tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25163086888317657742024-03-13T05:55:08.430-07:00literary wanderlove.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-24396055030100443922014-10-15T10:30:00.000-07:002014-10-15T10:30:01.237-07:00Review - Siege and Storm - Leigh Bardugo<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14061955-siege-and-storm" target="_blank">Siege and Storm</a> </b>by Leigh
Bardugo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> The Grisha #2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Henry Holt
and Co. on June 4 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: Fantasy, Young Adult<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 432<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 2/5 stars</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Darkness never dies.</strong></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.</span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> don’t know why I
decided to read this book. Well, I do, but I probably shouldn’t have. I knew
going into it that the likelihood of it impressing me was miniscule. But when I
saw it sitting pretty on the shelf at the library, I just couldn’t resist
grabbing it and </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ruin and Rising</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. I
really regret that spur of the moment decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The pacing in <i>Siege and Storm</i> is wildly inconsistent.
The first two or three chapters move at a break-neck speed (I almost felt like
I was getting story whiplash it was going so quickly) and then about a third of
the way through the book it takes a serious nosedive into epic slowness. The
scenes on the <i>Hummingbird</i> just didn’t
work for me. I think what got me about this section of the book is that there
is just so much monotonous travelling going on. There just wasn’t much to keep
my interest. The pace picked up again toward the end of the book with a very
sudden and abrupt battle that I was about as prepared for as Alina and company
were. The last quarter of the book was SO DISAPPOINTING to me. It got my hopes
up that a certain twist was in store and that I’d get to see more of the Alina
I actually find interesting, but alas, it was not to be. Siege and Storm was,
in so many ways, a series of let downs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The biggest qualm I
have with this book is the characters. As you may know, I am very much a
character reader. I don’t have to necessarily like a character, but if I don’t
feel any connection to the characters there is zero chance I will enjoy the
book. This is one of those books where I just can’t get on the same emotional
level as any of the characters. Alina has moments when I think she’s totally
awesome, but then she lets her guilt take over and gets very self-sanctimonious
and I just have no patience for that. Mal is a complete write-off as a
character. He’s <i>so freaking boring.</i> I’m
two books in and literally the only thing I know about Mal is that he’s a good
tracker. Not because he works really hard at it, he just is. Also, he’s really
attractive and all of the ladies fawn over him. <i>Lame.</i> I have never seen any chemistry between Alina and Mal,
especially compared to the chemistry she has with both the Darkling and
Nicolai/Sturmhond. Sure, the chemistry she shares with them are very different,
but at least there’s something. I can honestly say that I prefer the side of
Alina we see when she’s around the Darkling to when she’s with Mal. When Alina
is around Mal she becomes an insecure mess. The Darkling makes her feel
powerful. Be honest, which would you prefer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was quite happy to
meet Sturmhond in <i>Siege and Storm</i>. He’s
definitely my favourite of the three main men in Alina’s life. What can I say,
I’m a sucker for a charmer. He also seems a bit more complex than Mal and the
Darkling. Where there is a clear indication of good versus evil when it comes
to Mal and the Darkling, Sturmhond occupies the grey space in between and I’m
into that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One other niggling
thing that I noticed while reading <i>Siege
and Storm</i> is the way that Alina perceives other women. It is so unhealthy and
there is a vast amount of internalised misogyny clouding her judgement. It’s
particularly evident in the way that she interacts with Zoya. Every time Zoya is
mentioned, some aspect of her appearance is noted. She is constantly described
as beautiful and threatening, and I find it rather disconcerting. The only
character who isn’t looked down upon for her beauty is Genya, and we all know
what happens to her by the end of the book. It just struck me as odd that all
of the men in the book are praised for being good looking, yet Alina is
constantly comparing herself to other women and simultaneously putting down
herself for not being pretty enough and them for being too pretty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because I’m already
two thirds of the way through the series, I’ve decided to read <i>Ruin and Rising</i>, just to see how
everything turns out. I figure I’ve already invested so much time and energy
into this trilogy that I might as well see it through to the bitter end. I’ve
read about 20 pages and so far I’m even less impressed with book 3 than I was with
book 2. How promising… Hopefully things will turn around enough in the next 400
pages to make me not regret ever bothering with this series. If not, I probably
won’t be reading whatever Leigh Bardugo comes up with next. It’s not you,
Leigh. It’s me.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-69857153216913734742014-10-07T19:03:00.000-07:002014-10-07T19:03:33.157-07:00TTT - Books for Readers Who Like Character Driven Novels<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdlGw4CBvKK5qyYXhGwY3DAJaaxpKYaYmSDlhucnumiJc_GdoDCPlqzyALN3skc1EbnCsjqdu2H3LaSQipBZSFbngh9MGiNHjJ-Zx4g1SVkO91NureRmNLse_zOknW1PHJ2te0etdFTbe/s400/Untitled+design+(2).png" height="300" style="padding: 8px;" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.59375px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;"><b>Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #2198a6; line-height: 1.4em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;">Each week a new topic is given and weeks topic is:</b></div>
<div>
<div style="font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Top Ten Books for Readers Who Like Character Driven Novels</b></span></span><br />
<img alt="Jellicoe Road" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412105002l/2999475.jpg" width="222" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2999475-jellicoe-road" target="_blank">Jellicoe Road</a> - Melina Marchetta</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Wanderlove" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327877152l/9807262.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9807262-wanderlove?ac=1" target="_blank">Wanderlove</a> - Kirsten Hubbard</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Like Mandarin" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320523816l/8574517.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8574517-like-mandarin" target="_blank">Like Mandarin</a> - Kirsten Hubbard</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Y" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1340140400l/13547191.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13547191-y?ac=1" target="_blank">Y</a> - Marjorie Celona</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Salvage" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378399791l/13518102.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13518102-salvage?ac=1" target="_blank">Salvage</a> - Alexandra Duncan</div>
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<img alt="Ask the Passengers" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371850438l/13069935.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13069935-ask-the-passengers?ac=1" target="_blank">Ask the Passengers</a> - A.S. King</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Second Chance Summer" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337189920l/11071466.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11071466-second-chance-summer?ac=1" target="_blank">Second Chance Summer</a> - Morgan Matson</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="I Capture the Castle " height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327947324l/860534.jpg" width="206" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/860534.I_Capture_the_Castle" target="_blank">I Capture the Castle</a> - Dodie Smith</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Miseducation of Cameron Post" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309190566l/11595276.jpg" width="208" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11595276-the-miseducation-of-cameron-post?ac=1" target="_blank">The Miseducation of Cameron Post</a> - Emily M. Danforth</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="A Brief History of Montmaray (The Montmaray Journals, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320183933l/6341739.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6341739-a-brief-history-of-montmaray?ac=1" target="_blank">A Brief History of Montmaray</a> - Michelle Cooper</div>
</span><ol>
</ol>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-20807634923428053982014-10-06T12:30:00.000-07:002014-10-06T12:30:00.929-07:00Review - Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Crown of Midnight </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by
Sarah J. Maas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Series:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Throne
of Glass #2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Published by</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Bloomsbury
on August 27 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Genres</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: fantasy,
young adult<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pages:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 420<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rating:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 4/5
stars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.</span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.</span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">C</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">rown of Midnight</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
excelled in almost all of the places where <i>Throne
of Glass</i> failed, and it definitely earned the extra star. I’m so glad to
have been able to read <i>Throne of Glass</i>
and <i>Crown of Midnight</i> back to back,
because if I hadn’t had <i>Crown of Midnight</i>
on hand right after finishing <i>Throne of
Glass</i>, I may never have bothered to read it. That said, it was so worth
reading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
you probably know, I’m a busy university student. I’m doing a double major in
English and Women’s Studies, and I started this book right around the time that
the fall semester (AKA the beginning of my fourth year of university) began.
Let me tell you, I have had <i>zero </i>time
for reading thus far this semester. I have managed to read all of three books
in the three weeks. Over the summer, I read an average of about 2.5 books per
week. Clearly, that has slowed down. The point that I’m getting at here is that
amidst all of the craziness of getting back into the swing of studying nonstop,
I managed to read this book in less than four days. I know that may not sound
like much, but that’s a big deal right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
book definitely raised the stakes from <i>Throne
of Glass</i>. It was on a higher level on both a political plane and an
emotional one. I’m not ashamed to admit that it made me shed a tear or two. I
got a little weepy. The character development shown in <i>Crown of Midnight</i> surpasses anything I could ever wish for. Celaena
grows tremendously over the course of the book, and you can see her thought
processes changing and she slowly learns to listen to and trust the people she
cares about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m
going to keep this review short because I simply don’t know how to gush over
this book without releasing all of the spoilers, but I am really impressed with
Maas’s progression as a writer and as a storyteller. Where <i>Throne of Glass</i> often lacked a certain finesse, <i>Crown of Midnight</i> was practically
flawless in execution. It flowed wonderfully, the pacing consistent and
quick-moving, and the slow unraveling of the mysteries was tantalizing in a way
that was completely unmatched by the smaller scale mysteries of the first book.
