Vacation Announcement/Blog Hiatus

I hate to say this, but I'm leaving on a vacation with my family for the next two weeks... and I won't be back until July the 14th.
Even worse... I won't bring my computer. The horror! (Seriously, though. I don't know if I'll be able to survive these next weeks without it.)
My dad is bringing his laptop, so I do have access to email, and possibly my blog, but I doubt I will be able to get on much at all.
So, if I don't blog until the 14th, that is the reason for my absence. I'm really sorry to just disappear with so little warning, but I promise I will be back!
To make up for this otherwise non-bookish post, the books I am bringing on vacation with me are Uncle Tom's Cabin, Fangirl, This is What Happy Looks Like, and Ice Station by Matt Reilly. So, I should return with plenty of bookish news!

Until then, Happy Reading!

Library Book Haul (3)

So, a couple days ago brought on another trip to the library! The third one this month... not obsessed with the library at all. Nope.

 

At least I only brought 3 books this time.

 

Shiver

by Maggie Stiefvater

 

So, I've only read one Maggie Stiefvater, The Scorpio Races, that I actually really loved. So, I had been kind of wanting to get my hands on another book of hers and I turned around and aaaaaahhh there it was! So that is what happened.

 

 Uncle Tom's Cabin

by Harriet Beecher Stowe

 

Mostly because my family is so geeky that we watch Civil War Documentaries for fun so then a whole type of part about this book came up so that is what happened yes.

 

This is what Happy Looks Like

by Jennifer E. Smith

 

What a pretty cover! (*What a pretty fire* and if you got that reference, you rock. Okay.) So, I've been wanting to read this so I was happy when I saw it.

 

That is all I have for you today! Sorry it was so short.

Beautiful People Meme

 

Beautiful People is a meme for writers hosted by The Notebook Sisters and Sky of Further Up and Further In. Every month, the goal is to answer the 5 questions set out for you to answer about a character in your current WIP.

 

I know this is really late, I am so sorry, but I couldn't resist hopping in just two days before the month ends... um, whoops? Anyway, I've been so irresponsible with my writing lately, but here's the questions answered for Mallory, of Ominous Waters, my November NaNoWriMo Novel that I am currently editing.

 



1) What is their full name and is there a story behind why they got it?
       Mallory Acer. No middle name, just Mallory Acer.
       I chose this name for her, because it really sort of fit her tough personality, while at the same time still not being too tough if that makes sense? I honestly don't know other than that. I liked the name is all.

2) How old are they, and when were they born?
       She is 17, and was born 17 years before the novel took place. *nods* (In other words, I really don't know when her birthday was.)

3) Describe their physical appearance. (Bonus questions: 1. What is their race/nationality/ethnicity? 2. Do you have a picture of them? If so, include it!)
         Greasy blonde hair that hasn't been washed for ages, and just an overall grimy appearance. She's a pirate, see, and really she doesn't pay much attention to her cleanliness, because a) she doesn't have the resources and b) she has better things to do (in her opinion)?

4) Describe your character's personality first in one word, and then elaborate with a few sentences.
            Bossy.
            As the Captain's daughter, she grew up used to bossing people around, and as a result, she can be a over-bearing and bossy throughout the story.

5) What theme song(s) fit their personality and story arc?
             To be honest, I don't listen to music much, so I wouldn't know? But a nice instrumental that sort of fits her is Black Blade, by an orchestra called Two Steps From Hell.

6) Which one of the seven deadly sins describes your character?
                Well, I'd say she fits with both Wrath and Pride. And Greed. So maybe she's flawed, but part of the storyline is her trying to cope with her flaws. Wrath rarely comes out, but she just sort of naturally lashes out at people, because that's how she was raised?

7) If they were an element (fire, water, earth, air), which one would they be?
                 I'd like to say Water as Water is very important to her, and she was raised/lives on the sea, but I feel like Water is too relaxing or calm for her. However, if she was Water she'd be the raging waves at sea.
                  If not Water, I'd say she fits under Fire. Fire is unpredictable and deadly, just like Mallory is. 
8) What is their favourite word?
                  Damselfly.
                  It's the name of her ship. Her ship is her home, and is very important to her.

9) Who’s one person they really miss? (It could be someone who’s passed away, or someone they’re not close to anymore, or someone who’s moved away.)
                  One person she misses is her father. Part of the storyline is how her Father was kidnapped by a rival pirate ship (whose captain is a sorcerer... and seeing as sorcerers and pirates are mortal enemies in this world, that just adds fuel to the fire...) and she spends the whole novel braving many different obstacles to get him back.

