Tuesday, 4 October 2016

Top Ten Villain/Anti-Hero Protagonist Stories on my TBR

Top Ten Tuesdays are hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. You can find a full list of past and future topics here! I recently did a post about my Top Ten Villains so I was initially a bit stuck for this one. But since I am currently reading Crooked Kingdom and remembering just how much I love anti-heroes I decided to list some of the villain/anti-hero books I am excited for! (I know that anti-heroes and villains are different but there just aren't enough villain protagonists to make a list out of!)

1) Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Heartless
I loved the Lunar Chronicles and I really, really love all things Alice in Wonderland so this sounds perfect for me. Heartless is an origin story for the Queen of Hearts which makes me super excited. I always love to see villains before they were villains and this looks amazing.

2) Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Vicious (Vicious, #1)
I don't know a whole lot about Vicious but from what I have heard it definitely qualifies for at least anti-hero status? If not, please let me know. This has been on my TBR for such a long time and I think this year may be the time to read it.

3) Because You Love to Hate Me
Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy
The publication for this is a fair way off (June 2017) but I am very excited for an anthology of short stories written from a vilain perspective. A lot of my favourite authors are participating in this so I have some pretty high hopes.

4) The Young Elites by Marie Lu
The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1)
I am planning to read this series either this month or in November and it should be great. From what I understand about it this is more or less a villain origin story. The main character starts off a hero(ish) but is on a quest for revenge that ultimately makes her a villain. I don't really want to know any more than that but I have heard amazing things.

5) The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray
This is one of those rare cases where I have seen movie adaptations but never read the book. I know the story, of course, and the ending but I am interested to read some Oscar Wilde and this looks like a great place to start.
6) The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)
Definite anti-hero rather than villain I think. My brother loves this series and is always wanting me to read it - but I am terrible with unfinished series and I always seem to wind up waiting for them to be completed so who knows when I will read this? 

7) And I Darken by Kiersten White
And I Darken (The Conquerors Saga #1)
I loved Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White but this sounds entirely different. The main character, Lada, is supposedly brutal and ruthless and those are both characteristics I really appreciate in fictional characters. 

8) And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None
This came up every time I searched for villains or anti-heroes. I love Agatha Christie and I always want to read more by her. This is such a well loved Christie book that I am kind of amazed I've gone this long without having read it! 

9) A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
I am a huge fan of the TV show so I am familiar with the story but I was originally waiting for the series to be complete (as I usually do) and now I am worried that I won't be able to read them after having watched the TV show. I definitely want to at least try though because I love this world and these characters. And some of my favourite characters are definitely on the villain side of the fence - for example Cersei.

10) The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
The Female of the Species
Definitely not a villain (at least in my eyes) but from what I understand the main character definitely doesn't abide by the law like a good heroine. This is so, so high on my wishlist. I love Mindy McGinnis's writing and after everything I've heard about this book I just know I will love it.

Let me know if you've read any of these and what you thought and also please let me know if you have any suggestions for other Villain/Anti-hero stories!

You can also find us on Goodreads (Ann and Clare) to keep up with what we are reading

18 comments:

  1. Oh Game of Thrones has the best (worst?) villains! And Cersei is a riot in the books when we get her POV in book four- she's so bad but you can't help laugh. And The Queen of Hearts sounds awesome as well.

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    1. The best villains are the worst villains and vice versa? I've confused myself! I love Cersei, she is never boring and reading her POV will be a lot of fun I know!

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  2. You have to read Vicious and The Lies of Locke Lamora if you love anti-heroes! :)

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    1. I know I want to read Vicious this year and I am right on the edge of giving in and reading The Lies of Locke Lamora - but the next book in the series keeps getting pushed back and that worries me!

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  3. The Female of the Species is really good. Alex is totally an Anti-Hero, which I usually don't connect with those types, but she was too great to NOT appreciate. I hope you read it soon :)

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    1. I love anti-heroes so I am sure I will love Alex! I hope I get to read it soon too! :)

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  4. The Female of the Species looks so good to me. I also want to read Lies of Locke Lamora. I've heard really good thigns about it.

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    1. The Female of the Species should be amazing and I am constantly hearing great things about Lies of Locke Lamora too! Thanks for visiting!

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  5. I need to check out The Female of the Species and I just saw Because You Love to Hate Me yesterday and just may have to preorder it - look at that cover! Nice list!

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    1. I had to pre-order it pretty much as soon as it was available! It looks so, so good!

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  6. I recently read And I Darken and The Lies of Locke Lamora and enjoyed them both. They're both full of great examples of morally grey characters.

    My TTT

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    1. I love morally grey characters so that definitely makes me keen to read them both!

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  7. I love antiheroes and can I just say that Crooked Kingdom was utterly fantastic? I loved Lada from And I Darken. She's awful and yet I kind of love her. Great list!

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    1. Yes! I just finished Crooked Kingdom yesterday and it was so, so fantastic! Leigh Bardugo is such an amazing writer and I already miss those characters!
      "awful and yet I kind of love her" is like a description of most of my favourite characters so that makes me think I will love Lada!

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  8. I really like the Game of Thrones books. The first one is relatively close to the show (I remember reading it just before the first season and it was close). It veers away slightly more with each season but the overall vibe is fairly good and close to the books.

    I hope you love Heartless as much as I did. Marissa Meyer is a great author and I think you'll be pleased with how she tackles the Queen of Hearts!

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    1. I do like when tv adaptations stay true to the soruce - although I know they've gone beyond the books now so plot will start to be a bit different!
      Glad to hear you loved Heartless - The Queen of Hearts is one of my favourite book characters so I am glad you think I'll like the way Marissa Meyer writes her! Thanks for visiting!

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  9. A few of these are on my TBR too!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/10/05/top-ten-tuesday-77/

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    1. I always get excited about villains and anti-heroes! Hopefully we both get to read them soon!

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