Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. They’d love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

All blurbs are taken from Goodreads.com and any/all publication dates are taken from Amazon.co.uk

This weeks Top Ten topic is:

Top Ten “Older” Books You Don’t Want People To Forget About

By “older” I am referring to books which have been published before 2011.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Top Ten Tuesday – almost a month – but I saw the topic and I couldn’t resist. All ten books on the list are favourites I go back to again and again. None of the books are aimed at adult readers.

Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce [Goodreads]

“From now on I’m Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I’ll be a knight.”

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.

But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna’s first adventure begins — one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.

– Blurb from Alanna: The First Adventure the first book in the quartet.

The Song of The Lioness quartet has been one of my favourite series for a while now. My copies of the quartet are all battered and starting to fall apart. There’s just something about the series that draws me in again and again. If you’re looking for a young adult swords and sorcery fantasy with a female hero then you should give this series a try.

The Book of Pellinor Quartet by Alison Croggon [Goodreads]

Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child when her family is destroyed in war. She is unaware that she possesses a powerful gift, a gift that marks her as a member of the School of Pellinor. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true heritage and extraordinary destiny unfolds. Now she and her teacher, Cadvan, must survive a punishing and uncertain journey through a time and place where the dark forces they battle with stem from the deepest recesses of other-worldly terror.

– Blurb from The Gift/The Naming the first book in the quartet.

There’s something really beautiful and almost poetic about this series. Another swords and sorcery fantasy favourite of mine with a female hero, but it’s very different from the Song of the Lioness quartet. There are some elements to the series that are similar to The Lord of the Rings (but then you could say the same about a lot of the fantasy books written post LotR). If you’re a fantasy fan you might want to consider having a look at this.

Daughter of Storms trilogy by Louise Cooper [Goodreads]

Born in a supernatural storm, under a crimson sun, Shar is destined for the Sisterhood.

Innocent of the power she controls, Shar is of great value to others – who patiently lie waiting for such a soul.

But as Shar begins to realise her gift the terror beings . . .

In a land where the gods of Order and Chaos rule – a deadly power is rising. Can Shar summon the elements to become the Dark Caller?

– Blurb from Daughter of Storms the first book in the trilogy.

The blurb makes my spine tingle every time I read it. This was the sort of fantasy I fell in love with, long before I ever read – or even heard – about the Lord of the Rings. It’s the fantasy I grew up with, so it holds a special place for me.

Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede [Goodreads]

Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart. . . .
And bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon . . . and finds the family and excitement she’s been looking for.

– Blurb from Dealing with Dragons the first book in the series.

This series is awesome. I actually only own book two, but I read most of the rest of the series through my local library. The Enchanted Forest and its characters are just brilliant, and I’m hoping to track all the books down so I can own them and re-read them 🙂

The Otter Who Wanted to Know by Jill Tomlinson [Goodreads]

Pat is a little sea otter. She likes floating in the sea and asking lots and lots of questions. One day, Pat’s quiet life is turned upside down when she gets caught in a scary adventure. Suddenly, she doesn’t have time to ask questions. This time, Pat has to find out things for herself.

I also adored the other book, The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark. This is a series I very much enjoyed reading as a child, and I still really enjoy it. It’s a really simple and neat read, but it tells a great story. I know unlike the rest of the books on the list that this is aimed at pre-school children, but it is still a delight to read. It makes me smile 🙂

Logans series by Mildred D. Taylor [Goodreads]

Ever since it won the 1977 Newbery Medal, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry has engaged and affected millions of readers everywhere. This special 25th anniversary edition celebrates the timelessness of this beloved classic — and introduces it to a new audience. Set in a small town in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this powerful, moving novel deals with issues of prejudice, courage, and self-respect. It is the story of one family’s struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. It is also the story of Cassie Logan, an independent girl who discovers over the course of an important year why having land of their own is so crucial to her family. The racial tension and harrowing events experienced by young Cassie, her family, and her neighbors cause Cassie to grow up and discover the reality of her environment

– Blurb from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry the fourth book in the series.

I discovered this series in secondary school. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was part of my required reading. I enjoyed the book so much I hunted down other books in the series in the school library. I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and To Kill A Mockingbird at about the same time because of this and I really enjoy both books – though the Logans series is my favourite.