10) What sights, sounds, and smells remind them of that person?
                   The sea, for all of those. The sight of the blue waves as the Damselfly parts them, the sound of the sea lapping against the side of the ship, the smell of salt hovering in the air as a present from the sea. So in other words, she is constantly reminded of him.

So that's all I really have for today. Again, I haven't been working on much lately, which really makes me mad at myself especially seeing all these posts about writing updates and productivity etc. and realizing that I should be writing too, but I just can't bring myself to do it because nothing is inspiring me and I have a bad case of "I-can't-write-anyway-I'll-never-be-an-author-why-do-I-try-anyway"s.

Until next time!

Friday Finds (1)

Friday Finds is brought to you by shouldbereading.wordpress.com and it asks you to display what books you have "found" or added to your TBR pile each week! This week I found so many new books to read, and so from the 20th-27th (today) I have found...

Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira which doesn't come out until October of 2015! But the little summary we do get sounds just like my type of book. I am really anticipating this read even though it is so far away.

The Garden of Letters by Alyson Richman which again, is not out yet, but it does come out in fall of this year, so at least it isn't too far away! This is a historical fiction which I have really been wanting to get more into this genre, and this sounds like a really good book.

The Falcon Throne by Karen Miller comes out in September of this year, a week after The Garden of Letters is released. I'm looking forward to this one as well, even if it is not out yet.

The Bees by Laline Paull (finally, a book that has been released!). It sounds so different and unique, and because of that I want to give it a try. It's animal fiction which I actually tend to really like, so that sounds good to me!

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski has been getting lots of good reviews, so I want to see for myself! I'm sure I'll like it.

Ink by Amanda Sun was added to my list because first off, the sequel was released this week, second off, because of the beautiful cover, and thirdly because it takes place in Japan with Japanese Mythology so I thought it would be an interesting read.

Penderwicks #4 by Jeanne Birdsall which still does not have a title, cover, or proper summary, but I still want to read it when it comes out. It's the newest addition to my favorite middle grade series about four sisters. When I saw that she had another book coming out, I had a fangirl attack.

This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith because the cover is so wonderful, and because I love cute contempary reads in the summertime. I checked it out from the library today (expect a library book haul tommorow) and can't wait to start it.

That's all I have for you today! I hope I helped you to discover some new books that might pique your interest. Happy reading, and best wishes!

Review: Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick

This review can also be found on my Goodreads Account: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/976614497?book_show_action=false

Title: Tsarina
Author: J Nelle Patrick
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, with romance and fantasy elements
Pages: 331
Summary: "Natalya knows a secret.
A magical Faberge egg glows within the walls of Russia's Winter Palace.
It holds a power rooted in the land and stolen from the mystics.
A power that promises a life of love for her and Alexei Romanov.
Power, that, in the right hands, can save her way of life.
But it's not in the right hands. (as found on Goodreads)"
So, I was browsing the New Releases section of the library and stumbled upon this title. I had heard lots about (mostly mixed reviews), and so I decided to take it home with me and see how I liked it...

 

Characters:
It took me a little bit to get really connected with the characters, but once I did, the connections were strong. Also, the bonds and friendships, romance, etc. were very strong between the characters in a way that was completely believable. I loved the character’s growth over the course of the story, especially Natalya’s growth.

 

Setting:
This takes place in Imperial Russia, and as said in the Author’s Note near the end, a lot of these people were real. J. Nelle Patrick did her research on this book, and she really brought the complexity and the elegance of the time period to life.

 

Plot:
It was blunt, it was honest, and it was believable. I felt like everything that happened would really happen if these events really took place. There was a clear plot structure, and while I felt like the end was a little rushed, I still very much enjoyed seeing how the events played out. It made me almost cry, and it made me guess throughout the story.

 

Writing Style:
This was probably my favorite part of the book. I was deeply involved in the writing style, and it really pulled me away to the world. It was definitely something to get invested in if given awhile to read the book.

 

Final Notes/Thoughts:
I really enjoyed reading this book, so much so that I finished it in two days. It was a standalone (to the best of my knowledge), and as I’m trying not to start too many new series lately, that was really helpful on a personal note. The only note that I found a bit “eh” was the relationship between two of the characters, because I felt like it was really forced and awkward. However, there were a whole slew of other things that made this book so realistic, so truthful, so heart-wrenching. I really believed in this book while reading it. The good outweigh the bad of this book, and I find myself wanting to read more of the author’s work!

