Top Ten Books with Awesome Friendships
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| Image from The Broke and the Bookish |
This week I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish’s Top Ten Tuesday meme (thanks Cait for
introducing me to this.) The topic for this week’s top ten list is ‘Ten Books
about Friendship’. Now of course the moment I get a topic like this, my brain
goes blank and I can’t remember even one book I’ve read that is specifically
about friendship. So instead, I’ve decided to put my own spin on this topic
and list ten books that have awesome friendships in them.
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1. A Little Bush Maid
Mary Grant Bruce
This book, and the whole series, is centred on the
friendship between Norah Linton, the ‘little bush maid’, her brother Jim, their
comical friend Wally, and the adventures they have in the Australian bush. Their
friendship has the fun, the jokes, the pranks and the unquestioning loyalty
that every good group of friends should have. Plus they’re Australian. What’s
not to like?
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2. Higher Institute of Villainous Education
Mark Walden
When you have a genius, a martial arts expert, a computer
whiz and a thief together, they’re bound to make an awesome group of friends.
The fact that they’re also training in an academy for villains just makes this
group better. Otto Malpense and his friends are some of my favourite villainous
heroes, especially when they’re working together to carry out some completely
crazy but surprisingly effective plan. I have a soft spot for villains.
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3. Percy Jackson series
Rick Riordan
I’m technically cheating by listing a whole book series
here, but the friendship between Percy, Annabeth and Grover just gets better
and better throughout the books. They’re my favourite Greek influenced friendship.
The fact that they’re two demigods and a satyr certainly makes them a unique
group. Plus they also fight monsters, save the world, and sword fight.
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4. Brotherband: Outcasts
John Flanagan
The boys in Brotherband
are a bunch of misfits at the start, but when misfits work together and
become friends they become something so much better. I love the way that this
group eventually turns into a team and won’t leave anyone behind, no matter
whether one member’s going to slow them down or not, and in the end it’s this
strong friendship that really makes them succeed. Plus they’re the Heron team,
which is definitely not a typical name for a group of warriors.
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5. Heist Society
Ally Carter
What is a thief without her friends and family? Kat Bishop
is a thief with plenty of both. She and her friends, many of whom are also
family, travel the world in a private jet, stealing from some of the most secure
museums, art galleries and homes. This group of friends is amazingly
imaginative, ever resourceful, good at planning, and hilarious, all at the same
time.
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6. The Whisperer
Fiona McIntosh
What I like most about the friends from this book is
probably the diversity in the group. There’s Griff, a boy who can hear people’s
thoughts, Tess, and her friends who all happen to be magical creatures, including a griffin and a
centaur. Despite being chased by a crazy ringmaster, being mistaken for
royalty, and falling into the hands of bandits, these friends fight hard to stay
together and help each other, refusing to leave any creature behind when the
going gets tough.
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7. The Taggerung
Brian Jacques
All the Redwall books are filled with great friendships
between varied species of animals. One of my favourites though, is between the
Taggerung and his mouse friend. Considering one was trained as a killer and the
other had a difficult past, they have a surprisingly light hearted approach to
life, sharing plenty of jokes (and food). Brian Jacques always has plenty of
food in his books. Do not read when hungry.
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8. Itch: The Explosive Adventures of a Element Hunter
Simon Mayo
Simon Mayo
Itchingham Loft’s friends make it onto this list because,
when you have a group of friends willing to drag around a chunk of highly radioactive
metal, run away from mysterious figures who want said chunk of radioactive
metal, and risk death to help you get rid of it, you know those friends are
keepers. Especially when everyone ends up with radiation poisoning from the
adventure.
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9. Wildwood Dancing
Juliet Marillier
This book has a great friendship between five sisters who go
night after night to a fairy ball. They’re all so different, but they all stick
together so closely. Together they fight off evil fairies, malicious cousins,
meddling relatives, and curses while also fighting for true love. Plus the main
character carries around an enchanted frog who shares in all these adventures.
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10. The Legend of Holly Claus
Brittney Ryan
My final group of friends make it on the list for sheer
lovability. After all, when your heart’s been frozen into ice, you need a
strong group of friends around you, and that’s what Holly Claus has. From a
penguin, an owl, a wolf, a fox, to a brooding toymaker, her friends are willing
to do anything to make sure that she’s safe. Plus the animals shrink down to
travel size, which is definitely a plus. Who doesn’t want to be able to carry
their friends around wherever they go?
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So there you have it, my top ten books containing awesome
friendships. Have you read any of these books? What books would make it onto
your top ten list?
14 comments
Brotherband Chronicles is an awesome pick! Great list =)
ReplyDeleteHi Nobody. Thanks for visiting. Brotherband is one of my favourite books about the power of friendship. None of them are normal, but together, as friends, they can become great and that's what I love about their friendship. No man gets left behind.
DeleteI love the list! I have read some of those books, but not all of them. I have some new books to look up!
ReplyDeleteI love finding books I haven't heard of but that sound good. I'm glad I could recommend some good books for you to read.
DeleteEee, this is such a good collection! I actually tossed up putting Billabong on mine, but I chickened out...mostly because I was trying to pick friendships that didn't end in romance. But I ship Norah and Wally SO HARD. *ahem* ANYWAY. So glad you joined in! x) This link up is a loooot of fun.
ReplyDeleteYou know Billabong? You are officially my favourite person right now. No one seems to have read these books except me. If I'd actually been able to think up more than ten books that had friendships in them (as my mind goes terrible blank when I need to think up lists for some reason) I might have followed your example. Methinks I need to read more books. I'm so glad I joined this link up too. I've really enjoyed it. Looking forward to next week's subject now. I've got all the books ready way ahead of time!
Deletethat’s a well thought out list. I like the friendship pairs you’ve picked. I haven't read the Brotherband Chronicles but I loved the Ranger's Apprentice series. Kelley at the road goes ever ever on
ReplyDeleteThe Rangers Apprentice series is so good. I love the relationship between Will and Halt. (Plus Halt has an awesome name). They have such epic senses of humour. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteThese are awesome picks! Great post :)
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten this week!
Thanks for visiting Ellie. I've really enjoyed joining in with the link up this week.
DeleteI must read the Percy Jackson series! I've been telling a friend I'll read it but still haven't gotten round to requesting it.
ReplyDeleteBTW, that's a really cool blog name you have! I've just found your blog and I'm looking forward to reading your posts.
You should definitely read it if you can get your hands on a copy. It's deserves all the hype that it's gotten.
DeleteThanks! I love my blog name too. My family is all very into blogging so all my sisters helped me brainstorm the title. It wouldn't be half so cool if it was left to me! Thank you for stopping by.
I've been playing around with reading H.I.V.E for awhile now and this post is convincing me that I need to get on that! I too have a soft spot for villains:)
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely read it. It's well worth it. Villains are just such awesome characters, aren't they? They get all the cool lines, and the dramatic plots. This book had me from the words 'Villainous Education'. I mean, a place that teaches you to be an awesome villain? Definitely cool.
Delete