I’m so excited to see where this story will go in <i>Heir of Fire</i> (which I need to get my hands on NOW). I’d also really
like to read<i> The Assassin’s Blade</i>,
though I’m typically not a fan of prequels or add-in short stories/novellas. I’ve
heard great things about these ones, and I might just order the whole series
(to date) on my next pay day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-17360881996653891792014-10-03T12:30:00.000-07:002014-10-03T12:30:00.829-07:00Review - Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass" target="_blank">Throne </a></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass" target="_blank">of Glass</a> </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">by Sarah
J. Maas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> Throne of Glass #1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Bloomsbury on
August 7 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: fantasy, young adult<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 404<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 3/5 stars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. </span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. </span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I’</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ve been hearing
about the Throne of Glass series all over the blogosphere for as long as I can
remember (basically since 2012, when it was published), but I never got into
it. Why, I have no idea, considering it is full of things I love, namely badass
assassins and political fantasy. Yes please. However, I have had to take this
book out of the library on three separate occasions before I was finally able
to get past the first fifty pages. I just wasn’t feeling it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think that this
book suffers from a rather weak opening, but it definitely builds as the book
progresses. I grew to really like Celaena – it’s a nice change to see a YA
protagonist who isn’t self-deprecating and is fully aware of how amazing she
is. Celaena has her flaws, but that’s what makes her so dynamic and interesting
to read about. I was also a humungous fan of the fledgling friendship between
Celaena and Nehemia. I think that friendship between girls in YA is incredibly
important and it was so refreshing to see that come about on the pages of
Throne of Glass. Honestly, I’m quite enamoured with Nehemia all on her own; she’s
a seriously ballsy lady.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is what might
be considered a love triangle in this book, which I wasn’t particularly pleased
with. There’s some killer romantic/sexual tension between Celaena and the captain
of the guard, Chaol, but there is also a weird romance between Celaena and the
crown prince, Dorian, which I was less fond of. I do like the way that Celaena
and Dorian’s relationship grew and changed over the course of the book, and I’m
quite happy with where they left off at the end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The one thing I found
rather lacking in Throne of Glass was the action. It simply wasn’t as
action-packed as I was expecting. There was a lot of reading and walking and
running, but only a few real high stakes scenes stick out to me. I found that
Celaena, for all her confidence regarding her abilities as an assassin, didn’t
really do anything to live up to her reputation. She wasn’t as impressive as I
wanted her to be. I also thought that the mystery wasn't as breath-taking and suspenseful as it should have been. I never worried for the safety of any of the main characters, nor was I particularly panicked to find out the identity of the murderer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the whole, Throne
of Glass wasn’t a bad book, and it definitely had its interesting moments, but
it wasn’t up to the standard I hold for fantasy books (by which I mean it wasn’t
Froi of the Exiles calibre excellence). It was a decent introduction to the
series, but I definitely think that things will improve as the tale progresses.
The way that the first chapter or two were the shaky beginnings to this novel,
I believe Throne of Glass stands as the shaky beginning to what will amount to
an overall solid series.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-11078388294950020902014-09-28T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-28T12:30:00.398-07:00Stacking the Shelves {2}<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="STSmall" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hyk9Z7WdVNA/T6P68ADmNrI/AAAAAAAAFKI/WfHmIKAeAGI/STSmall_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">BOUGHT:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Feed (Newsflesh Trilogy, #1)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408500437l/7094569.jpg" width="131" /><img alt="Deadline (Newsflesh Trilogy, #2)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408500444l/8429687.jpg" width="131" /><img alt="Blackout (Newsflesh Trilogy, #3)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317680509l/11806716.jpg" width="120" /><img alt="Son of the Shadows (Sevenwaters, #2)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388460890l/13927.jpg" width="132" /><br />
<img alt="Soulless (Parasol Protectorate, #1)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1314020848l/6381205.jpg" width="123" /><img alt="Kushiel's Chosen (Phèdre's Trilogy, #2)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1395020871l/395962.jpg" width="122" /><img alt="Amy and Roger's Epic Detour" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327989202l/7664334.jpg" width="132" /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7094569-feed?ac=1" target="_blank">Feed</a> - Mira Grant</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8429687-deadline" target="_blank">Deadline</a> - Mira Grant</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11806716-blackout" target="_blank">Blackout</a> - Mira Grant</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13927.Son_of_the_Shadows?ac=1" target="_blank">Son of the Shadows</a> - Juliet Marillier</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6381205-soulless?ac=1" target="_blank">Soulless</a> - Gail Carriger</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/395962.Kushiel_s_Chosen?ac=1" target="_blank">Kushiel's Chosen</a> - Jacqueline Carey</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7664334-amy-and-roger-s-epic-detour?ac=1" target="_blank">Amy and Roger's Epic Detour</a> - Morgan Matson</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>BORROWED:</b></span><br />
<img alt="Siege and Storm (The Grisha, #2)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362166252l/14061955.jpg" width="133" /><img alt="Ruin and Rising (The Grisha, #3)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392398530l/14061957.jpg" width="135" /><img alt="A Darkness Strange and Lovely (Something Strange and Deadly, #2)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1351415687l/13624584.jpg" width="132" /><img alt="Strange and Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly, #3)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381769541l/17902141.jpg" width="129" />
<br />
<img alt="Dying to Know You" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337476202l/12750296.jpg" width="121" /><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14061955-siege-and-storm?ac=1" target="_blank">Siege & Storm</a> - Leigh Bardugo</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14061957-ruin-and-rising" target="_blank">Ruin & Rising</a> - Leigh Bardugo</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13624584-a-darkness-strange-and-lovely?ac=1" target="_blank">A Darkness Strange and Lovely</a> - Susan Dennard</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17902141-strange-and-ever-after" target="_blank">Strange and Ever After</a> - Susan Dennard</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12750296-dying-to-know-you?ac=1" target="_blank">Dying to Know You</a> - Aidan Chambers</span></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">RECEIVED FOR REVIEW:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="200" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover53135-medium.png" width="131" /><img height="200" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover53133-medium.png" width="133" /><img height="200" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover52739-medium.png" width="129" /><img height="200" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover53871-medium.png" width="129" /><br />
<img alt="The Melody of Light" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403360948l/21413905.jpg" width="129" /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21922556-fashioning-fat?ac=1\" target="_blank">Fashioning Fat</a> - Amanda M. Czerniawski <i>(thank you NYU Press!)</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21927633-plucked?ac=1" target="_blank">Plucked: A History of Hair Removal</a> - Rebecca M. Herzig <i>(thank you NYU Press!)</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20702913-maxine-wore-black?ac=1" target="_blank">Maxine Wore Black</a> - Nora Olsen <i>(thank you Bold Strokes Books!)</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18854738-moon-at-nine?ac=1" target="_blank">Moon at Nine</a> - Deborah Ellis <i>(thank you Pajama Press!)</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21413905-the-melody-of-light?ac=1" target="_blank">The Melody of Light</a> - M.L. Rice <i>(thank you Bold Strokes Books!)</i></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">READ THIS WEEK:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Lips Touch: Three Times" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341175359l/6369113.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" width="216" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>CURRENTLY READING:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405631835l/22738294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Handpicked" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405631835l/22738294.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<img alt="Ruins (Partials Sequence, #3)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372085068l/17607716.jpg" width="211" /><br />
<img alt="Bloodsucking Fiends (A Love Story, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388586483l/33454.jpg" width="212" /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-77013125075436174202014-09-26T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-26T12:30:01.522-07:00Review - Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd<br />
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<img alt="Her Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter, #2)" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1370880514l/16182304.jpg" width="268" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Her
Dark Curiosity </b>by
Megan Shepherd<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> The Madman’s Daughter #2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Balzer + Bray
on January 28 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: horror, historical fiction,
young adult<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 420<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 3/5 stars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.</span></i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her.</span></i></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.</span></i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.</span></i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we’ll go to save them from themselves.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I probably shouldn’t
have read this book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was drawn in by the
near-pristine beauty of it at the library – I don’t often encounter library
books that look brand new, and I was tricked by the prettiness. It’s too bad
that the actual content of these books isn’t as great as their gorgeous covers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had high hopes for <i>Her Dark Curiosity</i>, though I’m not
entirely sure why. I didn’t particularly enjoy <i>The Madman’s Daughter</i>, for a variety of reasons. Namely, Juliet’s idiocy and the completely
unnecessary love triangle. But I thought, maybe book two will be better. Maybe
Juliet will start to use her brain and stop whining all the time and kick those
stupid miserable boys to the curb. Also, I was under the (incorrect) assumption
that 1/3 of said love triangle was dead, because I’m an idiot who indulges in wishful
thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But oh no. None of my
hopes were answered by this book. I was delighted to find that this book was
supposed to be loosely based on/inspired by <i>The
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i>. I’m a big fan. Unfortunately, they
really meant <i>loosely</i>. There are a few
elements of <i>Jekyll and Hyde</i> present,
but it’s minimal. The reintroduction of the love interest who isn’t Montgomery
(I want to say his name is William or Edward, because everyone in Victorian
London was called William or Edward) wasn’t much of a shocker, and I honestly
don’t think it even merits a spoiler tag. Let me know if you disagree, but it
was pretty obvious, though I tried to convince myself otherwise in case sheer
willpower prevented it from happening. Sigh. The love triangle really gets
amped up in this book. Compared to <i>Her
Dark Curiosity</i>, it is merely a slight annoyance in <i>The Madman’s Daughter</i>. There is just so much drama between Juliet
and Montgomery and William-Edward and I don’t understand it at all because they’re
both absolute dickheads! I’ll pass, thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The ‘plot’ of <i>Her Dark Curiosity</i> is surprisingly
sparse. I honestly don’t remember much of the plot that didn’t revolve around
a) the love triangle, b) Juliet’s angst over her condition/finding a remedy, or
c) further angst over William-Edward’s escalating murderous split personality
disorder. I think the main problem I have with sympathizing with these plights
is that I just completely disagree with everything that Juliet stands for. If I
were in her shoes, William-Edward would be properly dead by now (and I would
have zero desire to bring him back to life Frankenstein-style, thank you very
much!). Oh! I remembered one other plot-y thing – Juliet discovers that she’s
caught up in a big ol’ conspiracy and then (SPOILER) kills a bunch of people
using electricity and lab creatures. She also scars her best (well, only)
friend for life in the process, but who needs friends when you have Montgomery
and William-Edward, right??<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Given the nature of
this review, it might be surprising that I gave this book three stars. I
actually did enjoy certain parts of the book. I’m a big fan of Shepherd’s writing
