Uh, great. It's, um, blue." "Blue?" "No, but, blue is good. If you ask me there isn't enough blue food." "Oh, shit! It must be the string." "Oh, it's string soup?"
- "Wait a minute. Nice boys don't kiss like that!" "Oh, yes, they fucking do."
- "Thank you, Daniel, that is very good to know. But if staying here means working within 10 yards of you, frankly, I'd rather have a job wiping Saddam Hussein's arse."
- "What do you think about the El Nino phenomenon?" "It's a blip. Latin music's on its way out."
- "So what do you think of the situation in Chechnya?" "I couldn't give a fuck, Jones."
- "I must say the sex is still quite surprising. Do you know just the other day I was just dozing off and I felt this huge..." "Bye, Mum! Ugh."
- "Come the fuck on, Bridget!"
- " I like you, very much." "Ah, apart from the smoking and the drinking, the vulgar mother and... ah, the verbal diarrhea." "No, I like you very much. Just as you are."
- "Well done Bridge, four hours of careful cooking and a feast of blue soup, omelette and marmalade. I think that deserves a toast, don't you? To Bridget, who cannot cook, but who we love just as she is."
- "Why do you wanna work on television?" "I've got to leave my job because I shagged my boss." "Fair enough. Start on Monday."
- "All right Cleaver, outside." "I'm sorry? Outside? Should I bring my dueling pistols or my sword?"
- "Did I really run round your lawn naked?" "Oh, yes. You were four and I was eight." "Well, that's a pretty big age difference. It's quite pervy really." "Yes, I like to think so."
- "Resolution #1:  Obviously, will lose 20 lbs. #2: Always put last night's pants in the laundry basket. Equally important: will find nice sensible boyfriend and stop forming romantic attachments to any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, sexaholics, commitment-phobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs, emotional fuckwits, or perverts. Will especially stop fantasising about a particular person who embodies all these things."
- "I've been going crazy. I can't stop thinking about you, and thinking about what an idiot I've been. Christ, is that blue soup?"
- "Mother, I do not need a blind date. Particularly not with some verbally incontinent spinster who drinks like a fish, smokes like a chimney, and dresses like her mother."

- "You'll never get a boyfriend if you look like you wandered out of Auschwitz!"
- "At times like this, continuing with one's life seems impossible... and eating the entire contents of one's fridge seems inevitable. I have two choices: to give up and accept permanent state of spinsterhood and eventual eating by Alsatians, or not. And this time I choose not. I will not be defeated by a bad man and an American stick insect! Instead, I choose vodka. And Chaka Khan."
- "Where the fuck is the fucking tuna?" 

- "My mum, a strange creature from a time when gherkins were the height of sophistication." 

- "I have to say, this really is the most incredible shit."

If you don't use at least one line from this movie on a regular basis, I suspect you need to reconsider your life choices. Just saying...

K xx

Movie Monday: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

On Friday night, I went to the movies with my parents because I'm cool like that. We went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which was amazing.

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It's the story of seven Brits who, for a variety of reasons, decide that they're going to spend their lives at a luxury hotel in Jaipur - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful. There's Douglas and Jean, a married couple who've lost their savings and can't afford to live in a retirement village in the UK. Though neither wants to admit it, their relationship is strained at best. There's Evelyn, who's recently widowed and whose husband did everything, leaving her with a world of new experiences to discover. There's Madge, who's looking for a husband, and Norman, who's lonely. There's Muriel, who needs a hip replacement but can't deal with the six month waiting list in the UK, but who's more than a little bit racist. And finally, there's Graham, who grew up in India and is searching for a lost love.

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The brochures bill the Marigold as newly renovated and top-of-the-line. Upon arrival, it is revealed to be anything but. It's a ramshackle building, where many rooms have no doors and are inhabited by pigeons. But the manager, Sonny, has a heart of gold and a vision of how the hotel can be, if he can just scrape together a little more money.

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Let's talk about the casting, shall we?