 

(4/5 stars)

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Cover trends I Like/Dislike

And it's Tuesday again, which means it is time for another Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Trends that you like or dislike on covers. I've decided to do 5 that I like and 5 that I dislike. These aren't really my top I guess, because while I always judge a book by it's cover, I guess just whatever pops out to me as pretty is what I like? But here's some general things:

                  Likes

1. Minimalist Covers -- the simple designs around these covers really stand out to me, and I tend to find these covers really pretty when I see them at bookstores.
2. Illustrations-- while I do find a few people or photo covers pretty, I tend to really shoot for the illustrations on covers, which might tie in with the minimalist part of the "Likes" section.
3. Relevance-- when the cover actually fits in with what the book is about. It really annoys me when there's something on the cover and it is never even mentioned in the book.
4. Font-- one of the things I also look at is the font on the cover. It is so annoying when it's a really pretty cover and then has this font that looks like it's just there as an afterthought.
5. Color-- this matters because the color has to fit with the relevance and illustrations of the cover, I guess?
   

               Dislikes

1. Faces-- I have no idea why, but I'm not a big fan of having only these big, blown up faces on the covers. They startle me, for one thing, and for another thing it's just annoying to me.
2. Stickers-- when there are those stickers or badges or whatever that are on the cover that are just there and they don't come off because they're printed like that, and it gets in the way of the cover and augh! That probably made no sense, but they really anger me. (Hulk Smash!!)
3. Messy-- messy or thrown together covers that look like they were done as a sort of last minute thing.

I can't really think of anything else, even after having this sit here for 2 hours and looking through my bookshelf...  but if I do, I will add it!
What are some of the things you like or dislike on covers?

          

Musing Mondays (2)

Musing Mondays  is hosted by Should Be Reading. It asks you to reply, or muse, about one of the following every Monday:

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

It's kind of crazy how much has happened throughout the Book-asphere lately. Or at least in my
Book-asphere. So, I guess today will sort of be about the last bullet point-- a rambling of sorts. First off, I just have to say that:

Robin LaFevers is R. L. LaFevers. I repeat: Robin LaFevers is R.L. LaFevers. Don't ask me how I didn't notice this before, but I haven't! I found out yesterday when I google-d Robin LaFevers because of all the excitement around Mortal Heart. And there it was, in the description, that she was indeed R.L LaFevers!
I know, I know, why is this such a big deal to me, right? Well, R. L. LaFevers wrote one of my favorite middle grade series that I read over and over when I was younger (and I still love them), The Theodosia Series!

Please tell me I'm not crazy. I feel like I am over-reacting about this.

My second rambling includes I have been thinking of changing my blog design around, so don't be surprised if it looks very different soon!

Third, and probably finally (although there was more but I feel like I'm rambling too much) is that I'm going to try to read three books this week. Now, why is that? I have a trip from June 30-July 14. I have three library books that are due before the 14th, that I wouldn't be able to return otherwise, so I'm going to be reading reading READING! If anyone knows of a Read-A-Thon going on this week, I'd love it if you shared your knowledge!  

I would write more, but I'm probably boring you all already. Thanks for hanging in there, I'll see you all next time.

Library Book Haul (2)

So, I actually went Strawberry Picking yesterday, and then stopped by the library and then went to Target to buy a book that I have been wanting for awhile. Then, I went to a barbeque with my neighbours and spent the day at my friend's house. The day before yesterday, my internet was out the entire day and when it finally came back I had an appointment to go to, to find some help for the tremors in my hands. In short, it's been a busy week and I'm sorry for not updating earlier! Without further ado here are the books I got from the Library (and Target)!

The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima

I am so glad to have found the last book in the Seven Realms series. I absolutely love this series, and I am sad to see it come to an end. (Well ok, maybe it came to an end a couple years ago but it is just now coming to an end for me. Sadness.)

 

Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick

I have heard this title mentioned in quite a few Booktube videos, and wanted to read it myself. It sounds like an interesting standalone.

 

The Shamer's Daughter by Lene Kaaberbol

This book was mentioned on someone's blog for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Seeing as those are some of my favorite reads, I wanted to give this book a try. It sounds really interesting; about a girl who can tell secrets by looking into someone's eyes? I think? Well, either way I am excited to start this book and hopefully read the series.

 

***

As I said, I also stopped by Target and was lucky to find one of my favorite books on sale. I have read this book but do not own it, and I am happy to say that I am now the owner of my own copy of

 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

 

Review: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

This review can also be found on my Goodreads account: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/969189882
 

 Title: An Abundance of Katherines
Author: John Green
Genre: YA Contempary
Pages: 236
Summary: "When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun - but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl." (as found on Goodreads)

 I had mixed expectations for An Abundance of Katherines. On the one hand, the only reviews I had seen for this book were negative 1 or 2 star reviews. On the other hand, it was John Green. I had high hopes for my second novel of his. I ended up really liking this book, and here's why:

 

Characters:

The characters were believable. They were suffering from real problems, and although I found the element of him dating 19 girls named Katherine a little on the silly side, they still were realistic enough to relate to. They all had thier own problems and secrets and I loved all of them. Yes, even Colin, despite the fact that most people call him whiny. Of course we also have Hassan, who was hilarious. And there was also Lindsay, who I enjoyed reading about too.

