Top 10 | Amy C. Shaw

My Top 10 Books I (Would) Recommend The Most

March 26, 2013 • 9 Comments

It’s another Top Ten Tuesday topic sponsored by The Broke and The Bookish: the top ten books I recommend the most.

Except I don’t feel like I go around recommending books. If I am talking with someone about a topic that reminds me of a good book, I probably will mention it. But otherwise, it’s unlikely to come up. So if asked what my top recommendations for books were, knowing nothing about that person’s specific interests, here’s what I would suggest to them…

(I decided to separate them into two categories, fiction and non-fiction, and picked five in each category, but otherwise they are in no particular order.)

Non-Fiction

#1. Quitter by Jon Acuff

This book reminded me that deep down, what I’ve always wanted to do when I grew up is write. It reminded me that I had buried that dream for something more practical. This book taught me that I could chase my dream realistically. It taught me that I needed to stick with the day job first as I worked on my dream. But one day… one day… I can finally close that gap. I think this book set me on the correct path. And if that sounds dramatic, the idea of it can be… but really, this book is hilarious because of Jon Acuff’s writing voice.

#2: Start by Jon Acuff

Start doesn’t come out until next month, but as you may recall, I attended Jon Acuff’s Star Night, an event where he shared nuggets of wisdom from this upcoming book, and for attending I received a pre-release copy. Both my husband and I have read through it, and like Quitter, it’s practical, hopeful, and funny. It’s basically the continuation of Quitter. Pre-order this book, and while you wait for it, get and read Quitter. I feel like a Jon Acuff commercial but seriously, these books can change your life for the awesome.

#3: For Men/Women Only by Shaunti Feldham

When I read For Women Only, I felt like a light bulb came on, and suddenly some of the mysteries of men became clear. I discussed the book with my husband, and found it was accurate. Then he did the same with For Men Only, and it also seemed to be a pretty good picture of the mind of a woman. Both books are filled with surveys and research and provides good information that can definitely help you better understand your spouse or significant other.

#4: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I just finished reading this book (review coming soon) and wow… it is such an incredible story. It was difficult to relive everything that Louie, the focus on the story, went through as a POW in Japan during WWII. But it is an incredible journey through the war and after. I don’t want to say too much now, but seriously… read it! It’s amazing.

#5: Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale

This book is very light compared to the story of Unbroken, but the story of Frank Abgagnale’s conning schemes is not exactly a laughing matter. It is fun at times, like the movie that is based on the book, but it also shows the not-so-elegant side of life as a criminal on the run. It’s an enjoyable and interesting read, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of the movie.

Fiction

#6: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

I grew up enchanted by the tale of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but for some reason, it took me until near-adulthood to start on the other books in the series, and I only finished them all recently. The stories are truly magical, but they also reflect reality. I think every child needs to be read these stories by their parents, for the sake of both the child and the parent.

#7: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I know The Hunger Games isn’t for everyone, but it does seem to be for a lot of people. I heard girls 10 years younger than me talking about it first, and then I had two friends my age recommend them to me, so I finally checked them out. I don’t know what it is about this trilogy that really grabbed me, especially considering how much I did not love 95% of Mockingjay… It seems Suzanne Collins just has a way with her storytelling. I also love so many of the characters, which is essential in my enjoyment of a story. If The Hunger Games has been sitting on your shelf, it’s time for you to finally grab it and open it.

#8: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

As if you can’t guess from my blog’s namesake, this is, without a doubt, my favorite classic. I am not even sure what about it I love so much… again, it’s probably mostly the characters. And I do especially relate to Jo, who is dramatic and loves to write and gets tired of wearing skirts and wants to run away to Europe. But each March sister has a unique personality that adds to the story of their lives. And of course there is Laurie, who is also wonderful. You just need to read it if you haven’t!