• Maggie Smith as Muriel. Yes, Muriel's a bigot, and her luggage consists of 30 packets of Hobnobs, jars of Branston pickle, pickled eggs and pickled onions. But it's when she sees herself in one of the hotel staff that things start to change. Also, IT'S MAGGIE SMITH. She's an international treasure. Also, I now want to watch Harry Potter. And Downton Abbey.
• Judi Dench as Evelyn. Evelyn takes everything in her stride, getting a job for the first time, embracing the culture, and writing a blog. And let's be honest - I would read the shit out of a blog written by Judi Dench. Also an international treasure. I now want to watch a bunch of James Bond movies.
• Bill Nighy as Douglas. He's kind and thoughtful and eager to experience the people and sights around him. Also also an international treasure. I now want to watch Love Actually.
• Tom Wilkinson as Graham. A High Court judge, he's returning to the place he knew and loved in his youth. His story is heartbreaking. Also, I now want to watch The Importance of Being Earnest and Shakespeare in Love.
• Penelope Wilton as Jean. There's no other way to say it - Jean is a bitch. She's mourning the life she left behind, the life she can no longer afford. And she resents Douglas for getting them into the situation they're in. Also, I now want to watch all the "Harriet Jones, Prime Minister" episodes of Doctor Who. 
• Celia Imrie as Madge. She's sick of being used as a babysitter by her children, and decides that she can still find love. A lot of the time, she's the comic relief, but she does it brilliantly. Also, I now want to watch Bridget Jones' Diary.
• Ronald Pickup as Norman. Norman's basically a dirty old man, who's tired of being alone. Again, he's often the comic relief, but he plays the male bravado face incredibly well. Also, I now want to watch Prince of Persia.
• Dev Patel as Sonny. I haven't seen him in anything before (I know, I know. Slumdog Millionaire is on my to-watch list!!), but the emotion that he brings to the role of Sonny is extraordinary.
• ALL THESE PEOPLE IN THE ONE MOVIE. 

It's hilarious and heartwarming, and the supporting cast are all wonderful. The friendships that develop and the changes in the characters are beautifully done. And you should all go and see it, because it's brilliant.

Have you seen it already? If so, what did you think?

K xx

Apparently, I'm a moron

So as you guys will know if you read my 30 Days of Books posts, I love me some Charles Dickens. I also love me some BBC costume drama. When Bleak House came out a few years ago (holy crap, I just IMDB'd it and it came out in TWO THOUSAND AND FIVE. I feel old now...), I was all over it. Obviously, because Andrew Davies did the screenplay, and the man is a genius. Seriously - he's responsible for House of Cards, Pride & Prejudice, Little Dorrit, Wives & Daughters, Sense & Sensibility, Vanity Fair, and BRIDGET JONES' DIARY. That's a pretty spectacular list.

AnyIhaveapoint, despite the miniseries coming out in 2005, I still haven't read the book. So when I found a copy of the Penguin Classics edition at the Borders closing down sale recently, I jumped on it and had every intention of reading it straight away. But then I got distracted by the need to reread all of Harry Potter before seeing the last movie, not to mention moving back to Melbourne, so I still hadn't had a chance to pick it up.

Now, you may have noticed Little Dorrit in the Andrew Davies list above. I watched his adaptation last year, and loved it, despite the presence of Matthew McFugly Macfadyen (who I can't stand) and Russell Tovey crying CONSTANTLY. (I swear to God, Russell Tovey cries more than Dean Winchester. And if you watch Supernatural, you'll know that's saying something...) And Little Dorrit is ALSO on the list of Dickens books I haven't read. So when I wandered into a shop this time last week that was selling all books for $5, I picked up a copy of Little Dorrit.

And apparently Little Dorrit was foremost of the two in my mind because when I started reading Bleak House this morning, I got horribly confused as to why the story suddenly revolved around a court case and not around a debtor's prison like I thought it would.

So basically, to sum up? I read 30 pages of Bleak House before realising I wasn't reading the book I thought I was. Nice work, me. Nice work...

K xx

PS. Since watching the first disc of Doctor Who series 1 last week, I rather want to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood as well. But I suspect adding a THIRD Dickens book to the equation would just tip me over the edge into full insanity, so that might have to wait a while!!

30 Days of Books - Day 25

Things that are depressing: getting your annual student debt update in the post. Ugh... I REALLY don't understand how interest-free student debt can increase by $330 when I've been paying it off through my tax all year. And of course, the documentation on the tax office website makes ABSOLUTELY no sense. As a result, I have a killer headache.

Anyway, books! Books are far more exciting than tax...

Day 25 - A character you can relate to the most

It's not original and it's pretty embarrassing. But there's only one character that springs to mind here.

