Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books That Are Light and Fun!

This is definitely an easy Top Ten for me… especially now that the sun is bright and warm, these are fun little reads hat I stand by for lovely summer park reading. As usual, Top Ten Tuesday is brought to you by the lovelies over at The Broke and The Bookish.

In no particular order:

1. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

I raved about this book a few weeks ago -- I absolutely LOVED this book.It was so much fun and such a joy to read that I literally almost cried because it was like playtime was over. 

2. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Always fun, funny and about trying to find your place in the universe. Really strange circumstances, interesting characters. This has always been a fallback for me when I read a heavy book and need a good pick me up.

3. Fool by Christopher Moore

Christopher Moore has a way of making Shakespeare tragedy awfully fun to laugh at. Honestly, any of Moore's books are great when you need something to laugh at - he's made it an art form!

4. Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Not a novel, but comics! You'll probably see me reviewing comics in the future, too, by the way. Calvin and Hobbes has always been a childhood favourite and I've related them heavily to my sister. I'm not at all close with my sister but this is one thing we definitely share in common and the laughs together has given me warm touchy-feelies.

5. Any of Roald Dahl's children's stories. (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach)

Nostalgic children's books. So good!

6. The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

Because it's amusing…and well, everyone needs to read this just in case.

7. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman always writes some amusingly fun books. I chose Neverwhere due to the strange characters and sarcastic wit he writes with. 

8. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

The books get darker and darker the further you read into the series, but this first book is quite delightful and joyful for the most part. It certainly sends you on a great adventure, if anything.

9. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Another childhood favourite full of heart warming loveliness and happiness.

10. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Although there is some heavy subject matter such as war, this book has bits that make you giggle, and it's a very quick read, but an excellent one.

What I'm Reading This Month: May 2013

I love the new start in a fresh month, especially when it starts with beautiful, sunny weather! You can expect me to be reading and writing on a park bench outside, my pages lit up by the warm sunlight! You may even see me reading my May reads on a patio with a lovely iced coffee or maybe a pint of beer! What? Don't judge me!

I'm starting off the month by reading a great book by a great Canadian author, Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. I'm incredibly excited about the release of MaddAddam and I've made a mission to read the first two of the trilogy (the second being Year of the Flood) before I go out and get the new book! If you see me at the book store on the release date, there's a good change you might hear me squeal a tiny, tiny bit. You can, of course, expect me to have a review posted of the series as soon as I'm finished with it! 

The next three books come from my library haul the other day! I love libraries, but I wish the one closest to me had a bigger selection. Not that it's impossible to find some great things out there, but there's definitely books that are on my To-Be-Read that I'm surprised aren't in that local library. Then again, it also serves as a school library for the local high-school kids, so I guess it's to be expected. 

First up in Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore. I've read several of Moore's books before and although not my favourite author, he has definite consistency and I can fall back on him to lighten up my mood. I'm definitely excited about reading this for several reasons: 

1. I studied art and this book revolves around Vincent van Gogh. 
2. Set in Paris, France in the late nineteenth-century. 
3. My life has been sucking hard lately and I'm looking forward to having a good laugh.

White Teeth is a book I picked up on whim. I've never read any of Zadie Smith's work, but the cover really captured my eye. Do I judge a book by it's cover? Well, I'm an art fiend, so a cover that stands out makes me want to pick it up more. The cover design is by tattoo artist Lynn Akura and it's definitely reflective of that style of work. Reading the summary, a description about different cultures, war, family and love are involved. This novel is apparently a debut novel for Zadie Smith and is described to be big-hearted. So really, what can go wrong?

Last book I have on my list is Water for Elephants. I've never read this book, but I know plenty of people who have. In fact, they had three copies in the library, is a #1 New York Times Bestseller and it's about running away into a circus. This book has potential written all over it. Oh, did I mention that once again, Sara Gruen, the author is Canadian? This book is already getting pretty massive points from me!

As it stands, these are my current TBR but the list never truly ends. With that being said, more books to come, and I'm open to suggestions for a great book to read on my travels to Vegas in a few weeks! Assuming I don't just spend my time boozing and being mesmerized by the bright lights!