#9: Finding Alice by Melody Carlson

This is a much lesser-known novel than the others on my list, written by Christian author Melody Carlson. However, it is far from preachy. The story is about a young woman who is diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her journey in battling this mental disorder. Without personally knowing anyone with schizophrenia but having studied it some, it seems that Carlson handles it with the best of care. It’s a story of high’s and low’s as Alice struggles through treatments, homelessness, embracing help, therapy, and accepting love. This is one of my absolute favorite stories, and I would definitely recommend it.

#10: The Giver by Lois Lowry

If only I had discovered this story sooner! It is an absolute gem with its simple but impactful tale of a dystpopian society that is completely fooled by their safe and vanilla lifestyle. If you’re not into the dystopia genre, you should definitely still read this one, because it transcends genre and relays an important message without resorting to violence.

So what are some of your top recommends?

My Top 10 Anticipations for Catching Fire

March 20, 2013 • 4 Comments

Today, I randomly started thinking about the upcoming Catching Fire movie, and started really anticipating it. I decided to jot down some of the scenes and moments I am looking forward to the most (assuming they all make it in the movie), and was a little surprised by how long the list grew. It made me pretty excited about it all; is it November yet?! (Actually, I don’t want it to be November yet. I need the warmth of spring and summer first).

WARNING: Do not read this if you have not read Catching Fire. Seriously, DON’T.

#10: Katniss and Plutarch Interact

At a social event at the Capitol, Plutarch Heavensbee makes a point to show Katniss his custom-made watch. She doesn’t really seem to get it, but it will hit her later that he was, in fact, giving her a very important hint as to how he designed the arena. Once Katniss and the other tributes understanding the working of the arena, they are able to use this to their benefit to help them escape it. I think Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a great actor in that he always creeps me out, and I am hoping this time I will get the opposite vibe from him as he does his best to relay a message to Katniss that he is on her side.

“It starts at midnight.” – Plutarch

#9: Cinna

This is so low on my list mostly because it’s going to break my heart into a thousand pieces. Even when I saw the promotional picture for Cinna I immediately thought of his fate in this movie, and how much it is going to hurt. I love how much Cinna cares for Katniss and believes in her and in the revolution, and that he is willing to put his life on the line for it. I know watching him being taken away is going to be so haunting.

“I always channel my emotions into my work. That way I don’t hurt anyone but myself.” – Cinna

#8: Haymitch and Katniss

I looking forward to a few moments between Haymitch and Katniss, but I am particularly anticipating when they get drunk together, and they promise one another that they will do everything they can to bring Peeta out of the games alive. I also look forward to seeing how their relationship continues to grow after the first movie.

“You know, you could live a thousand lives and not deserve him.” – Haymitch

#7: The Quarter Quell

So obviously this is very broad, but I wanted to encompass everything with The Quarter Quell from the announcement of what the rules for the Quarter Quell will be, to the Reaping, to the actual games where Katniss has to learn which tributes to trust. Of course the announcement is a pivotal part of the story because when Katniss learns she is going back in the arena, she immediately goes to run and hide, which we see is a pattern she will continue as the story progresses, especially in Mockingjay. She suffers from PTSD and no one can help her (except Peeta, she’ll come to realize). It will also be interesting to see the new arena and new tributes, of course.

I am going back to the arena. (Katniss)

#6: Katniss’ Mockingjay Dress in Action

The white wedding version of the mockinjay dress looks pretty good, I hope the effects for the black mockingjay dress prove to be better than the terrible CGI flames we got for the last movie.

#5: Katniss’ Confrontation with President Snow

I expect the confrontation between President Snow, where he tells Katniss that he’s on to her, will be quite chilling. He starts the conversation by saying, “I think we’ll make this whole situation a lot simpler by agreeing not to lie to each other,” and ends with “By the way, I know about that kiss.” The whole time he has the stench of roses and Katniss wonders why… if only we could smell it with her. But still, I expect to feel a chill will go down my spine when Donald Sutherland utters…

“Convince me.” – President Snow

#4. Finnick and Katniss

What can be said about Finnick? It all begins when he seductively asks Katniss if she wants a sugar cube, and she has no idea how to respond. I definitely looking forward to this scene and their interaction in the arena.