 

Setting:

The setting of Gutshot, Tennessee, was good for this book. It was a cute little town that was rural, unknown, and slightly run-down. One of my favorite settings (other than fantasy worlds), is when an author makes up a place that seems like it could be real, and that is what John Green did with Gutshot.

Plot:

 Okay, so the plot was a bit slow at first, but still, it was easy to follow and it was a discovering oneself type of plot, so I was okay with it. Everything was wrapped up at the end, and there were no stray ends.

 

Writing Style:

The writing style was easy and quick to read, and the idea of including footnotes in the book is always a fun one. It really fit with Colin's voice, as he went off on random tangents most of the time, I thought it was a good idea for the footnotes to be included. John Green probably had to do a lot of research for this novel to come to life. I'm guessing this wasn't an easy book to write, but he made it seem easy in the way he wrote it.

Final Notes and Thoughts:

Admittedly, I had gone into this thinking it was going to be a good-ole road trip novel. Sadly, it wasn't. However, it was still enjoyable and dealt with real problems. It was definately worth the time spent reading it.

 

(4/5 Stars)

 

 

 

 

Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

A variation of this review can be found on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/965047184?book_show_action=false

Title: Cress
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: Book #3 in The Lunar Chronicles
Genre: YA Science Fiction/Fairytale Retelling
Pages: 550
Summary: "In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has"(as found on Goodreads)

I actually finished this book a few days ago, but haven't actually gotten around to reviewing it yet. I had heard great things about this book, and I loved the first two books. So without further ado, here's my review.

Characters: The newest character in this third installment was Cress, a "Shell" (Lunar with no powers) who circles the Earth in a satellite. I loved how awkward and hopelessly romantic the character of Cress was, and her interactions with the others were so fun to read. The daydreams she thought up for herself were really entertaining and I could relate with.

Setting: I enjoyed how this book took a more adventurous survival theme and threw two of the characters out where they least expected it. Without revealing too much or spoiling anything, I can say that I thought Meyer really delivered Setting-wise.

Plot: It kept me guessing again, even when I wasn't trying to guess. It made me gasp out loud at several points. This book really helped propel the over all series forward, and there was not a page wasted.

Writing Style: I'm sure everyone knows my thoughts on Meyer's writing style already, as she is quickly escalating to be one of my favorite authors. As always, this book was even better than the last (okay, maybe I liked Scarlet a tiny bit better), but it was really fast-paced, and wonderful.

Final Notes and Thoughts: I can't believe I have to wait until February for Winter! I want to read the conclusion to the series right now! Even though I never want this series to end. If you have not read this series yet I highly reccomend it!


(5/5 Stars)

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer TBR Books

 

It's Tuesday again which of course means another one of The Broke and Bookish Blog's "Top Ten Tuesday"s. And today's topic is what ten books are on the top of you TBR (To Be Read) List for this summer. I have some series to finish, some new releases, and some books I have been meaning to read for awhile.



 
1. The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima
           I am currently reading the third book in the Seven Realms Series by Cinda Williams Chima, and really enjoying it. I can't wait to move on to the fourth and final book.





2. The One by Kiera Cass
        This is another series I plan on finishing, since I really enjoyed the first two books and practically flew through them. I am hoping that this last book really delivers.








3. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
         I have literally heard nothing but great things about this novel, and I can't wait to get my hands on it and see for myself! It also sounds like the ideal summer read.




4. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
          Another book that sounds like the perfect summer read. I want to get my hands on this book so badly! It seems amazing and I've heard a lot of good reviews.

5. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Okay, so how I haven't read this before is beyond me. It seems like just the type of book I would love, and I'm hoping it goes above and beyond my expectations!

6. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I have heard a lot about this book, and although I am not 100% sure that it is my cup of tea, I am going to try it anyway because quite frankly, anything that Rainbow writes, I will read!

7. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

This is the big series right now with the last book just being released and I cannot believe I haven't read it yet. I can't be alone in not getting to this one yet, right? Right?!

  8. Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon
First off, I know the not-judging-a-book-by-it's-cover rule, but just look at that! It's so beautiful! And it's by a debut teen author, so I'd like to read the book to give it a shot. The summary really appeals to me as well.

9. Entwined by Heather Dixon
Mostly because it's a fairytale retelling and I love those, plus I've heard good things about this book and I want to read it. Short and sweet explanation here, I guess.