style. It is very descriptive without turning purple, and I think she really
succeeds in creating a neo-Gothic novel, in style if not in form. I also really
love Juliet’s dark side. She doesn’t let it out as often as I’d like, but I
think that the fact that she has a serious violent streak is wonderful. I think
that she could be a truly remarkable character if she just toned down the altruism
a little bit. She reminds me a bit of Allie from Julie Kagawa’s <i>Blood of Eden</i> trilogy in that sense. She
has the potential to be a total badass, but she is just too <i>nice</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Considering how much
grief this series has caused me, you’d think I’d back out and abstain from the likely
torment of <i>A Cold Legacy</i>, but you
would be wrong. I’ve already invested enough time in this series that I might
as well see it through, right? Besides, maybe Frankenstein William-Edward will
be less angsty than the current version. On a side note: how many times can
this dude be killed off? WHY DON’T YOU JUST TAKE THE HINT AND STAY DEAD? NOBODY
LIKES YOU. I am interested to see the setting shift once again, this time from
urban London to the Scottish countryside. I think that setting is definitely
one of Shepherd’s strong suits.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-20936926906900644182014-09-23T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-23T12:30:01.022-07:00TTT - On My Fall TBR<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdlGw4CBvKK5qyYXhGwY3DAJaaxpKYaYmSDlhucnumiJc_GdoDCPlqzyALN3skc1EbnCsjqdu2H3LaSQipBZSFbngh9MGiNHjJ-Zx4g1SVkO91NureRmNLse_zOknW1PHJ2te0etdFTbe/s400/Untitled+design+(2).png" height="300" style="padding: 8px;" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.59375px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;"><b>Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #2198a6; line-height: 1.4em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;">Each week a new topic is given and weeks topic is:</b></div>
<div>
<div style="font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Top Ten Books on My Fall TBR</b></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Ruins (Partials Sequence, #3)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372085068l/17607716.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17607716-ruins?ac=1" target="_blank">Ruins</a> - Dan Wells</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I mostly just need to finish this trilogy so that I can strike it from my list. I did really enjoy the first two books, so hopefully <i>Ruins</i> will end the series on a good note. I have this one out of the library at the moment, so it should get read in the near future.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Rebel Belle (Rebel Belle, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371650817l/8475505.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8475505-rebel-belle?ac=1" target="_blank">Rebel Belle</a> - Rachel Hawkins</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I greatly enjoyed Hawkins' Hex Hall books, so I've been looking forward to Rebel Belle for ages. I finally got it from the library, so I'll be getting to this one soon as well. I hope.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320688710l/9859436.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9859436-something-strange-and-deadly?ac=1" target="_blank">Something Strange and Deadly</a> - Susan Dennard</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've heard really good things about this series, and Sarah J. Maas mentions Dennard in all of her acknowledgements, so I feel like I need to get onto this book. It's another library book. I've read a lot of books set in Victorian London recently, so I'm not too sure that I'm ready for another one quite yet.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1336424966l/7728889.jpg" width="213" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7728889-the-diviners?ac=1" target="_blank">The Diviners</a> - Libba Bray</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm a huge fan of everything Libba Bray does and am rather ashamed that I haven't read this already. I bought a copy from the used bookstore by my house a few weeks ago and am greatly anticipating picking it up when I get the chance.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Everything Leads to You" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389744233l/18667779.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667779-everything-leads-to-you?ac=1" target="_blank">Everything Leads to You</a> - Nina LaCour</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I read the first twenty-odd pages of this right after purchasing it, but then it kind of fell by the wayside because of all of the library books that took precedence. I'm still really excited to read this. I've heard that it's excellent and I loved what I read earlier.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="I'll Give You the Sun" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392575990l/20820994.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20820994-i-ll-give-you-the-sun?ac=1" target="_blank">I'll Give You the Sun</a> - Jandy Nelson</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Words cannot express how badly I want this book. I <i>need</i> this book in my life. I loved <i>The Sky Is Everywhere</i> and have been eagerly anticipating whatever Nelson followed it up with and now that follow up is out and IT NEEDS TO BE IN MY HANDS RIGHT THIS SECOND.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1400166295l/17234658.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17234658-a-thousand-pieces-of-you" target="_blank">A Thousand Pieces of You</a> - Claudia Gray</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm not sure what I'm more excited about, the breathtaking cover or the parallel universes. I really hope this book is all that I want it to be. I believe in you, book!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407318366l/17984141.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17984141-the-young-elites?ac=1" target="_blank">The Young Elites</a> - Marie Lu</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So I only ever read the first book in Marie Lu's Legend trilogy, but The Young Elites sounds far more my speed. It's basically a villain's origin story. And it's fantasy. What isn't to like?? The reviews that have been coming out lately have been quite favourable as well, which is nice.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398369003l/20617636.jpg" width="260" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20613470-heir-of-fire?ac=1" target="_blank">Heir of Fire</a> - Sarah J. Maas</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I just finished the first two books in the Throne of Glass series and I'm kind of obsessed. They aren't the most innovative books I've ever read, but I'm so invested that I don't even care. I hope to order the series from The Book Depository (because they have my preferred covers in paperback!) in the near future.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Talon (Talon, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397581124l/17331828.jpg" width="220" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17331828-talon?ac=1" target="_blank">Talon</a> - Julie Kagawa</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One word: dragons.</div>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-11983028656764376252014-09-22T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-22T12:30:00.531-07:00Review - Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peters<br />
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<img alt="Keeping You a Secret" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358442201l/272315.jpg" width="261" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/272315.Keeping_You_a_Secret" target="_blank">Keeping You a Secret</a> </b>by Julie
Anne Peters<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> Standalone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Little, Brown
and Company on May 4 2005<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: contemporary, young adult, LGBT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 250<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 4/5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">With a steady boyfriend, the position of Student Council President, and a chance to go to an Ivy League college, high school life is just fine for Holland Jaeger. At least it seems to be. But when Cece Goddard comes to school, everything changes. Cece and Holland have undeniable feelings for each other, but how will others react to their developing relationship? This moving love story between two girls is a worthy successor to Nancy Garden's classic young adult coming out novel, Annie on My Mind. With her characteristic humor and breezy style, Peters has captured the compelling emotions of young love.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As you may or may not
have noticed, I read pretty much any and every lesbian YA novel that comes my
way. Because I can. This one has been on my radar for years – I mean, Julie
Anne Peters is a mainstay of queer YA contemporaries, and this is one of her
more popular books. Possibly the most popular? I’m not too sure. Regardless,
there is a distinctly familiar tone to this book that leads me to think that I
may have read it in high school and completely forgotten doing so. It happens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Keeping You a Secret
isn’t the most creative book in the world, but it is an important book
nonetheless. Given that it was published nearly ten years ago, I’m pretty
impressed with it. I can’t say that I’d be pleased to read something with this
plot if it were a new release, but I’ll get into that in a moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The main draw of Keeping
You a Secret, in my opinion, is the relationships between its characters. To
start out, we have the main character, Holland. Holland has a lot of very
complicated relationships – her boyfriend, who feels more like an obligation
than a pleasure; her friends, who are sometimes judgemental and with whom
Holland doesn’t feel comfortable sharing her true feelings; her mom, newly
remarried and suddenly preoccupied with a ‘new’ family; her stepsister, a Goth
whom Holland just can’t relate to (not that she really wants to). What I really
loved about this book was that it went beyond the conventions of a simple love
story – while the blooming love between Holland and Cece takes center stage,
there is much more going on in Holland’s life. She is constantly navigating how
to manage her relationships without throwing things off balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Holland’s
relationship with her mother is one of the best and hardest parts of this book.
After a lot of sneaking around with Cece and trying to keep the lid on their
relationship, Holland’s mother finds out in a not-so-ideal way. Her reaction is
absolutely terrifying. Holland’s mom has the reaction that every gay child has
nightmares about. It isn’t unexpected – upon meeting Cece for the first time,
she demands that Holland stop being friends with her. Her homophobia isn’t well
hidden, but it is still shocking to see how she treats her own daughter. Just
thinking about it makes my eyes well up. I don’t want to give away the details,
but Holland’s life is plunged into a low that most people cannot relate to. The
sad truth is that Holland’s circumstances are all too common for LGBT youth
with bigoted parents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The issue I have with
Keeping You a Secret is that it is very middle-of-the-road. I’ve read books
worse, but I’ve also read many books that are much, much better. The writing is
mediocre and simplistic, which is good for readability but bad for memorability.
I was never completely immersed in the story, mostly due to the fact that it
was very formulaic and clichéd in many ways. I also found Cece to be a rather
two-dimensional love interest, which was off-putting and disappointing. As I
said before, I think that this is a very important book, but there are better
LGBT YA books out there (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2884780.Malinda_Lo" target="_blank">Malinda Lo</a>’s books are marvellous, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11595276-the-miseducation-of-cameron-post?ac=1" target="_blank">The Miseducation of Cameron Post</a> by Emily M. Danforth is wonderful, I’ve heard very great things
about <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667779-everything-leads-to-you?ac=1" target="_blank">Everything Leads to You</a> by Nina LaCour, even Peters’ newest release <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18607160-lies-my-girlfriend-told-me?ac=1" target="_blank">Lies My Girlfriend Told Me</a> sounds more innovative). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If like me you’re
someone who devours every book about queer teenage girls that you can find,
this one is worth reading, but if you’re less passionate about the subject,
this might be one to skip.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-44604736805103166162014-09-19T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-19T12:30:00.980-07:00Review - The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen<br />
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<img alt="The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling, #1)" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407707646l/18698884.jpg" width="263" /></div>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18698884-the-queen-of-the-tearling" target="_blank">The Queen of the Tearling</a> </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">by
Erika Johansen</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> The Queen of the Tearling #1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Harper on
July 8 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 448<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 2.5/5 stars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.</span></span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m glad to say that
I didn’t hate this book as much as most of my fellow bloggers seem to, but it
definitely wasn’t what it was pitched to be. I was lucky enough to know going
into it that it wasn’t a straight-up fantasy, but a strange dystopian fantasy
hybrid in which an event called The Crossing occurred, during which most modern
“luxuries” a la medicine and electricity were lost. Now, what exactly the
Crossing was is never explained in the nearly 500 pages of this book. I imagine
it may be explained in subsequent books, but it was kind of a mind fuck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is some serious
logic fail going on in this book. There is talk of other nations being capable
of plastic surgery yet the Tearling doesn’t even have the most basic medicine.