Katniss: He offered me sugar and wanted to know all my secrets. / Peeta: Ugh. Not really. / Katniss: Really. I’ll tell you more when my skin stops crawling.

#3: The Staged Moments Between Katniss and Peeta

I had quite a list of Katniss/Peeta moments, some of which are completely staged as Katniss has to convince President Snow that she loves Peeta. Some of these moments include: their snow-tumbled kiss (I am sure this will change, especially since Peeta doesn’t have the bum leg in the movies), Peeta’s proposal (may or may not be shown since it was glossed over in the book as well, but I would love to see it!), and my favorite: Peeta announcing to everyone that he and Katniss are already married and that she is pregnant. I literally laughed out loud when I read this part of the book because I knew exactly what Peeta was up to. I really hope this part is kept in so I can see Caesar’s face. And though these moments seem fake to Katniss, she can’t deny there is a little something there…

“Maybe I’d think that too, Caesar, if it weren’t for the baby.” – Peeta

#2: The Sweet, Genuine Moments Between Katniss and Peeta

This list includes: the rooftop scene, how Peeta helps Katniss through her nightmares, and of course the beach scene, where Peeta gives Katniss his locket and she kisses him for real.

I wish that Peeta were here to hold me, until I remember I’m not supposed to wish that anymore. (Katniss)

#1: Gale tells Katniss About District 12

I’m hoping the movie ends just like the book, in its very haunting way…

“Katniss, there is no District Twelve.” – Gale

The perfect cliffhanger.

And that’s only some of what I’m anticipating! What are you looking forward to in the Catching Fire movie?

My Top 10 Anticipated Films of 2013

March 9, 2013 • 8 Comments

I know March is a weird time to create this list, but I haven’t seen any 2013 films yet, so I figured the topic was still relevant for now. Here are the top 10 films I’m anticipating this year (plus a few honorable mentions at the end of the post) and why.

#10: Olympus Has Fallen

So when I first saw the trailer for this, I thought it looked like an interesting story. Now I have found out that a very similar-sounding movie is coming out later this year called White House Down. I kind of hate that that happened, but I would still prefer to see this one, since it is Channing-Tatum-free.

#9: Now You See Me

I just found out about this movie while I was looking through IMDB’s list of movies coming out this year. It sounded interesting so I watched the trailer, and it looks really interesting too. The cast seems like a strange mix of people, but I am hoping it will be good.

#8: Man of Steel

I’m not into Superman AT ALL, but it’s produced by Christopher Nolan (which is obviously not as good as being written/directed by him…) and it doesn’t look bad. And I want to see Amy Adams as Lois Lane. I’m hoping it will be a nice film that helps us all forget about Superman Returns.

#7: Monsters Univsersity

I was not happy when I heard about a second Monsters, Inc. movie. I love Monsters, Inc. and wanted it to remain “pure” in essence. What else could possibly be done with the story? But after seeing the trailer, I have to admit this prequel idea looks pretty cute.

#6: Thor: The Dark World

Loki is an interesting villain, and I look forward to seeing the brothers square off again. Also, Darcy’s coming back, and she makes me laugh. 🙂

#5: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

I enjoyed the first Hobbit movie and am looking forward to seeing the second installment of the series. I just hope that, as the middle movie, this doesn’t suffer from some severe drawing out of the plot (because the first one was a little bit of a stretch as it was).

#4: Iron Man 3

Tony’s got a good girl, he’s cheated death, and saved the world a few times, but people still want to mess with him. But with Rhodey’s help, he’s going to kick their butts. It ought to be fun!

#3: Star Trek: Into Darkness

I am giving J.J. Abrams the benefit of the doubt that this movie might be as good as this looks. As a Trekkie, I have to explain, that I really do enjoy Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek as a movie, but I really hate what it did to the canon of Star Trek. Yeah, it’s another timeline, but he blows up important planets! Into Darkness, though it’s still following this ridiculous timeline, does look really good, and I hope it is.