   10. Elusion by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Okay, so maybe I haven't heard the best things about this book. But does that make me want to read it any less? No. I still really want to read this book and I have for a long time. Yes, partly because of the cover, but mostly because I like the sound of the summary and think it would be an entertaining read.

 

So that is it for now! Have you read any of these books, or want to read them? What is your list?

 

 

 

 

SLC: Read-A-Thon Updates

The Read-A-Thon hosted by The Book Monsters takes place from June 16th to June 22nd, 2014. On this masterpost, I'll update my progress and thoughts for each day, so check back often! If you are also participating in the challenge, I wish you all the best of luck!

Monday June 16th:

Pages Read Today: 405
Total Pages Read: 405
Books Read:
       "The Gray Wolf Throne" by Cinda Williams Chima  {pages 100-449}
        "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green {pages 1-56}
Books Finished: None
Notes/Thoughts: Today was all about reading, reading, reading! I had already started The Gray Wolf Throne, and I read quite a bit of it before 2am even! I stayed up until 2:09am reading (Just one more page... just one more page...) With all that heavy fantasy action adventure stuff leaving me drained, I decided to pick up my realistic, hopefully more light hearted John Green read. I switched back and forth between the two, and I'm really liking them both so far.

Tuesday June 17th

Pages Read Today: 229
Total Pages Read: 634
Books Read:
         "The Gray Wolf Throne" by Cinda Williams Chima {pages 449-517}
          "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green {pages 56-217}
Books Finished:
         "The Gray Wolf Throne" by Cinda Williams Chima 
         "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
Notes/Thoughts: Thus far during the Read-A-Thon, I have finished two books! Hurrah! Which means I have finished my current stack of library books must make my mighty return to the library to check out yet more books. My mom says I read too much and need to get out more, so sadly no books for me probably for a while. Ah well. I may have to re-read some of the books I own.

Wednesday June 18th

Pages Read Today: 96
Total Pages Read: 730
Books Read:
 "Wither" by Lauren Destefano {pages 1-96}
Books Finished:
"The Gray Wolf Throne" by Cinda Williams Chima
"An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
Notes/Thoughts: So I didn't get as much reading done for reasons already mentioned. Sadly. But I did find this book in my books that I have purchased but not yet read shelf. I guess I was sort of procrastinating on reading it for some reason? I don't know, but it wasn't one of those books that leapt out at me and it's the first book in a trilogy (I've been trying to avoid starting new series' while I have so many unfinished ones) and that's why I was reluctant? I guess? But it's been really good and well-written so far. I'm enjoying it.

Thursday June 19th

Pages Read Today: 228
Total Pages Read: 958
Books Read:
"Wither" by Lauren Destefano {pages 96-324}
Books Finished:
"The Gray Wolf Throne" by Cinda Williams Chima
"An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
Notes/Thoughts: I'm updating this late, so I actually don't remember the occurences of this day, but apparently I read quite a bit. I enjoyed Wither alot, and it was so difficult to put the book down once I was engaged in that world!

Friday June 20th

Pages Read Today: 50
Total Pages Read: 1,008
Books Read:
"Wither" by Lauren Destefano {pages 325-358}
"The Crimson Crown" by Cinda Williams Chima {pages 1-17}
Books Finished:
"The Gray Wolf Throne" by Cinda Williams Chima
"An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
"Wither" by Lauren Destefano
Notes/Thoughts: Busy, busy day today! First, there was strawberry picking (for making jam...yum!), then to the Library and to Target to get some books. Next I went to a barbeque until 11:30 at night and came back too exhausted and worn out to do much reading, although I did manage to make a start on The Crimson Crown, the last book in the Seven Realms Series. I'm so sad about having to depart from this series! I wish it went on forever!

Saturday June 21st

Pages Read Today: 112
Total Pages Read: 1,120
Books Read:
"The Crimson Crown" by Cinda Williams Chima {pages 18-130}
Books Finished:
"The Gray Wolf Throne" by Cinda Williams Chima
"An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
"Wither" by Lauren Destefano
Notes/Thoughts: I wasn't really in a reading mood today as I spent the day at a friend's house, and then roasted S'mores over the firepit in my backyard. I did squeak a bit in before I went to sleep as you can see. I am not quite on par with my goal of 1,300 pages to read so I hope to catch up tommorow!

Musing Mondays (1)

Musing Mondays is hosted by Should Be Reading . It asks you to reply, or muse, about one of the following every Monday:

 

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

 

This is my first Musing Monday! Today I'm going to muse about the book that I am reading currently, as I am really loving it, but have never before realized that I loved the series so dearly. The book I am reading is...

 

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

I stayed up until 2 a.m yesterday (or I suppose, today!) reading this book. I just love the style of writing that Chima has. And the development in characters and plot, with the constant growth from both, just always keep me hooked. I am very impressed with Chima's writing and I can't believe it took me until the third book to realize how much I truly love this series!

