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Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Top 10 Characters (or Books or Series) That You'd Like To Check In With...and say "What's Up??"



This is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish where bloggers relate their "top ten" of a certain topic.  This week's topic - Top 10 Characters You'd Like To Check In With - meaning, you read the book or the series and it's over, you loved the characters, and you're thinking back and wondering...what happened next and what would their lives look like if you were to "take a peek" years later.  We all have characters that we love or like a lot or love to hate or whatnot.  Sometimes the story ends and you'd really like an update.  And what came next?  And next?  Because perhaps you'd think - "ah, I knew it!!!" - or perhaps you'd yell - "no possible way!!!".  Well, here's a list of characters or books or series that I'd love to invite to a "character" reunion.

1. Harry Potter and everyone in his world - OK, I don't know about you, but this would be my top wish if I had wishes.  Yes, yes, I know that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has an epilogue chapter.  I also know that J. K. Rowling wrote that chapter very early on and knew exactly where her characters were heading.  But, seriously, I want to know what happened in between.  And what happened after that.  It's not too much to ask, right?

2. The Stand by Stephen King - Post apocalyptic world after the ultimate battle of good and evil prefaced by the flu pandemic which strips the world of most of the people.  I want to know what happens to the ones that were left at the end of the book.  I shouldn't name them in case you haven't read it, but I loved those characters.  So, what happened next??

3. Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomvist from The Girl With Dragon Tattoo trilogy - Amazingly enough, right before I wrote this post, it was announced that another author, David Lagercrantz, will take on Stieg Larsson's characters and continue the story of uber-hacker Lisbeth and investigative journalist Mikael.  Not sure how it will turn out, but I do know I'll try the new book, The Girl in the Spider's Web.  To be published in the fall.

4. Elinor Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility - This is my favorite Jane Austen book.  I've loved reading it, more than once.  I loved the film adaptation written by Emma Thompson, who also played Elinor.  I'd like to know what happened next for Elinor and her husband and extended family.  I have great sympathy for Elinor, who had a lot to contend with - her mother and sisters and friends and frenemies.

5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - I loved this epistolary book.  Loved it.  The time period, Juliet and all the marvelous characters, the method of telling the story (have I said that I love epistolary fiction?).  I'd love to go back to Guernsey years later and see what has happened to all the wonderful people that populated this book.  If you haven't read this one, please, read it!  It's just lovely.

6. Alice's family from Still Alice by Lisa Genova - I'd love to check in on Alice's family - her children and grandchildren - and find out how they are.  I know what life would have been like for Alice and indeed for her loved ones in the years after the book.  That's not the time period I mean.  I'd like to visit in 15 years or 20 years.  Talk with them.  Hug them.  Say that I understand how much they miss Alice.  I miss my parents too.

7. Nora Roberts' Three Sisters Island Trilogy and the characters she created that populate that most favorite series of mine - The three woman (witches by birth) of Three Sisters Island - Nell, Ripley and Mia, the men they love, and the people that live in their world.  I've read this trilogy many times and always enjoy it.  I have a fondness for books and TV series about witches and I'd love to see the next generation of witches on Three Sisters.  Hey Nora - hear me??

8. The Lily Bard mystery series by Charlaine Harris - Yes, that Charlaine Harris, who also wrote about Sookie Stackhouse.  She wrote about other characters first.  And I really like Lily Bard, a house cleaner, karate expert, and reluctant sleuth.  There were 5 books in this series, set in Shakespeare, Arkansas.  The first was Shakespeare's Landlord.  Lily had a lot of secrets and had suffered a lot of trauma in her life.  I'd love to know how she is doing since the last book, Shakespeare's Counselor was published in 2001.

9. The Bo Bradley mystery series by Abigail Padgett - There were 5 books in this series, beginning with Child of Silence.  Bo Bradley was an abuse investigator for the San Diego Juvenile Court System.  She saw and ferreted out some awful things, while trying to keep her own bipolar illness under control.  Bo's character was insightful and tenacious, but she often pushed herself beyond her limits.  I'd love to know how she is doing.  The last book, The Dollmaker's Daughters, was published in 1997.

10. The Benni Harper mystery series by Earlene Fowler - I'm not sure if this series is at an end, but I'm afraid it might be.  There have been 15 books published relating the adventures of Albenia "Benni" Harper, who is the director of a folk art museum in San Celina, California.  She's married to Police Chief Gabe Ortiz and has many family members and friends in the small town.  All the titles of the books are quilting patterns and that craft is included in the books.  The first book is Fool's Puzzle and the latest, Spider Web, was published in 2011.  Come back, Benni!  Come back!!

I could probably think of a bunch of other characters that I'd like to include, but I will end my list at 10.  What characters would you like to visit again??  I'd love to know.  Give me the scoop.

50 comments:

  1. I'd definitely want to revisit the Harry Potter world again and see how they're getting on! :-) Great picks! My TTT

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    1. i think Harry Potter is likely on a bunch of lists.

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  2. Oh, I loved to touch base with the characters from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society!

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  3. I love harry potter. Great that it was on your list.
    MY TOP TEN TUESDAY

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    1. Yes, I suspect a bunch of people thought of HP world.

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  4. Ooh yes, I definitely want to know what happen to Harry Potter and his friends after that last book! Seriously, I don't want this series to end!