#2: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

I’m excited that there is a new director the second installment of The Hunger Games. Gary Ross did a good job creating the world and I liked some of the creative choices he made, but I think he dropped the ball in a couple of areas, especially in his belief (which I saw him have interview after interview) that he created a perfect movie and left nothing important out and didn’t need to release any deleted scenes on the DVD/Blu Ray. Uh, really dude? I’m hoping Francis Lawrence moves forward with Gary’s vision but expands upon it and does an even better job of capturing the spirit of the story (and more Katniss and Peeta please? I know it’s the point but you know, come on, we need it before Mockingjay when all falls to heck).

#1: Oblivion

I’m really excited about Oblivion, because it looks really, really good, and I sure hope it delivers. The world evacuated of humans after war with aliens? Hidden secrets underneath the surface? Being lied to by your employer about what you’re doing on Earth? I’m intrigued.

There are some other 2013 movies that I have some interest in, but I might want to learn more about them before I rush to see them…

I’m sure Despicable Me 2 will probably be cute and fun, but like Monsters, Inc., did Despicable Me really need a sequel?

The Lone Ranger has caught my attention since I first heard about it. In one of my history classes in junior high, in class we did acted out a radio show of The Lone Ranger and I really enjoyed the experience, so I have fond memories of it. It looks sort of interesting, but I would like to hear what other people say about it before I see it.

The Great Gatsby looks intriguing, but I’m actually not that familiar with the story, so I’m not sure if I would like it or not. Again, we’ll see.

My husband will undoubtedly will want to see The Wolverine, so I’m hoping it will be good. I actually like the other Wolverine movie better than most people (though not as much as my husband liked it), but I honestly had not been too crazy about any of the X-Men movie until First Class came out.

Since I plan to read Ender’s Game soon, I’m hoping the movie will interest me after reading the book.

So… what movies of 2013 are you anticipating?

My Top 10 Antagonists

February 26, 2013 • 3 Comments

Today I wanted to do my own top ten list, my top ten antagonists. And perhaps because of the subject matter, I agonized over this list. I actually came up with a lot more than I anticipated, including ones that weren’t human (and I don’t mean aliens, though they made it on the list as well…), but I may save those for another day. And though there are several great antagonists out there in the world of stories and I know I could easily think of more than these, here are the ones I chose to spotlight. (These are from movies, TV, and books.)

Antagonist: a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another; opponent; adversary. (from dictionary.com)

#10: Carl Hanratty (vs. Frank Abagnale Jr.), Catch Me If You Can

Carl Hanratty is not who you would think of as a typical antagonist. After all, he’s really the good guy, chasing after the bad guy, Frank. But it’s Frank’s story, so he is the protagonist, which makes Carl his antagonist. I love a good cat and mouse hunt story, and this is just about the best in my opinion (the movie version more so than the more accurate book, since it’s been dramatized, though the book is a great read). I especially love how the two of them really have a respect for each other in a way, as well as how they secretly love talking to one another every Christmas because there is no else they can talk to. Carl may be the good guy, but he has own issues to wade through, and though they oppose each other for most of the movie, Frank helps him see that. Carl, in turn, helps Frank use his abilities more productively and cut his prison sentences short by helping the FBI better recognize fraud.

#9: Gollum (vs. Sam and Frodo), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Gollum is not the most obvious of antagonists, as he is not really evil. He’s more like a victim of a terrible curse who has just gone completely mad, allowing the power of the ring, the power of Sauron, completely overtake his being. But that being said, he is certainly an adversary of Sam and Frodo’s as Frodo bears the ring. Sam can see right through Gollum’s lies and tricks, but Frodo, under the weight of the ring, cannot. And we cannot forget of course that even before Gollum crossed paths with Sam and Frodo, he riddled with Frodo’s uncle Bilbo in a battle of wits. He may be sneaky, but Frodo and Sam prevail when the ring is thrown into Mt. Doom (and spoiler – Gollum along with it!).