They don’t even have printing presses. It’s your basic quasi-medieval fantasy
setting with a big ol’ FUCK YOU twist thrown in for good measure. And it doesn’t
really work. The Queen of the Tearling would have been a thousand times more
enjoyable if it wasn’t such a weird setting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><img alt="kidding me" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bridesmaids.gif" height="149" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The characters leave
a lot to be desired as well. Kelsea, the main character and incumbent Queen of
the Tearling, is rash and impulsive. She doesn’t think things through, which is
a <i>terrible </i>trait in a Queen. She
talks about wanting to do the best for her kingdom, yet she doesn’t actually
consider the consequences of her actions. For instance, when she learns about
the crown-condoned slave trade between the Tearling and neighbouring kingdom
Mortmesne, she immediately releases all of the prisoners, hires a bunch of them
on as her personal staff, and burns the cages used to transport them. She doesn’t
care that the Queen of Mortmesne is infinitely more powerful than she is and
that she will be slightly insulted to discover her shipment of slaves has not
been delivered. I agree that something had to be done to put a stop to the
agreement between the Tearling and Mortmesne, but Kelsea’s solution was far
from intelligent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She is also very
judgemental. She believes herself to be plain and unattractive (based on a
glimpse of herself in a puddle when she was about fifteen) and is very insecure
because of it. She takes extensive note of the appearances of everyone she
meets and compares herself to them endlessly. There is one particularly
offensive scene in which Kelsea mentally chastises an aging woman for believing
herself to be beautiful. How dare this lady who is in her fifties or sixties
feel confident in her own appearance??!! Kelsea also spends a lot of time
thinking about how men don’t find her attractive, especially one outlaw she
encounters twice. She is really hung up on this guy and how he once said that
she wasn’t his type. I was glad to find that he only makes two appearances, as
I really did appreciate how little romance came into play in this book. I can
only imagine it will become a more central focus as the series progresses,
because that’s usually how these things go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Also, everyone in
this book is completely incompetent when it comes to their jobs. Kelsea is a
horrible queen, her head guard allows her to be stabbed in the back, an
assassin manages to catch her unattended in the bath. It’s just a major
clusterfuck and everyone deserves to be fired. There is also the issue of the
climactic scene being resolved by Kelsea’s magical necklaces. I really don’t
like when objects are the solutions to problems. It’s just too convenient. I’d
much rather have the characters use their actual brains – they have them for a
reason!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My final note is that
I really wish this book had better representation of women. There are a handful
of women gracing the pages, but they’re almost all disappointing. First there
is Carlin, Kelsea’s cold and aloof guardian with whom Kelsea had a very
strained relationship because Carlin didn’t feel like she could allow herself
to show Kelsea love. WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF LOGIC??? Then there’s the evil queen
of Mortmesne, known only as The Red Queen. She’s a stereotype if I’ve ever seen
one – leaning heavily on magic and fear to control her kingdom, she is the
epitome of the evil seductress. The most interesting female character is a beautiful
young woman formerly “owned” by Kelsea’s gross uncle. Unfortunately she doesn’t
play a very big role in the novel. I suppose I just wish Kelsea had a friend or
a counsel or someone to bounce ideas off of aside from Mace. Whose job is to
protect her, not to help her make political decisions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><img alt="disappointed" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/disappointed.gif" height="142" width="200" /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It may seem like I
hated this book, but I didn’t. I liked the writing and I am interested to see
what Johansen does with the strange combination of story elements she’s pulled together.
It may have had it’s seriously dumb moments, but <i>The Queen of the Tearling</i> wasn’t all bad.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-33902632861990143072014-09-17T17:34:00.001-07:002014-09-17T17:34:56.822-07:00Evoution of a Reader/Blogger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mRwq4nyRhjH2fRvmkZhfYEsjmEgzqQd0tsWt8_lP-Q6JBDZN20-K4pJLgdmY-hp5vaPTdeNXc2ccNM9MmFSRLolGZj1WbQKAtea0BZ9To3YjMq6OY52xoTcVtNFhNcPFfBTM2YucRPhF/s1600/Writing+Positive+Reviews+is+Really+Hard!.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mRwq4nyRhjH2fRvmkZhfYEsjmEgzqQd0tsWt8_lP-Q6JBDZN20-K4pJLgdmY-hp5vaPTdeNXc2ccNM9MmFSRLolGZj1WbQKAtea0BZ9To3YjMq6OY52xoTcVtNFhNcPFfBTM2YucRPhF/s1600/Writing+Positive+Reviews+is+Really+Hard!.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'd like to say that I'm the same reader that I was before I started blogging, but that would be a lie. A big lie. My habits and thought processes have changed immensely in the time that I've been maintaining this blog. Though my blog has been around only a short time, it really has changed my life. I take this blog really seriously, which means that I have to take reading seriously as well.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="fbls" height="224" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/fbls.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basically my childhood.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Growing up, I was always a voracious reader. I'd read anything and everything set in front of me. I spent hours perusing the book store and the library looking for the perfect book to take home with me. Some things never change (though now I'm less likely to limit myself to just one!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I went through a brief reading slump shortly after graduating high school. I barely even noticed it was happening, but between my depression (a post for another time) and my dead-end full-time job, I just didn't have the motivation for reading. I still considered myself a reader, but I was doing much, much less of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It wasn't until the summer before I started university that I started reading all the time again. I spent that entire summer reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series (it was around the time that the TV series premièred). I read all five of those massive books before the end of August, and my hunger for books was reawakened. It was also around that time that I discovered and subsequently became addicted to Goodreads.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Christ" height="206" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/wltz.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of a book slump! Hurrah!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next few years involved me reading far more books than I probably should have, given my tendency to skip class to lounge in bed and read all day. I'm pretty sure I've spent as much if not more time, since starting university, reading for pleasure as I have reading for my classes. My yearly number of books read has increased slightly year by year, though I'm nowhere near as quick a reader as some other bloggers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I started my blog last summer, after spending a month or so writing a backlog of reviews. I didn't really know what I was doing, but I knew that I liked books and I liked book blogs and I wanted one of my own. I quickly learned that book blogging is a lot more work than it looks like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Unfortunately, around this time last year my blog went on an eight-month-long hiatus. I just wasn't prepared for the commitment of juggling full-time coursework, a part-time job, and the blog. I stopped posting, but I didn't stop reading. I read a lot of books during that time, but I didn't write reviews and I actually feel kind of depressed when I think about those books because of it. I want to go back and look at the books I read during those eight months and read what I thought about them at the time of reading. Because for the most part, I don't remember. I feel almost disappointed in myself for taking that time off, even though I know that I shouldn't be.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Unhappy" height="292" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/dsnt.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't want to read less!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm unfortunately going to have to cut back on my reading again now that school has started back up. I'm taking five classes this semester, all of which are third or fourth year classes. I'm going to be BUSY. But that doesn't mean that I'm abandoning my blog again. I may blog less often, or post fewer reviews, but I'll still be around. I'll still be present, because this blog matters to me. It's small, but it's important to me and I don't want to feel like I'm letting myself down again. I've got a lot going on, but literary wanderlove is a priority. it doesn't come before school or work, but it is a priority nonetheless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How did your blog come to be? Have you always been a reader? How do you prioritize blogging within the rest of your daily activities & commitments?</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-31590655989405856492014-09-16T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-16T12:30:00.661-07:00TTT - Authors I've Read One Book By But Need to Read More<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdlGw4CBvKK5qyYXhGwY3DAJaaxpKYaYmSDlhucnumiJc_GdoDCPlqzyALN3skc1EbnCsjqdu2H3LaSQipBZSFbngh9MGiNHjJ-Zx4g1SVkO91NureRmNLse_zOknW1PHJ2te0etdFTbe/s400/Untitled+design+(2).png" height="300" style="padding: 8px;" width="400" /></span></div>
<div style="color: #666666; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="line-height: 19.59375px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;"><b>Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #2198a6; line-height: 1.4em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;">Each week a new topic is given and weeks topic is:</b></div>
<div>
<div style="font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Top Ten Authors I've Read One Book By But Need to Read More</b></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(All of the images are of the books I've read)</span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410170987l/20312458.jpg" width="228" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sara Farizan</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Code Name Verity (Code Name Verity, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388161911l/11925514.jpg" width="208" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Elizabeth Wein</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Girl You Left Behind" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1366558957l/17572903.jpg" width="212" /></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Jojo Moyes</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="In the Shadow of Blackbirds" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348721608l/13112915.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Cat Winters</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Year of Shadows" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359642431l/13129136.jpg" width="210" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Claire Legrand</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358537405l/16043528.jpg" width="213" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jenny Torres Sanchez</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Fangirl" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355886270l/16068905.jpg" width="215" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Rainbow Rowell</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Animal Farm" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327872845l/7613.jpg" width="217" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
George Orwell</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Ask the Passengers" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371850438l/13069935.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A.S. King</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Pirate Cinema" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337400827l/13539171.jpg" width="214" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Cory Doctorow</div>
</span><br />
<ol>
</ol>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-83828946197917029822014-09-15T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-15T12:30:00.739-07:00Review - How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Came by Sarah Strohmeyer<br />
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<img alt="How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1365987189l/16248148.jpg" width="213" /></div>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">How
Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">by Sarah Strohmeyer</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> Standalone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Balzer + Bray
on April 23 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: Contemporary, Young Adult<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 320<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 3/5 stars</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">When cousins Zoe and Jess land summer internships at the Fairyland Kingdom theme park, they are sure they've hit the jackpot. With perks like hot Abercrombie-like Prince Charmings and a chance to win the coveted $25,000 Dream & Do grant, what more could a girl want?</span></span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Once Zoe arrives, however, she's assigned to serve "The Queen"-Fairyland's boss from hell. From spoon-feeding her evil lapdog caviar, to fetching midnight sleeping tonics, Zoe fears she might not have what it takes to survive the summer, much less win the money.</span></span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Soon backstabbing interns, a runaway Cinderella, and cutthroat competition make Zoe's job more like a nightmare than a fairy tale. What will happen when Zoe is forced to choose between serving The Queen and saving the prince of her dreams?</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is a difficult
review to write simply because a lot of time has passed since I read this book
and it honestly hasn’t left a very strong impression on me. I remember most of
the events of the book, but it didn’t elicit a single strong emotion from start
to finish. I wasn’t expecting <b>How Zoe
Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True</b> to be an earth-shattering, life-changing
book, but I did expect a little bit more gravity and impact than what I received.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>How
Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True </b>follows cousins Zoe and Jess as they spend the
summer between eleventh and twelfth grade (AKA junior and senior year if you’re
American) interning at a fairy-tale theme park in New Jersey. The relationship
between Zoe and Jess was rather refreshing in that they have been best friends
practically since birth and they are absolutely, entirely supportive of each
other in every way. These girls have a friendship to be envied. The only problem
is that they are both itching to receive the $25,000 cash prize given to two
exemplary interns at the end of each summer: one girl and one boy. Zoe needs
the money to pay off medical bills, while Jess needs it due to her parents
financial crisis and its effect on her dream of attending NYU. The solution to
this problem is kind of cheesy and all too convenient, but it fits the book.