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  5. I've never read the Three Sisters Island trilogy!!!

    Yessss! Another reading suggestion!!!

    Thank you, as always.

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    1. Tessa, you might enjoy these. I think I linked to the first one - Dance Upon the Air. They have been out for quite a while and should be pretty easy to find.

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  6. I was just thinking about the Lily Bard series by Charlaine Harris several days ago. I am catching up with the Aurora Teagarden series as the Hallmark Mystery channel is making TV movies of that series. I like the Aurora Teagarden series but the Lily Bard is my favorite. I was wishing that the series had kept going as I liked the character of Lily. I don't read the Sookie series. .

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    1. I have not read the Sookie series either. I did read a couple of the Aurora books a long time ago. Good to know that someone else remembers Lily Bard.

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  7. Same with me! Harry Potter would be at the top of the list. Do you know Rowling has written some of continuation stories on Pottermore, like Ginny becomes a temporary reporter for Daily Prophet and other things? I''m really happy to read it! It was just like Harry really lived and grew old in the same world with us.

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  8. Ooo...Lisabeth Salander....good choice! I didn't think of her, but I would love to spend time with Lisabeth and find out what she's been up to! I'm not sure how I feel about the continuation of the series...but I'll read it! Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. Kim, your feelings are mine. Not sure how this will go, but I do know that Larsson intended it to be a series of several books. So...we will see.

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  9. Another Lisbeth book?? I had not heard about it!

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    1. Ti, it was publicized just in the last week or so. Of course, there is drama about it between Larsson's family and his significant other.

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  10. I'd love to know what happened to Alice's family, too! Such a devastatingly sad book.

    Sense and Sensibility is a favorite, too. I don't usually go in for modern retellings, but The Three Weissmanns of Westport was very clever and entertaining - a favorite beach read from a few years ago.

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    1. JoAnn, I remember you talking about that Weissmanns book a few years ago. Need to put it on my list again. Thanks for the reminder.

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  11. I am interested in how Lisbeth is doing and will check in with this new author.

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    1. Yes, I suspect many of us will at least try the new book. Thanks for coming by, Nise'.

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  12. Great picks! I agree with Lisbeth and Mikael. I'm intrigued about there being a new book. And that Nora Roberts series is my favorite, too. I'd love a glimpse at the sisters lives now. Here are my picks: http://girlplusbooks.blogspot.com/2015/04/top-ten-tuesday-characters-you-wish-you.html

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    1. So glad to know that others like that Roberts trilogy.

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  13. I really need to retry the Lily Bard series. I read the first one and didn't love it but that was a long time ago. Three Sisters would be such fun to revisit! I loved those books - especially Nell. Sense and Sensibility is on my Classics Club list because somehow I've never read it. I'm pleased to see it on your list!

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    1. It's been a long time since I read about Lily Bard. I might feel differently now, but as I recall, I really liked her. I loved Nell too, but really, I loved all the characters.

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  14. You've chosen some excellent characters and if you make it to Guernsey to catch up with Juliet, you'll have to hop to Jersey to visit me! I only got around to reading this fabulous book earlier this year and loved it!

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    1. How cool! I'm going to have to look up exactly where that is. Glad you liked it too.

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  15. Harry Potter and his crew and Lisbeth are great picks. It would be really nice to know how all of those characters are doing and how their lives turned out.

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    1. Yes, I'd be glad to know about the future Potter people.

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  16. I've read several of your mentioned books and would agree with your reasoning on this. I too enjoyed the characters of The Stand, Still Alice, Harry Potter, Benni Harper (my first foray into cozies years ago) and Three Sisters Island (surprisingly I haven't read many Nora Roberts, but I read this whole trilogy when it published and enjoyed the heck out of it) Thanks, Kay!

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    1. So happy to find other fans of the Roberts trilogy that I mentioned!

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  17. Everyone wants to have some more Harry, I think!

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  18. When I saw this week's meme I first thought of Lisbeth Salander! I'm so curious how the new Girl book will be like.

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    1. Me too - hoping it will be up to the first 3.

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  19. I haven't read any of those books but it's a great list.

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  20. I think it would be so great to get a book or two (or 100) about Harry, Ron, and Hermione's kids!
    Thanks for stopping by The Local Muse

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  21. I'm with you about wanting to know what happens to Harry and everyone else in the Hogwarts world! And it will be interesting to read The Girl in the Spider's Web - tough shoes to fill!

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  22. Love that you added the Three Sisters Island trilogy! I was debating between that and the Gallaghers as well as the Dream trilogy for my own list before finally deciding I wanted to check in with the folks at Ardmore. :) (My TTT list here)

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    1. Three Sisters really is my favorite Roberts trilogy. I've read others and enjoyed them, but Nell, Ripley, and Mia are the most fun for me.

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  23. I haven't read all of these but I would absolutely agree with 3, 4, 5, and 6!

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    1. So, will you be trying the new Lisbeth book when it comes out? LOL

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  24. Excellent list. I haven't finished the Harry Potter books, so thanks for the spoiler-free comments! :) I, too, would like to know about Alice's family (Still Alice), particularly her youngest daughter. And, yes, I will most definitely read the new LIsbeth book once it comes out! Can't wait!

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    1. Crossing fingers for a good experience with Lisbeth in the new book.

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  25. The only one I've read, and wholeheartedly agree with, is Harry Potter.

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!