Carr Family by Susan M. Coolidge [Goodreads]

Katy Carr was a tomboy. She hated sewing and darning, her hair was forever in a tangle and her clothes would go and “tear themselves”.

But secretly Katy longed to be beautiful and patient, to be as kinda and gentle as her beloved Cousin Helen.

The story of the dreadful accident that gave Katy the chance to achieve her aim, and how it affected her family – Clover, Elsie, Dorry, Johnnie, Phil and Papa – is an enchanting classic which has delighted millions of readers.

– Blurb from What Katy Did the first book in the series.

My Gran decided I should read this book, and I have been trying to finish reading this series ever since. I have read the first three books in the series, but I’ve never had the chance to read Clover or In The High Valley. The series captures a very different time and world from my own, and I really enjoyed looking into it. It might be a little twee now and very much of its time, but I still enjoy reading it.

Blood Red, Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick [Goodreads]

It is 1917, and the world is tearing itself to pieces in a dreadful war, but far to the east of the trenches, another battle is breaking out – the Russian Revolution has just begun…

Blood Red, Snow White captures the mood of this huge moment in history through the adventure of one man who was in the middle of it all; Arthur Ransome, a young British journalist who had first run away to Russia to collect fairy tales.

Told as three linked novellas, part one captures the days of revolution but retells the story as Russian Fairy Tale, with typical humour and unashamed brutality. Part two is a spy story, set over the course of one evening, as Ransome faces up to his biggest challenge, and part three is a love story, full of tragedy and hope, as every good Russian love story should be.

I saw this book in a bookstore and just fell in love with the cover and the blurb. Once I got home and read the story I was in love. I don’t actually read this book a lot, maybe once every couple of years. It’s a beautiful story, and I love the way that fairy tales and “reality” are mixed. I think the way that Sedgwick has taken a real event and fictionalised it is brilliantly done, as the account seems so real.

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman [Goodreads]

When Lyra’s friend Roger disappears, she and her dæmon, (pronounced ‘demon’) Pantalaimon, determine to find him. The ensuing quest leads them to the bleak splendour of the North, where armoured bears rule the ice and witch-queens fly through the frozen skies – and where a team of scientists is conducting experiments too horrible to be spoken about.

Lyra overcomes these strange terrors, only to find something yet more perilous waiting for her – something with consequences which may even reach beyond the Northern Lights…

– Blurb taken from Northern Lights/The Golden Compass the first book in the series.

This is a series that I both love and hate. When Pullman is good in this series he is phenomenal. When Pullman is bad, I find myself skipping pages because it sucks. Still, as a whole I really enjoy the series and the symbolism in it. I also personally think it attacks the Church rather than the Bible – but I’m not going to say any more than that. Lyra is a really interesting character and I enjoyed watching her grow and mature through the series. The ending kinda kills me though.

Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix

Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him. She soon finds companions in Mogget, a cat whose aloof manner barely conceals its malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories. As the three travel deep into the Old Kingdom, threats mount on all sides. And every step brings them closer to a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death — and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own hidden destiny. With “Sabriel,” the first installment in the Abhorsen trilogy, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn’t always clear — and sometimes disappears altogether.

– Blurb from Sabriel the first book in the series.

Seeing as I started with a young adult sword and sorcery with a female hero, I thought I better end with one too. This book isn’t quite like anything I read before or since. Nix takes ideas and twists them into something new and interesting. This isn’t a trilogy I read a lot, but when I do it sucks me straight in. If you want a fantasy that’s a little different, then you should try this one.

So those were my Top Ten “Older” Books I Don’t Want People To Forget About. As always please leave a comment and I will visit your blog, have a look at your list and leave a comment.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. They’d love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

All blurbs are taken from Goodreads.com and any/all publication dates are taken from Amazon.co.uk

This weeks Top Ten topic is:

Top Ten Books On Your Fall Autumn TBR List

The books are listed in publication order.

Wolf Pact (Wolf Pact #1) (YA)
by Melissa de la Cruz

Publication: 6th September 2012

From the bestselling author of Blue Bloods, comes a series that will reinvent the myth of the werewolf in the same way that Blue Bloods did with vampires—with style and NYC flair!