This book is very much about fairy-tale endings and happily ever afters, and
while that may bother the more cynical readers (re: me), it isn’t entirely a
bad thing. It can be nice to see everything turn out okay in the end every now
and then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The romance in <b>How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True</b>
is pretty predictable, but cute. It’s misdirected by a crush on a not-so-nice
guy and Zoe spends a large portion of the book completely blind to Noah’s
charms. The scene at the lake/pond (I have the worst memory!) was adorable. So
sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The part of the book
I struggled the most with was Zoe’s job. She was basically an assistant, even
though that’s clearly not what she signed up for, and she did her job almost
entirely without complaint despite the fact that the Queen, who I think is
supposed to be like the park manager, was legitimately insane. I wouldn’t have
made it two days in that job, especially given that it was completely
unexpected. It bothered me that the Queen never seemed to be doing any real
work. She had serious entitlement issues and I found myself spending most of
the book longing to punch her in the ovaries. It just didn’t add up that this
park could be run by one inept crazy woman and a bunch of teenagers (plus some
security guards who didn’t really seem to care about their jobs at all). It was
very unbelievable that a park could have any semblance of efficiency with such
a flawed employee framework. It annoyed me and honestly affected my enjoyment
of the book. I don’t like when things don’t make sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Honestly, I probably
won’t read any more of Sarah Strohmeyer’s books. This one was the only one that
really interested me, and it was a fluffy heap of cotton candy of a book, which
I’ll repeat, isn’t always a bad thing. It just didn’t work for me. I think that
has a lot to do with target audience – I kind of felt like Strohmeyer was
dumbing her book down in a way. Maybe not even intentionally, but it still gave
me a sense that there was something missing.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-76873953057578804852014-09-14T11:45:00.000-07:002014-09-14T11:53:10.014-07:00Stacking the Shelves {1}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="STSmall" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hyk9Z7WdVNA/T6P68ADmNrI/AAAAAAAAFKI/WfHmIKAeAGI/STSmall_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's been a very long time since my last weekly wrap-up post, so I decided to try something a little different and see what all the fuss is about Stacking the Shelves (hosted by <a href="http://www.tyngasreviews.com/" target="_blank">Tynga's Reviews</a>). I like reading these posts on other people's blogs, and I've bought/received/borrowed a TON of books in the past couple of weeks.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">BOUGHT:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_BcWfS11MXXeHBNcDPsajna3ber-Ajnnf5dstBP4NVeMvmW3yrIzegCfxuaANMb58J6_eBJPZBPBagmDfvYtRuwtabgeoRQ9LZMU4y8aagDTXY3Oa45_T-0AYKBuEvoBLSC2uU_UMtuN/s1600/IMG_2145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_BcWfS11MXXeHBNcDPsajna3ber-Ajnnf5dstBP4NVeMvmW3yrIzegCfxuaANMb58J6_eBJPZBPBagmDfvYtRuwtabgeoRQ9LZMU4y8aagDTXY3Oa45_T-0AYKBuEvoBLSC2uU_UMtuN/s1600/IMG_2145.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51428.Rebel_Angels?ac=1" target="_blank">Rebel Angels</a> - Libba Bray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127459.The_Sweet_Far_Thing?ac=1" target="_blank">The Sweet Far Thing</a> - Libba Bray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17675462-the-raven-boys?ac=1" target="_blank">The Raven Boys</a> - Maggie Stiefvater</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667779-everything-leads-to-you?ac=1" target="_blank">Everything Leads to You</a> - Nina LaCour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19549841-seraphina?ac=1" target="_blank">Seraphina</a> - Rachel Hartman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6760761-the-false-princess?ac=1" target="_blank">The False Princess</a> - Eilis O'Neal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7728889-the-diviners?ac=1" target="_blank">The Diviners</a> - Libba Bray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9591398-the-girl-who-circumnavigated-fairyland-in-a-ship-of-her-own-making?ac=1" target="_blank">The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making</a> - Catherynne M. Valente</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12812550-days-of-blood-starlight?ac=1" target="_blank">Days of Blood & Starlight</a> - Laini Taylor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8490112-daughter-of-smoke-bone" target="_blank">Daughter of Smoke & Bone</a> - Laini Taylor </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">WON:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXlctYiUI2i_ZJ277wXgqIhGf0Ct2pCdJLXju_63KxjdAgMGT9vIapuQ_4J6egTb04L-_GhXJYQF731-EOhaydhwpy3SIUm9XkOb2dsHJpM4c3UjSHNKm8cQsmNOV3b2QhZq76Y2cwpEV/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXlctYiUI2i_ZJ277wXgqIhGf0Ct2pCdJLXju_63KxjdAgMGT9vIapuQ_4J6egTb04L-_GhXJYQF731-EOhaydhwpy3SIUm9XkOb2dsHJpM4c3UjSHNKm8cQsmNOV3b2QhZq76Y2cwpEV/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dangerous Girls - Abigail Haas (thank you <a href="http://reviewsfromabookworm.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Charnell!</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dangerous Boys - Abigail Haas (thank you <a href="http://reviewsfromabookworm.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Charnell!</a>)</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">BORROWED:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG51jL40T-2uV1oO2sdCmkDqvbinzvdsXLQBlhCEPQK50BgPxVayuIX6DO0v0Zup7VdAUUSXBCxzjYqlHseMLlgh8dO3xGSfivg9EomBfB2uRBZINQFeROOrBnJ-18Y0Q_6ywQpFABjt-0/s1600/IMG_2148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG51jL40T-2uV1oO2sdCmkDqvbinzvdsXLQBlhCEPQK50BgPxVayuIX6DO0v0Zup7VdAUUSXBCxzjYqlHseMLlgh8dO3xGSfivg9EomBfB2uRBZINQFeROOrBnJ-18Y0Q_6ywQpFABjt-0/s1600/IMG_2148.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16059426-love-in-the-time-of-global-warming?ac=1" target="_blank">Love in the Time of Global Warming</a> - Francesca Lia Block</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16182304-her-dark-curiosity?ac=1" target="_blank">Her Dark Curiosity</a> - Megan Shepherd (read)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12805941-perfect-escape?ac=1" target="_blank">Perfect Escape</a> - Jennifer Brown</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17332968-reality-boy?ac=1" target="_blank">Reality Boy</a> - AS King</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18049084-noggin?ac=1" target="_blank">Noggin</a> - John Corey Whaley</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8475505-rebel-belle?ac=1" target="_blank">Rebel Belle</a> - Rachel Hawkins</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17607716-ruins?ac=1" target="_blank">Ruins</a> - Dan Wells</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15797800-escape-theory?ac=1" target="_blank">Escape Theory</a> - Margaux Froley</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17347389-the-dream-thieves?ac=1" target="_blank">The Dream Thieves</a> - Maggie Stiefvater</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9859436-something-strange-and-deadly?ac=1" target="_blank">Something Strange and Deadly</a> - Susan Dennard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6369113-lips-touch?ac=1" target="_blank">Lips Touch: Three Times</a> - Laini Taylor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass" target="_blank">Throne of Glass</a> - Sarah J. Maas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17167166-crown-of-midnight" target="_blank">Crown of Midnight</a> - Sarah J. Maas</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">READ THIS WEEK:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335819760l/7896527.jpg" width="212" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391580481l/17167166.jpg" width="211" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's been a slow reading week because I've been thrust back into the worlds of school and work simultaneously. I'm taking five upper level classes this semester so I'm completely inundated with required readings, not to mention the upcoming onslaught of assignments. I haven't had a ton of reading time, but I'm trying to get in as much as I can.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CURRENTLY READING:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Lips Touch: Three Times" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341175359l/6369113.jpg" width="216" /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-76911787639793470142014-09-12T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-12T12:30:01.953-07:00Review - Jackaby by William Ritter<br />
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<img alt="Jackaby" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410170969l/20312462.jpg" width="266" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20312462-jackaby" target="_blank">Jackaby</a> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by
William Ritter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Series:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Standalone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Published by</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Algonquin
Young Readers on September 16 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Genres</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: paranormal,
historical fiction, young adult<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pages:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 304<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rating:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 3
stars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.</span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Doctor Who</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> meets </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Sherlock</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.</span> </span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
you probably know, <i>Jackaby</i> has been described as a cross between Sherlock and
Doctor Who. Unlike most people, I was somewhat wary of this comparison. Don’t
get me wrong, I like Doctor Who and I’ve seen the first two seasons of BBC’s
Sherlock (though Elementary is superior in every possible way). The problem
that these two shows share is that they are both led by the same <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2014/aug/23/doctor-who-steven-moffat-sexism" target="_blank">misogynistic pig of a showrunner</a>: Steven Moffat. This guy is an absolute tool. He’s
responsible for running Doctor Who right into the ground, and he’s a
self-congratulating, arrogant, pompous jerk-off. Clearly this is something I
feel strongly about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So!