Yes, Bridget Jones. I may not smoke like a chimney or drink like a fish, but I certainly like to freak out over tiny and completely pointless things (as I'm sure Sara will attest!). I often say the wrong thing, and I'm quick to judge. I swear too much, and I can't stand being the only single one among all the Smug Marrieds that are increasingly popping up around me. I'm more than a little obsessed with the BBC Pride and Prejudice, and - to quote the film version - I'll always be just a little bit fat. But hey - it all worked out okay for Bridget!

At least I've never shown my arse on national television or turned up at a party in a bunny costume or put eyeshadow on instead of blush...

K xx

Day 01 - The best book you read last year

Day 02 - A book you've read more than 3 times

Day 03 - Your favourite series

Day 04 - Your favourite book of your favourite series

Day 05 - A book that makes you happy

Day 06 - A book that makes you sad

Day 07 - Most underrated book

Day 08 - Most overrated book

Day 09 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving

Day 10 - Favourite classic book

Day 11 - A book you hated

Day 12 - A book you used to love but don't any more

Day 13 - Your favourite writer

Day 14 - Favourite book of your favourite writer

Day 15 - Favourite male character

Day 16 - Favourite female character

Day 17 - Favourite quote from your favourite book

Day 18 - A book that disappointed you

Day 19 - Favourite book turned into a movie

Day 20 - Favourite romance book

Day 21 - Favourite book from your childhood

Day 22 - Favourite book you own

Day 23 - A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven't

Day 24 - A book you wish more people would've read

Day 25 - A character you can relate to the most

Day 26 - A book that changed your opinion about something

Day 27 - The most surprising plot twist or ending

Day 28 - Favourite title

Day 29 - A book everyone hated but you liked

Day 30 - Your favourite book of all time

30 Days of Books - Day 5

Day 5 - A book that makes you happy

I made a pretty big work related decision today, and spent half the afternoon alternating between "Oh God, what have I done?" and heaving sighs of relief. So today's theme is appropriate, because I'm desperately in need of a book that makes me happy.

And there was one book that immediately sprung to mind. I've read this so many times in the past ten years or so that I'm surprised the pages aren't falling out - Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary.

Sorry about the rubbish picture. Turns out it's really hard to find pictures of this book cover online!

I adore Bridget. She's just as rubbish at being an adult as I am - she has a rented flat, is constantly late for work, drinks too much, swears too much, smokes like a chimney, sleeps with inappropriate men, and inadvertently makes blue soup. Okay, the only similarities between us are that we both have rented flats and that we swear too much, but still.

Whenever I feel like I'm standing still while all my friends are buying houses and getting married and getting promoted, I know I can turn to Bridget and everything will be right with the world for a little while. Plus, my copy has stills from the movie in it - who doesn't love a book containing pictures of Colin Firth?? ;)

Between Bridget and a healthy dose of watching Richard Armitage in The Vicar of Dibley Christmas special, I'm feeling a lot better about my decision! ;)

K xx

Day 01 - The best book you read last year
Day 02 - A book you've read more than 3 times
Day 03 - Your favourite series
Day 04 - Your favourite book of your favourite series
Day 05 - A book that makes you happy
Day 06 - A book that makes you sad
Day 07 - Most underrated book
Day 08 - Most overrated book
Day 09 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 10 - Favourite classic book
Day 11 - A book you hated
Day 12 - A book you used to love but don't any more
Day 13 - Your favourite writer
Day 14 - Favourite book of your favourite writer
Day 15 - Favourite male character
Day 16 - Favourite female character
Day 17 - Favourite quote from your favourite book
Day 18 - A book that disappointed you
Day 19 - Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Favourite romance book
Day 21 - Favourite book from your childhood
Day 22 - Favourite book you own
Day 23 - A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven't
Day 24 - A book you wish more people would've read
Day 25 - A character you can relate to the most
Day 26 - A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 - The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 - Favourite title
Day 29 - A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Your favourite book of all time

Oscars day!

Yes, I spent a decent chunk of my day hitting F5 on The Age's live blog of the Oscars. What of it? After Avatar (which I still haven't seen and have no plans TO see) was nominated for everything ever last year, it was nice to see some movies with actual plots nominated for a change.

But let's be honest. Mostly I just wanted to say COLIN FIRTH WON AN OSCAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And he totally deserved it - he was absolutely brilliant in The King's Speech. Having said that, let's all reminisce about the days when he looked like this:

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*sigh* Wait. Maybe not that last one...

;)

K xx