#8: Javert (vs. Jean Valjean), Les Miserables

Javert is also the good guy, much like Carl, but the guy he’s after, Jean Valjean, has truly become a changed man since he broke parole. Javert cannot accept the good that Valjean has done, however, because being graceful to him means justice has not been served, and justice is what Javert lives for. He is an antagonist with the best of intentions, but is so set in his ways that he would rather sacrifice himself than see Valjean live in grace.

#7: The White Witch (vs. Narnia and Aslan), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The White Witch (or the Queen of Narnia as she has deemed herself) has managed to make it only winter in the land of Narnia, and that, in my book, definitely makes for an evil person. She turns Edmund and several of Narnia’s creatures against Aslan and his ways, and believes she will continue to rule over the land. But of course, Aslan defeats her in the end, with the help of the four Pevensie children and other loyal Narnians.

#6: President Snow (vs. Katniss)/ The Capitol (vs. the Districts), The Hunger Games

The Capitol was evil long before President Snow came to power, forcing the children of the districts to compete in an annual fight to the death competition, The Hunger Games. However, throughout The Hunger Games trilogy, President Snow is the clear figure head of the Capitol who is quite determined to burn out the spark of rebellion Katniss started.

#5: “Father” (vs. John Preston), Equilibrium

John Preston lives in a society where feelings are not allowed, which are controlled by mandatory medicine. When Preston misses a dosage, however, he starts to see his world through new eyes. “Father” is the figurehead of the society’s government that everyone follows and listens to, and it is him that stands against everything John Preston has come to stand for, and he is the one Preston must take down in order for a revolution to begin.

#4: Bester (vs. Michael Garibaldi), Babylon 5

Bester is a prominent member of Psi Corp who antagonizes all the senior staff members of the space station Babylon 5, but it is Michael Garibaldi who he particularly goes to war with. I don’t want to get into spoiler territory because it is so good and you really need to watch it unfold for yourself, so check out Babylon 5 if you haven’t already. It’s completely dated-looking, especially in the beginning, but hang on because the story’s so good and it all really peaks in season 3.

#3: The Borg (vs. everyone), Star Trek (particularly The Next Generation)

When the Borg is first introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation, they are just about the creepiest villain ever. “You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.” For you non-Trekkies, the Borg is a cyborg collective that assimilates humans (and other alien species) into the collective. So essentially, you remain alive, but you will be completely Borgified and not yourself. There are a lot of great Star Trek episodes about the Borg, and it’s far more than I can get into here. But talk about a scary antagonist.

#2, The Joker (vs. Batman), The Dark Knight

I don’t think I can describe The Joker better than Alfred: ” Some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” He is certainly a fascinating character of psychology. Though he was deeply disturbing, I sometimes wish I knew more. Sometimes I’m glad I don’t.

#1: The Dominion (particularly Dukat and Weyoun, vs. The Federation), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

I don’t even know how to begin to explain The Dominion to someone who has not watched Deep Space Nine. They are a group of aliens from another quadrant, really three different species who work together as gods, middlemen, and warriors. They join up with a species in the Alpha Quadrant, the Cardassians, to oppose the Federation, and Deep Space Nine is the front line. Gul Dukat and and Weyoun are two faces of the Dominion that Deep Space Nine deal with and know far too well. There is just too much to say about them, but while the two of them specifically have different methods when it comes to dealing with the enemy, they are both undoubtedly evil. And with all their schemes, they are amazing villains to watch.

Who are some of your top antagonists? What do you think makes an antagonist particularly threatening to the protagonist?