Lawson and his brothers escaped from the underworld and now lead desperate, dangerous lives. They’re pursued by the Hounds of Hell from one town to the next, never calling any place home. But when the hounds finally catch up with them and capture the girl Lawson loves, the hunters become the hunted. Lawson will stop at nothing to track down the hounds, even if the chances of saving Tala are slim…

The only hope he has lies in Bliss Llewellyn. Bliss, too, has lost someone to the beasts and will do anything to get them back—even if it means joining forces with the insolent, dangerously good-looking boy with a wolf’s soul.

Personal Effects (YA)
by E. M. Kokie

Publication: 11th September 2012

After his older brother dies in Iraq, Matt makes a discovery that rocks his beliefs about strength, bravery, and honor in this page-turning debut.

Ever since his brother, T.J., was killed in Iraq, Matt feels like he’s been sleepwalking through life — failing classes, getting into fights, and avoiding his dad’s lectures about following in his brother’s footsteps. T.J.’s gone, but Matt can’t shake the feeling that if only he could get his hands on his brother’s stuff from Iraq, he’d be able to make sense of his death. But as Matt searches for answers about T.J.’s death, he faces a shocking revelation about T.J.’s life that suggests he may not have known T.J. as well as he thought. What he learns challenges him to stand up to his father, honor his brother’s memory, and take charge of his own life. With compassion, humor, and a compelling narrative voice, E. M. Kokie explores grief, social mores, and self-discovery in a provocative first novel.

Vessel (YA)
by Sarah Beth Durst

Publication: 11th September 2012

In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

A Perfect Blood (The Hollows #10)
by Kim Harrison

Publication: 25th September 2012

There’s nothing more darkly satisfying than time spent in the Hallows–New York Times bestseller Kim Harrison’s alternate urban fantasy Cincinnati where vampires, pixies, and werewolves roam free. Harrison takes us back in A Perfect Blood, as former bounty hunter witch-turned-reluctant daywalking demon Rachel Morgan investigates a series of ritual murders, only to discover to her horror that whomever–or whatever–is responsible is actually seeking her blood. Rachel’s sexy, supernatural adventures have consistently landed atop bestseller lists from coast-to-coast, and A Perfect Blood is no exception–another supremely satisfying excursion to a deliciously eerie fantasy realm that’s certain to delight Kim Harrison’s voracious army of fans…not to mention Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, and Stephanie Meyers aficionados, and any reader who craves a walk on the wild, dark side.

Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2) (YA)
by Meg Cabot

Publication: 27th September 2012

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance . . . on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there . . . and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

Ironskin (YA)
by Tina Connolly

Publication: 2nd October 2012

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a “delicate situation”—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio…and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

Demon Eyes (Witch Eyes #2) (YA)
by Scott Tracey

Publication: 8th October 2012

Demons don’t die without a fight…

After destroying the demon Lucien, Braden—son of Belle Dam’s most powerful warlock, Jason Thorpe—doesn’t need the power of his witch eyes to see that everything in his life is turning against him: friends, family, and even his visions. When disturbing nightmares of Lucien’s return haunt him, Braden discovers that the simmering feud between the city’s two witch dynasties is fast approaching its explosive boiling point.

While struggling to come to terms with his attraction to Trey, Catherine Lansing’s son who should be his mortal enemy, a diabolical plan starts to unveil before Braden’s eyes. Young women are disappearing from Belle Dam, and as he investigates, Braden is forced to explore the dangerous unknown power within himself. But when the truth about his family is revealed, Braden must pay a terrible price.

Velveteen (Velveteen #1) (YA)
by Daniel Marks

Publication: 9th October 2012

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.

The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.

Bonesaw.

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days.

It’ll be brutal… and awesome.

But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.

Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules… or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her.

Something Like Normal (YA)
by Trish Doller

Publication: 26th October 2012

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

Undeadly (Reaper Diaries) (YA)
by Michel Vail

Published: 20th November 2012

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird…

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.

Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

So those were my Top Ten Book on My Autumn TBR List. As always please leave a comment and I will visit your blog, have a look at your list and leave a comment.

Before I go, I would just like to add that at the moment I’m giving away a copy of Die for Me by Amy Plum and some swag. The giveaway is open internationally. For more details and a chance to enter click the image below.