Coming back to <i>Jackaby</i> – I was interested to see how Ritter would put his own
spin on the commonalities between Sherlock and Doctor Who and whether he would
manage to allay some of the more offensive aspects of the two shows he is
clearly pulling inspiration from. And yes I know that both Sherlock (the
original stories and the franchise) and Doctor Who existed long before Moffat
came around, but upon reading this book it is obvious that BBC Sherlock and
Moffat’s era of DW are Ritter’s primary inspirations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thankfully,
Jackaby is a pretty woman-friendly novel. It didn’t strike me as particularly
offensive in any way, which I am grateful for. However, I did find it lacking
in a few other ways. Though the main character, Abigail, has her interesting
points, I felt that she lacked in depth. She is very trusting of the people
around her – she is a young woman all alone on an unfamiliar continent in the
late Victorian period and she struck me as incredibly naïve and accepting.
Rather than doing any planning, Abigail whirled from event to event without any
real agency. The only times she showed any backbone were when she ineffectually
threw books at the villain and when she argued with Jackaby at the end of the
book. For the most part, she just went with whatever was going on around her
without much question. I found her almost instant acceptance and trust in
Jackaby very unrealistic. I find it hard to believe that a woman in her
position would be so unguarded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
also found Jackaby trying as a character. He was incredibly inconsistent. It
was as though Ritter was attempting to combine Sherlock Holmes and the Doctor
into the same character, but it failed completely. His eccentric nature was
irritating rather than endearing, and he constantly bounded between the
positivity of the Doctor and the misanthropy of Sherlock. It was exhausted and
simply didn’t make sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
three other principle characters – Charlie Cane, Jenny, and Detective Marlowe –
are very hollow. We know very little about any of them beyond their surface
characteristics. The semi-romance between Charlie and Abigail is very stilted
and hard to support. I have no idea what exactly Abigail liked about Charlie,
and vice versa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally,
the supernatural elements lacked finesse. The mystery was incredibly obvious (I
figured out who the villain was the first time he was introduced) and the
mythology just wasn’t that interesting. I did like how magical creatures were
everywhere, but I wish there was an explanation for why Jackaby happened to be
able to see what no one else could. It struck me as all too convenient that
only one person in the entire world had the ability to witness the paranormal
creatures of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Though
I enjoyed reading this book and didn’t find it grossly appalling, I find that a
closer examination is poking holes all over the text and exposing more and more
things that just didn’t add up for me. I wouldn’t tell anyone not to read this,
but I don’t think I’d purchase it either. It just wasn’t as good as it could
have been, and I found it rather disappointing as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-16366960104164044542014-09-11T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-11T12:30:00.745-07:00Bookish Spotlight - Space!<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today's post was inspired by the fact that I recently read and was subsequently disappointed with </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13138635-these-broken-stars?ac=1" target="_blank">These Broken Stars</a></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, which I wanted so badly to like. I mean, it's set in SPACE. How can that possibly go wrong? Unfortunately, it really did in this case, which led me to this post. Today I'm going to shine a virtual spotlight on a few other space books that are worth reading!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378399791l/13518102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Salvage" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378399791l/13518102.jpg" width="211" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13518102-salvage" target="_blank">Salvage</a></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> by Alexandra Duncan</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will be the first person to admit that the beginning of this book is quite the slog. It was not fun to read, but once it gets going it REALLY gets going. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first few chapters are dedicated to acquainting the reader with the society on the Parastrata, the spaceship on which main character Ava was born and raised. It is really confusing and the way that the characters speak is frustrating to say the least. Their dialect is strange and takes some getting used to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It gets really awesome when Ava returns to Earth and experiences some serious culture shock. This book isn't as action packed as most space books as it's more of a character driven story, but it's well worth reading. It's one of my favourite space reads.</span><br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388186881l/11235712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388186881l/11235712.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder" target="_blank">Cinder</a> </b>by Marissa Meyer</div>
<br />Okay, so we don't actually get to experience much of space until Cress, but you have to read Cinder (and Scarlet) to get there! I mean, you <i>could</i> pick up Cress first if you really want to, but it might not make that much sense. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A large chunk of Cress takes place on a remote satellite where Cress is kept prisoner. Some bits also occur on various spaceships, and on the moon. Yeah, moon colonies. It's fantastic. This one is a little more fantasy and a little less hard sci-fi, but I'm hella okay with that. Heavy science fiction makes my head hurt sometimes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aaaand there are a few other YA books set in space, like <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8235178-across-the-universe" target="_blank">Across the Universe</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17149396-avalon" target="_blank">Avalon</a></b>, <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7059135-inside-out" target="_blank">Inside Out</a></b>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13140790-starglass" target="_blank"><b>Starglass</b></a>, but I have yet to read any of those!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401852218l/8235178.jpg" width="130" /><img alt="Avalon (Avalon, #1)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371481016l/17149396.jpg" width="132" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Inside Out (Insider, #1)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335383824l/7059135.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" width="137" /><img alt="Starglass (Starglass, #1)" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361485211l/13140790.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" width="132" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have you read either of these books? What about the ones I haven't checked out? Would you recommend any of them in particular? What are your favourite space books?</span></b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-19057223943193585622014-09-09T12:30:00.000-07:002014-09-09T12:30:00.894-07:00TTT - Underrated Fantasy Authors<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdlGw4CBvKK5qyYXhGwY3DAJaaxpKYaYmSDlhucnumiJc_GdoDCPlqzyALN3skc1EbnCsjqdu2H3LaSQipBZSFbngh9MGiNHjJ-Zx4g1SVkO91NureRmNLse_zOknW1PHJ2te0etdFTbe/s400/Untitled+design+(2).png" height="300" style="padding: 8px;" width="400" /></span></div>
<div style="color: #666666; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: center;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="line-height: 19.59375px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;"><b>Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #2198a6; line-height: 1.4em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;">Each week a new topic is given and weeks topic is:</b></div>
<div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Top Ten Underrated Fantasy Authors</b></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Kushiel's Dart (Phèdre's Trilogy, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328168291l/153008.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Jacqueline Carey</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of my favourite authors of all time. Carey's books are pretty heavy and aren't for everyone (there's some material that may be off-putting for some people) but <i>Kushiel's Dart </i>is one of the best books I've ever read. She's been on my auto-buy list for many years now and I can't see her leaving it any time soon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1343589988l/13928.jpg" width="196" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Juliet Marillier</b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Sevenwaters series is absolutely beautiful. If you haven't read <i>Daughter of the Forest</i>, go pick it up right now. Go! I can wait! I may just need to re-purchase some of these because I can't find my copies anywhere.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Naming (The Books of Pellinor, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378497748l/393146.jpg" width="219" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Alison Croggon</b></div>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I never actually finished Croggon's first series, <i>The Books of Pellinor</i>. I own and have read the first two, but it was years and years ago and I will need to re-read them before I can read the last two books. I want to, I just haven't gotten around to it. Yet.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1319887835l/11500217.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Susan Ee</b></div>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ee's first book, <i>Angelfall</i>, has garnered a lot of praise in the blogging community and it's well deserved. I recently read the second book in the series, <i>World After</i>, and it was just as engaging and exciting at Angelfall. Well worth the wait.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Seraphina (Seraphina, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387577872l/19549841.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Rachel Hartman</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I am absolutely in love with <i>Seraphina</i>, Hartman's debut novel. I'm make grabby hands at my screen every time I see the cover for <i>Shadow Scale</i> because I NEED IT NOOOOWWWW.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="180" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/2013-10/enhanced/webdr06/11/14/anigif_enhanced-buzz-14661-1381517996-9.gif" width="320" /></div>
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Green Rider (Green Rider, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386749176l/147843.jpg" width="193" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Kristen Britain</b></div>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another series I never finished, but that was really great. I read the first two books in Britain's <i>Green Rider</i> trilogy in high school, but by the time I got the third book out of the library I had completely forgotten the events of the first two! Time for a re-read?</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346007613l/4932435.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Melina Marchetta</b></div>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm pretty sure everyone in the blogging world knows how much of a genius Marchetta is by this point, but I find that she usually gets much more praise for her contemporary books than for her fantasy trilogy. And that's sad because the <i>Lumatere Chronicles</i> is AH-MAH-ZING. I read a lot of fantasy, and this trilogy is by far one of the best out there.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img height="179" src="http://thats-normal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ah-mah-zing.gif" width="320" /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Huntress" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1306722698l/9415946.jpg" width="210" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Malinda Lo</b></div>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lesbian Cinderella retelling? Don't mind if I do. I'll admit that I haven't read <i>Ash </i>yet, but I've read <i>Huntress </i>and it was great, and I can vouch for her sci-fi duology as well.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The False Princess" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320540145l/6760761.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Eilis O'Neal</b></div>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have you not read <i>The False Princess</i> yet? Go read it. It's good. Really good.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388206965l/883314.jpg" width="192" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Patricia C. Wrede</b></div>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm pretty sure Patricia C. Wrede is quite well known, but I only just discovered that she wrote not only the <i>Enchanted Forest Chronicles</i> but <i>Sorcery & Cecilia</i>! How did I not know that??</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are you familiar with any of these authors? Have you read any of their books? What did you think of them? Have I convinced you to read anything from my list?</span></b><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-90981653490222606462014-09-08T12:00:00.000-07:002014-09-08T12:00:03.366-07:00Review - These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner<br />
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<img alt="These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1)" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383578978l/13138635.jpg" width="262" /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13138635-these-broken-stars" target="_blank">These Broken Stars</a> </b>by Amie
Kaufman & Meagan Spooner<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> Starbound #1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Disney
Hyperion on December 10 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: Science Fiction, Young Adult,
Space<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 374<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 2/5 stars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. </span></span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. </span></span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?</span></span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>These