My Top 10 Favorite Characters in the Classic Book Genre

February 20, 2013 • 3 Comments

For the first time (I mean, this is only my fourth post, after all), I am participating in The Broke and the Bookish‘s Top Ten Tuesday topic, and I hope I will be able to participate in this every week or so. This week the topic is the top ten favorite characters in the genre of our choosing. I gave this some thought, and was surprised that the easiest list to form was 10 characters for was classics, but I suppose this is because I had to read so many classic books for school. Unfortunately, for three novels I chose 2 characters, making up 6/10 of the list and not providing much variety. I thought about bending the rules and doing a Top 5 Classic Characters and Top 5 Dystopia Characters, and while the latter was quite easy to compile, it was hard to whittle my Top 10 to a Top 5 . (Perhaps we’ll see the Top 5 Dystopia characters in a future post…) So all that to say, sorry for all the repeat novels and my lack of variety. Some criteria: I had to have actually read the book, of course, and not just seen the movie (so this eliminated possibilities such as Emma and Lord of the Rings). I also have to remember liking the character distinctly from the book (I liked Bilbo Baggins fine in the book The Hobbit, but I enjoyed him more in the movie; of course I think Pride and Prejudice, since I saw the movie before I read the book, probably suffered from a prejudice while reading). And just so you don’t think I’ve only read 6 classic novels (though I admit there are many more I need to read), there are several classics I did not find one character that I particularly loved and the story was more about the message for me (like The Picture of Dorian Gray), or I just hated the book (that’s a long list). So with all that out of the way, on to my list…

1o. Catherine, Northanger Abbey

I don’t think of Catherine as a particularly extraordinary character, but maybe that’s why I like her. She’s nice and normal, and you’re happy for her when she finds love. Sometimes, it’s best to keep it simple.

9. Narrator, Rebecca

I read the book in tenth grade and then watched Alfred Hitchcock’s take on it and remember really enjoying both. It’s amazing to me how much a character can resonate with you, and how personal she can feel, when you don’t even know her name.

8. Sonya; 7. Raskolinkov (Crime and Punishment)

I read this novel for AP English my senior year of high school, and it made such an impact on me that I revisited it for my creative thesis project for the Honors College four years later. Sonya is a great redemptive character who has been through so much herself, but helps Raskolinkov when he opens up to her about what he has done. And though you cannot help but wonder if Raskolinkov is off his rocker, what I love about his character is that he is so human. The crime he commits wracks him with guilt, and he cannot be made whole again until he suffers the punishment.

6. Sherlock Holmes, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Of course Robert Downey Jr. plays the role of Sherlock Holmes so brilliantly, but I remember reading the stories of Sherlock Holmes and just being struck by how smart he was. I loved that he could pick up on the details that no one else could. He is definitely a fascinating character.

5. Aslan, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

I considered Peter and Lucy for this list as well, as I love them both dearly, but Aslan imparts such wisdom and I just love him throughout the whole series of books. He always says and does the right things at the right times (no surprise since he represents Jesus). He is definitely a good lion… but not a tame one.

4. Mr. Darcy; 3. Elizabeth (Pride and Prejudice)

Sorry to put them in Top 10 lists right in a row, but I couldn’t help it. How can I not love this witty, intelligent, made-for-each other couple? Their individual personalities, the interactions between them… they’re just great characters! And by the way, if you love Pride and Prejudice as much as I do, stay tuned to the very end of the post!

2. Laurie; 1. Jo (Little Women)

Well, number one should not be too shocking considering the title of this blog. But I also absolutely adore Laurie. I think my heart shattered into a thousand pieces when Jo rejected Laurie (it still hurts my heart every time I revisit the story), but I also had the thought, Well heck, I’ll take him! And of course, what makes Laurie even more awesome in the film is that he is played by Christian Bale. But seriously, I love how playful and loyal Laurie is, and Jo and I are practically the same person in some ways.

If you enjoyed my list, be sure to check out some of the others who participated!

Also, if you love Pride and Prejudice, you’ll probably love this web video series I found yesterday called The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. It’s a modern-day adaptation of the story all told through Lizze’s vlog. It’s a simple format but it has good production, the writing is smart, the characters are spot-on, and the the way they adapt certain situations for modern times is well done. There is some mild language in some of the episodes, just as a warning. I may or may not have spent my day off yesterday watching every.single.episode. Yep. I found it that addicting. Watch the first episode (and the proceeding 88) right here:

So who are your favorite characters from classic literature?

Category Archives: Top 10

Share

Share

Share

Share

Share