Now that I only have one and a half more books in the series to read (I am halfway through this one) it makes me sad to think I will have to say good-bye to Raisa, Han, Dancer, and all the other characters I have been following since page one of "The Demon King" (first book.)

However, I can't wait until I can go to the library and grab the fourth and final book in this series. For anyone who hasn't read it yet, I would reccomend the Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima. It is for anyone who loves fantasy adventure novels!

 



SLC: Read-a-Thon Goals

This summer library read-a-thon is hosted by The Book Monsters as part of the Summer Library Challenge that I have been participating in since June 1st. I have gotten a lot of reading done due to this challenge and the Read-a-Thon hosted by Rachael @ Rachael Turns Pages so I am in the mood for yet another Read-a-Thon!

This one runs from June 16th-22nd. The goal is to read as many library books (or other books) as possible within the week. My goals are as follows...

1. Due to my success with Rachael's Read-A-Thon, I've decided to up my goals for Pages Read to 1, 300 pages. I know that's a lot, but now with school out and plenty of time to read, I really think that it is possible. It will be very hard to do, but hopefully I can at least get close to finishing it.
2. I've just started The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima so I hope to finish that, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, and The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima (if my library has it).

That is really all I have set out as my goals for this time. If you are participating in this Read-A-Thon, then good luck! I will keep updated in an Updates Post that I will be posting tommorow, and I will probably update the one post every day with what I have accomplished.

 

***Updates for the Read-A-Thon will be on this post!***

Hardback vs. Paperback vs. eBooks

It's the question that has been speculated about multiple times... which is better for reading, eBooks or Physical books? And then when you break down even that question, which is better, Hardback or Paperback? It's all a matter of personal opinion of course, and I have decided to give my personal opinion on the matter.

Hardback Books:



Pros:

• It has a nice, pretty book jacket. This way if you accidentally spill something or rip the book jacket, it will be terrible, but you still have a back-up plan.
• They are the almost always the only edition of the physical copy that is avaliable to buy when the book first comes out. So if you want to read the book right away, you get to read the Hardback edition.

Cons:

• They are much more expensive than a Paperback edition, or an eBook.
• These things are heavy. Especially if you're trying to hold open a thick Hardback book with one hand as you turn the page, and you're nearing the end and suddenly the weight becomes too much for your poor fingers and the book drops. Not that I know this from personal experience or anything.

Paperback Books:


Pros:

• You still get that feeling of a physical book in your hands.
• It is lightweight and easy to carry around in a purse or tote bag, to whip out any time and read a few pages.
• The book is relatively lightweight and does not drop out of your hands when you try to turn a page.

Cons:

• The wait is longer for the book, as the paperback copy doesn't release for awhile after the hardback is released.
• If you spill something on the cover, it looks terrible for all eternity.

eBooks:

Pros:

• Like Hardback, these editions come out right when the book is released.
• They are very cheap to buy.
• They are super lightweight and handy. If you finish one, you can automatically read another without having to pack two books.

Cons:

• You don't get the feel of the actual, physical book in your hands.
• If you spill liquid on the eReader, it can ruin it forever. All those books, gone!

So what's my opinion on the matter? I like physical books better than eBooks, but my views often waver between Hardback and Paperback. I've liked Paperback a lot more than Hardback for a long time, but recently I've found myself liking Hardback books as well. So for now, I'll call it a tie between Hardback and Paperback.

What are your opinions?

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

A variation of this review can be found on Goodreads at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/963017137?book_show_action=false

Title: Scarlet
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: Book #2 in The Lunar Chronicles
Genre: YA Science Fiction/Fairytale Retelling
Pages: 452
Summary: "Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner."(as found on Goodreads)

 

Going into this book, I thought that nothing could top Meyer's first book in the series, Cinder. But boy, was I wrong. I actually think I liked this book more than I liked Cinder. Just overall, the read was even more fast-paced and exciting and *is speechless still*

 

Characters: In this second installment, we get introduced to three new characters. (More than three, actually. But just three new main characters). These are Thorne, a flirtatious 'criminal mastermind' (or so he likes to think), Wolf, who we don't know much about until the end, other than the fact that he's a street fighter with a strange, number tattoo. Finally we meet Scarlet Benoit, the star of the show, Little Red Riding Hood, and her determined, stubborn ways. I loved all these new characters. I cracked up at alot of Captain Carswell Thorne's lines, and his interaction with Cinder (yes, we do get more Cinder *cheers*, as well as Kai.), and Wolf and Scarlet really performed. Overall, I loved all these characters, though I thought Cinder and Scarlet were a little too close personality-wise, I still like both of them.