Broken Stars</i>
tells the story of privileged teenager Lilac LaRoux and lower-class soldier
Tarver Merendsen, who are essentially shipwrecked on an isolated planet with no
means of communication and no other survivors. It isn’t the most exciting
premise and doesn’t offer a particularly insightful look into class politics,
but I’ll admit that I really didn’t expect it to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When Tarver meets
Lilac, he is drawn to her because he glimpses her in a moment when she is not
acting like the society dame she is expected to be. They have a short and
unmemorable conversation before parting ways, and when they meet again Lilac is
with her friends and realizes that she needs to more of less “put Tarver in his
place”. Not because she <i>wants</i> to, of
course, but because she’s <i>protecting</i>
him. Duh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Erlich Smack " src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/usmk.gif" height="253" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What I wanted to do to Lilac</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was put off by both
of the main characters from the very beginning of the story. Tarver is judgemental
and obtuse while Lilac has been completely brainwashed by her status. She lies
and manipulates people and then tries to excuse it because she’s <i>protecting </i>them. It’s ridiculous. The
only useful skill Lilac has is an extensive knowledge of electrical circuitry,
which saves her and Tarver from burning up with their spaceship, the <i>Icarus</i> (because it’s SUCH a great idea
to name your spaceship after a figure of Greek mythology who succumbs to his
own hubris).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Things improved in
the characterisation department after the crash, but I still found myself
agitated by the characters. Lilac in particular really grows throughout their
journey, but there is a major event at the end of the book that absolutely
ruined everything good this book had going for it. I just couldn’t take it
seriously anymore and I honestly felt kind of betrayed. I stopped caring about what
happened altogether. I found Tarver kind of irritating if only because he read
as completely unrealistic. He never really had any flaws and I’m not down with
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was also
unimpressed by the resolution to the “mystery” behind the spectral voices and
visions plaguing Lilac and Tarver after the crash. I think that’s just a matter
of personal preference, but I just didn’t like it. The world-building was also
lackluster in that it was more or less non-existent. I know literally nothing
about the society Kaufman and Spooner apparently created. I also thought the
password for the locked door that they couldn’t figure out for days and days
was ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. It was pretty damn obvious. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><img alt="Bang My Head" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/bmh.gif" height="179" width="320" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The writing was pretty
solid – I thought there were some beautiful passages and I didn’t find anything
glaringly awful. However, I will say that I wish there was more of a masculine
edge to Tarver’s narrative. His voice was <i>very</i>
similar to Lilac’s as far as language goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I highly doubt I’ll
be picking up the next book in this series, but who knows. I’m nothing if not a
glutton for punishment. At least it wasn’t as bad as <i>Taken</i>!</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-29601279154103177082014-09-03T16:05:00.000-07:002014-09-03T16:05:00.809-07:00Discussion: Netgalley is Killing Me<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have recently discovered that I have the awful habit of requesting books that I think I'll find interesting, only to find that they are completely not what I was hoping for. At all. Like, they're <i>really bad</i>. I try to expand my interests and try out new things, and it doesn't always work out well for me. I recently picked up a book that I THOUGHT was about the intersection of sex and the body positivity movement. And then I realised that it was a big old pile of body shaming dreck. NO THANK YOU.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="8" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/8.gif" height="200" width="200" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I don't know what to do. Can I just DNF it? Haven't I agreed to read this book and give it a fair shot? Don't I have to finish it and write a review saying all of the things I hated about it? I don't want to do that, but I need to give feedback, right? Otherwise my review ratio will go right down the toilet (not that it's not already pretty close to that).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I also recently got a book through Netgalley that was described as a lesbian fantasy novel. The blurb sounded awesome. It wasn't like anything I'd seen before. And then I started reading it and it was just weirdly written erotica. I don't do erotica. What do I do??? Maybe I just need to do some closer reading of descriptions before hitting that request button.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="huh?" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/huh1.gif" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My face when I started reading Out of This World</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>What are your thoughts? What do you do when you request a book that is absolutely not what you thought it would be and you just can't bring yourself to read it? Do you push through and produce a crappy review or do you just pretend it doesn't exist like I do?</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-74010648856750051812014-09-02T12:00:00.000-07:002014-09-02T12:00:03.983-07:00TTT - Characters That Would Be Sitting At My Lunch Table<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdlGw4CBvKK5qyYXhGwY3DAJaaxpKYaYmSDlhucnumiJc_GdoDCPlqzyALN3skc1EbnCsjqdu2H3LaSQipBZSFbngh9MGiNHjJ-Zx4g1SVkO91NureRmNLse_zOknW1PHJ2te0etdFTbe/s400/Untitled+design+(2).png" height="300" style="padding: 8px;" width="400" /></span></div>
<div style="color: #666666; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: center;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="line-height: 19.59375px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;"><b>Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #2198a6; line-height: 1.4em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;">Each week a new topic is given and weeks topic is:</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Top Ten Characters That Would Be Sitting At My Lunch Table</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1354665105l/13132661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Also Known As (Also Known As, #1)" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1354665105l/13132661.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Roux (</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13132661-also-known-as" target="_blank">Also Known As</a>)</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Roux is exactly the kind of extrovert that I look for in new friends. We would get along splendidly. She is sensitive enough that we'd be able to have some serious heart to hearts when necessary, but she's also undeniably fun to be around.</span><br />
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<b>Thorne (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206828-cress" target="_blank">Cress</a>)</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thorne just seems like a fun guy to hang out with. You'd never know what kind of mischief and mayhem you'd end up getting into.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Blue & Gansey & Ronan & Noah (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13449693-the-raven-boys" target="_blank">The Raven Boy</a>s)</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Basically everybody but Adam because fuck Adam. I don't like Adam. This lot seems like quite the riot. Rather dramatic, but who wouldn't want to join in the search for Glendower?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Amber (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10744752-adaptation" target="_blank">Adaptation</a>)</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I mostly just want Amber to be my alien girlfriend.</span><br />
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<b>Karou & Zuzana (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8490112-daughter-of-smoke-bone" target="_blank">Daughter of Smoke & Bone</a>)</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I recently re-read the beginning of Daughter of Smoke & Bone and was reacquainted with Karou & Zuz's banter pre-war. It's awesome. I want to be a part of that, please!</span><br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381459853l/18660669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1)" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381459853l/18660669.jpg" width="216" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="text-align: center;"> Rose (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18660669-vampire-academy?ac=1" target="_blank">Vampire Academy</a>)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It might get kind of confusing because we're both called Rose, but she'd be a pretty awesome friend. She definitely wouldn't be the sort to share her lunch, though...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Georgia & Shaun & Buffy (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8777577-feed" target="_blank">Feed</a>)</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These three are ever-entertaining. I mean, their introduction involves motorcycle trick and poking zombies with sticks. What more is there to say? Even without a zombie apocalypse, there's no way these three would ever be boring.</span><br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309190566l/11595276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Miseducation of Cameron Post" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309190566l/11595276.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Cameron (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11595276-the-miseducation-of-cameron-post" target="_blank">The Miseducation of Cameron Post</a>)</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cameron is more of an introvert than anyone else on my list, but I think that we'd get along very well. We have very similar personalities.</span><br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1332268356l/10890319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Adorkable" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1332268356l/10890319.jpg" width="204" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Jeane (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10890319-adorkable" target="_blank">Adorkable</a>)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another blogger? What? Yes, Jeane is kind of a dick sometimes, but I still think she'd be cool to hang out with. She's very quirky and eccentric and I appreciate that.</span><br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390395042l/17183416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Worst Girlfriend in the World" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390395042l/17183416.jpg" width="203" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>Franny (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17183416-the-worst-girlfriend-in-the-world" target="_blank">The Worst Girlfriend in the World</a>)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Franny is basically a cooler version of who I was in high school, so clearly we'd get on like a house on fire. Plus she'd make me cute clothes. Yes please!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do you think you'd get along well with any of these characters? Who would/did show up on your list?</span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-77857447135244365412014-09-01T15:06:00.000-07:002014-09-01T15:07:33.157-07:00Review - The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente<br />
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<img alt="The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Fairyland, #2)" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334547766l/13538708.jpg" style="line-height: 150%;" width="283" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13538708-the-girl-who-fell-beneath-fairyland-and-led-the-revels-there" target="_blank">The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There</a> </b>by Catherynne M. Valente<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> Fairyland #2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Feiwel &
Friends on Oct 2 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: Fantasy, Middle Grade<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 258<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 5/5 stars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">September has longed to return to Fairyland after her first adventure there. And when she finally does, she learns that its inhabitants have been losing their shadows—and their magic—to the world of Fairyland Below. This underworld has a new ruler: Halloween, the Hollow Queen, who is September’s shadow. And Halloween does not want to give Fairyland’s shadows back.</span></i></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Fans of Valente’s bestselling, first Fairyland book will revel in the lush setting, characters, and language of September’s journey, all brought to life by fine artist Ana Juan. Readers will also welcome back good friends Ell, the Wyverary, and the boy Saturday. But in Fairyland Below, even the best of friends aren’t always what they seem. . . </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I never for a second
doubted that I would love <i>The Girl Who
Fell Beneath Fairyland…</i>. There wasn’t a thing not to love. After the
phenomenal first book in the series, I was thoroughly hooked. In fact, I even
managed to read the second book within a year of reading the first, which is
quite a feat for me! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The
Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There</i> takes place a year after September
returns to her home in Omaha, Nebraska. She itches to return to Fairyland, and
searches for the Green Wind and opportunities to go back anywhere she can. She
finally returns to Fairyland on her thirteenth birthday whilst attempting to
read French books in a corn field. September arrives in Fairyland hoping to
find adventure and excitement, though she doesn’t anticipate how needed she is.