 

Setting: This time we travel to New France, in particular the little town of Rieux. All we really get to see of the direct setting is Scarlet's Grandmother's farm, with is a bit rundown now that her Grandmother is missing. Still, we get to learn more still about New Earth, and it kept me intrigued enough.

 

Plot: It kept me guessing until the very end and after-- keeping me hooked onto the series to read Cress. I loved all the plot twists and foreshadowing, and piecing together the puzzle pieces, and watching romance blossom. It was great, to make a long story short.

 

Writing Style:

I loved the way that Marissa Meyer really forged the bond through characters, and gave readers (or at least me) the feel that we were actually there with the characters, and experiencing what they were experiencing.

 

Final Notes and Thoughts:

I have to say, the action and adventure in this installment pleased me greatly. Adventure paired with a fairytale retelling and Marissa Meyer's brilliant writing is like a dream come true to me! This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

 

(5/5 stars)

Library Read-A-Thon: Updates

 

The readathon hosted by Rachael Turns Pages takes place on June 9th through the 16th. Here is where I will track my progress for each day so check back often!


Monday June 9th:

Pages Read Today: 409
Total Pages Read: 409
Books Read: 2
       "The Elite" by Kiera Cass
       "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer
Books Finished: 1
       "The Elite" by Kiera Cass
Notes/Thoughts: I got way more reading than I thought done today, and I both started and finished The Elite by Kiera Cass, which I thouroughly enjoyed. I started Scarlet by Marissa Meyer and read the first 83 pages or so. I am  half-way to my 800 page goal already, and it's only the first day! I am feeling pleased of my progress so far. I think I will read a bit more in bed before going to sleep.

Tuesday June 10th:

Pages Read Today: 76
Total Pages Read: 485
Books Read: 1
        "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer
Books Finished: 1
        "The Elite" by Kiera Cass
Notes/Thoughts: Well, today was the opposite of yesterday. I had graduation for two hours today, two hours after I got home from school. Then, I had a 2.5 hour dance at my school that I attended as a celebration. (I get to take my Math Final first period tommorow. Yay... *sarcasm*) That's why I didn't read as much as I would have liked, but I'm still not too concerned yet. (Yet.)

Wednesday June 11th:

Pages Read Today: 312
Total Pages Read: 797
Books Read: 2
         "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer
         "Cress" by Marissa Meyer
Books Finished: 2
        "The Elite" by Kiera Cass
        "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer
Notes/Thoughts: I had finals pretty much all day today, and with the graduation last night, I was exhausted. So when I got home, all I did was read. And Scarlet was sooo good (!!) that I just kept reading and reading and reading. So thus I got quite a bit of reading done, and I finished Scarlet, and started Cress! I shall post a review tommorow for Scarlet, so stay tuned!

Thursday June 12th:

Pages Read Today: 131
Total Pages Read: 928
Books Read: 1
        "Cress" by Marissa Meyer
Books Finished: 2
        "The Elite" by Kiera Cass
         "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer
Notes/Thoughts: I posted my review of Scarlet, like I promised I would! I'm enjoying what I have read so far of Cress as well, though at this point I feel like I have enjoyed Scarlet a tad bit more. Then again I am not that far through it yet and so it still may end up my favorite of the series, who knows? I got lots of reading done today. During Health everyone else went outside and did whatever active people do and my teacher let me stay inside and read. So that was cool.

Friday June 13th

Pages Read Today: 37
Total Pages Read: 965
Books Read: 1
       "Cress" by Marissa Meyer
Books Finished: 2
       "The Elite" by Kiera Cass
       "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer
Notes/Thoughts: Lots of interesting personal life updates today, but none really about books. Boo. So I just wanted to say yes! Last day of school for me, finally. After school I watched a lot of Booktube, specifically Katytastic, Ariel Bisset, and Jessethereader. For some reason I just wasn't in the reading mood today, I kept getting distracted and obviously did not read much. I blame it on the bad luck of Friday the 13th.


Saturday June 14th

Pages Read Today: 195
Total Pages Read: 1,160
Books Read: 1
        "Cress" by Marissa Meyer
Books Finished: 2
         "The Elite" by Kiera Cass
         "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer
Notes/Thoughts: Wow, I can't believe (it took me three trys in order to spell that correctly) that I've read over 1,000 pages! I'm feeling very proud of my accomplishment and happy with what I have done in this Readathon so far. All the books that I've read so far are books that I absolutely loved (I think I gave all three of them 5 stars on Goodreads), so that contributed a lot. Today was just a lazy day and me and my brother (one of my brothers) read a lot. I think I've convinced him to do Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon with me in October.

 

Sunday June 15th

Pages Read Today: 262
Total Pages Read: 1,422
Books Read: 2
       "Cress" by Marissa Meyer
       "The Gray Wolf Throne" by Cinda Williams Chima
Books Finished: 3
       "The Elite" by Kiera Cass
       "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer
       "Cress" by Marissa Meyer
Notes/Thoughts: Today was just a lazy day. Mostly I just lounged around at home and read quite a bit. I watched some TV for a couple of hours, tidied up a bit (just a bit mind you), and read. I love lazy days like this because it gives me time to finish a book or two, and I finished Cress. It was fantastic, and left me wanting Winter so badly! Do I really have to wait until February to get my hands on it? Anyway, a review for Cress will be up soon.

SLC: Social Media

It is Day 9 of the Summer Library Challenge, hosted over at The Book Monsters Blog!

Every week they have a library themed challenge or prompt, and today, the question is, as found here, "What Social Media does your library use?"

Well, this is difficult for me to answer, since there is another library with the same name as my library all the way on the other side of the USA! Generally it says the state but you can never be too sure, heh.

So, what I found that seems to be used most often is thier FaceBook page. Currently, the top two posts are advertising a Summer Reading Club taking place at the library over the summer. Of course it has prizes, and that sort of thing. I don't think I'll join but it does sound fun enough for people who like that sort of thing. (Me? Well, I prefer to do all my Summer Reading Clubs online, thank you very much.)

Also, another thing I thought was really funny and random and also pretty cool, was according to a post on the FaceBook page, they had a "Ukuleles are Awesome!" event at my library?  When did this happen? I don't know, I just found that a bit strange, haha. Okay.

So, yes. That is my library's social media page. The FaceBook page is overall a bit random, but you know, whatever floats thier boat, right?

Library Read-A-Thon: Goals

As most of you probably know, the Library Read-A-Thon, hosted by Rachael Turns Pages starts today! My introduction post can be found here! I've been looking forward to this event all weekend, even whipping through the two books I was reading in order to get a fresh start for the week!

Today, the topic is what goals you have for the event. I'm hoping that this week, I will be able to get through at least two of the library books I got on Saturday. I made a post about my library haul here, if you would like to get an idea of what books I will be reading.

Goals:

• Read and finish "The Elite" by Kiera Cass, "Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer, and hopefully "Cress", also by Marissa Meyer.
• If I don't finish Cress, I'll be happy too, as long as I start it and get a good chunk of it read.
• Another goal is to read at least 800 pages, which might be hard, considering I have finals to study for, projects to finish, and a graduation to attend this week! If I get 800 pages read, I will be very happy.

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

A variation of this review can also be found on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/945566871?book_show_action=false



Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: Book #1 in The Lunar Chronicles
Genre: YA Science Fiction/Fairytale Retelling
Pages: 390
Summary: "Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future." (as found on Goodreads )


First off, this review if spoiler-free, so if you haven't read this book yet, then you can read this review. Also, if you haven't read the book yet I would highly reccomend it. Normally, I'm not the biggest science fiction fan. It's okay, but not something I regularly read. This sci-fi fairytale retelling taught me to give science fiction another chance.

Characters:I loved the characters in this book. They were probably my favorite part of the entire novel. I don't know how Marissa Meyer does it, but I had sympathy for even the smallest of characters, that we only got to see once or twice. And Cinder, the lead, was perfect for this book. I loved her sarcastic, slightly snarky, sense of humor, and how brave she was. Iko, her android, was very cute, and I laughed several times when Iko was in the scene.


Setting:
New Beijing; what an interesting place. The author did her research before doing this novel. While reading, I could see a lot of the customs that are used in current times, as well as ancient times; with just a hint of what could happen in the future. And then there's the overall world; New Earth. It was a very interesting place, and I loved exploring it with Meyer.

Plot:
Of course we knew what would happen; it is a retelling, after all. But the way that Marissa Meyer let it fold out, made it so that we never knew when this event would happen or how it would happen. The novel moved fairly quickly, spending just enough time on each scene, which I personally appreciated.

Writing Style:
The author showed us the world, instead of telling us about it, which was something I found particularly notable in this book. Another thing I loved was how simplistic, yet complex, a single sentence could be. There seemed to be a bit of a deeper meaning to everything. Overall, I loved Meyer's writing style, and hope to read more of her work even after The Lunar Chronicles is concluded.

Final Notes and Thoughts:
This novel made me cry, it made me laugh. It made me cringe whenever something bad or embarassing happened, and it made me gasp when something I didn't expect popped up out of nowhere. This book is a great book for pretty much anyone. Even if you aren't a big fan of sci-fi or fairytale retellings, I'd still say to give this book a chance. I did, and I ended up loving it.


(5/5 Stars)