She is quickly thrust into the current upheaval faced by the residents of
Fairyland – they are losing their shadows, and with their shadows their magic.
September discovers that her own shadow, which she bargained away during her
first visit to Fairyland, is the force behind the mass shadow exodus and takes it
upon herself to stop Halloween (as September’s shadow has dubbed herself).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Like the first book
in the series, this novel was incredibly creative. I envy Valente her ginormous
imagination, but I’m so grateful to be able to read about all of these
fantastical characters and events even if I am incapable of creating anything
quite so magical myself. I was particularly enamoured with the tea and coffee
family (whose names I unfortunately cannot remember!) and Aubergine the Night
Dodo, who was absolutely lovely, though I’ll admit that every single character
in this series is utterly unforgettable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was also impressed
with the integration of September’s personal growth. She’s truly growing up,
and you can see her maturing right before your eyes. Where she was a heartless
child in <i>The Girl Who Circumnavigated
Fairyland…</i> she has begun to develop a heart and a conscious. She is no
longer a child and it is evident in the choices she makes as well as the way
that she is dealt with in the narration. There is a more melancholy streak in
this book that in the first, and I think that is due to the fact that September
is indeed becoming a teenager and is able to see the darkness through all of
the beauty and brilliance of Fairyland. The inclusion of her father at the end
of the book ripped my heart right out of my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sporatic
illustrations throughout the book were beautiful and imaginative. I loved the
way that the illustrator played with proportions and didn’t necessarily create
images that directly translated exactly what was written. It really added to
the reading experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My one source of
confusion or annoyance in <i>The Girl Who
Fell Beneath Fairyland…</i> was that September’s shadow had her own name and
her own identity, yet all of the other shadows went by their person’s name. For
instance, Saturday’s shadow was called Saturday. I understood why this made
sense for narrative purposes, as it illustrated the fact that they were two
sides of the same person, but I thought it rather odd that Halloween was the
one exception. Other than that, I was completely enraptured by this book and
would recommend it to anyone regardless of age or gender or anything else. It’s
the kind of book that makes me really appreciate what middle grade books have
to offer and why they are so important. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-8614715621095329742014-09-01T14:27:00.000-07:002014-09-01T14:27:04.899-07:00The Girl is Back<div style="text-align: center;">
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<img alt="hi" src="http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/hi.gif" height="225" width="400" /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As you may have noticed, I took an impromptu break from blogging last week. I was feeling burnt out and was falling incredibly behind on my reviews and I had no motivation or inspiration for any other posts. I tried to write a post on how and why I truly suck at social media and I couldn't get past the first sentence. I took that as a sign that I needed to spend a little bit of time relaxing and not worrying all the time about a blog that no one even reads. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm coming back to blogging this week feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It's going to be a busy few months, but I think I can push through and juggle everything. It'll be difficult and my blog might occasionally take the back burner because school and work come first, but I really do love blogging. I love sharing my thoughts and feelings and making lists and trying to befriend other bloggers. It's like being part of a really cool club and I'm In no hurry to leave this time around. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've also just downloaded the blogger app on my iPhone, so I think that will be something of a godsend. It's so nice to be able to write posts (like this one) on my phone. Then I can go home and polish it up later on my computer. It's the sense of immediacy that I really like - I don't have to be at my computer to start writing a post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ANYWAY I should be back to my regular posting schedule (Reviews Monday & Friday, Top Ten Tuesday, and random posts on Wednesday and/or Thursday). I'm also considering throwing in something on Sundays - maybe I'll join in on Stacking the Shelves? What do you think? What would you recommend I add to my post roster? I'm always open to suggestions! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-9953400527385484492014-08-22T12:30:00.000-07:002014-08-22T12:30:00.035-07:00Bout of Books 11 Progress<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.836999893188477px; text-align: center;">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5NEZU7_YpPsqvdRZvoHsEsY4Z-zsdq0j10eWqQDEj0GSwIj-9xAR5UAu5nUL9_60cYAu07s5z4BO9IsFSb2aYi6aqzjMqfLIBUioEkPLof6bVa_WJEo3Cq7mOABXyx8nYHqcn6AbTII/s320/boutofbooks11.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></div>
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So I haven't been doing <i>too </i>poorly this time around. I've read one book and one graphic novel so far, which is awesome! Haven't made any progress whatsoever on the review writing front, however... Whoops.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>MONDAY</b></div>
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<b>Number of books I've read today: </b>1<br />
<b>Number of pages I've read today: </b>100<br />
<b>Books: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18698884-the-queen-of-the-tearling" target="_blank">The Queen of the Tearling</a></div>
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<b>TUESDAY</b></div>
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<b>Number of books I've read today: </b>2<br />
<b>Number of pages I've read today: </b>100 + 160<br />
<b>Books: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18698884-the-queen-of-the-tearling" target="_blank">The Queen of the Tearling</a> & <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17465574-blue-is-the-warmest-color" target="_blank">Blue is the Warmest Color</a></div>
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<b>WEDNESDAY</b></div>
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<b>Number of books I've read today: </b>3<br />
<b>Number of pages I've read today:</b> 30 + 25 + 47<br />
<b>Books: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18698884-the-queen-of-the-tearling" target="_blank">The Queen of the Tearling</a> (FINISHED), <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9596460-the-end-of-everything?ac=1" target="_blank">The End of Everything</a> (couldn't get into it), <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass?ac=1" target="_blank">Throne of Glass</a></div>
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<b>THURSDAY<br />Number of books I've read today: </b>1<br />
<b>Number of pages I've read today: </b>20 + 5% of ebook<br />
<b>Books: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass?ac=1" target="_blank">Throne of Glass</a> (I had to return all of my books to the library today so I'll have to pick this one up again at a later date!) & <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13138635-these-broken-stars" target="_blank">These Broken Stars</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-37790124810532878722014-08-22T02:00:00.000-07:002014-08-22T11:52:37.204-07:00Review - The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The
Girl You Left Behind </b>by
Jojo Moyes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> Standalone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Published
by</b> Penguin Books
on June 24 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: Historical Fiction,
Contemporary, Adult Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 464<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 3/5 stars</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Another New York Times bestseller by the author of Me Before You—a spellbinding story of two women united in their fight for what they love most</strong></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Jojo Moyes’s word-of-mouth bestseller, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Me Before You</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">, catapulted her to wide critical acclaim and struck a chord with a wide range of readers everywhere. Now, with </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">The Girl You Left Behind</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">, Moyes returns with another irresistible heartbreaker—a breathtaking story of love, loss, and sacrifice told with her signature ability to capture our hearts.</span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Paris, 1916. Sophie Lefèvre must keep her family safe while her adored husband, Édouard, fights at the front. When their town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Sophie is forced to serve them every evening at her hotel. From the moment the new Kommandant sets eyes on Sophie’s portrait—painted by her artist husband—a dangerous obsession is born, one that will lead Sophie to make a dark and terrible decision. Almost a century later, Sophie’s portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston, a wedding gift from her young husband before his sudden death. After a chance encounter reveals the portrait’s true worth, a battle begins over its troubled history and Liv’s world is turned upside all over again.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Girl You Left
Behind</i> is a book I normally wouldn’t gravitate towards. I picked it up because
it was the only book in the ferry gift shop that looked decent, and I was desperate
for a book (I’d finished the book I brought in the car & my e-reader was
dead!). I’ve heard a lot of praise for Jojo Moyes’ books and thought I’d give
this one a shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I must say right off
the bat that I just didn’t love this book. Maybe it was the fact that I didn’t
realise when I started that the majority of the book was devoted to the
contemporary story line. I just didn’t connect with Liv and I wish the entire
book had just been Sophie’s story. I loved the glimpse into life in a small
French village under German occupation during WWI. It was fascinating. How
could I possibly not love Sophie after that pig scene at the very beginning of
the book? She was clever and stubborn and independent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I found Liv rather
unsympathetic. I understood that she was in a poor state of mind following her
husband’s death, but I just thought she was whiny and irritating. She has come
to be the owner of a very special painting (the connection between her story
and Sophie’s) bought by her and her late husband on their honeymoon. This
painting becomes part of a restitution case, as descendants of Edouard LeFevre
(Sophie’s husband) claim that it was stolen during the war and demand its
return to its rightful owners. Liv doesn’t want to return the painting because
of the emotional attachment that she has to it, and she also suspects that the
family is pursuing the painting for all the wrong reasons. I agree that the
LeFevres were assholes, but I don’t think that what Liv did was much better.
She was holding onto the painting the same way that she was holding on to every
little thing that reminded her of David – it was holding her back from any kind
of future she could imagine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The main issue I had
with the modern day storyline was that there was so much emphasis on the
romance between Liv and Paul. I just didn’t see the chemistry at all. I didn’t
care about them. I didn’t really care about what happened to in the restitution
case. The only person who I felt actually deserved that painting was Sophie,
but she was long dead by that point. I think that this book would have been
much more successful if Sophie’s story took up the majority of the bulk, while
Liv’s romance and legal case took a backseat. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-36324969769082260362014-08-19T00:30:00.000-07:002014-08-19T00:30:01.428-07:00TTT - Books People Have Been Telling Me to Read<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdlGw4CBvKK5qyYXhGwY3DAJaaxpKYaYmSDlhucnumiJc_GdoDCPlqzyALN3skc1EbnCsjqdu2H3LaSQipBZSFbngh9MGiNHjJ-Zx4g1SVkO91NureRmNLse_zOknW1PHJ2te0etdFTbe/s400/Untitled+design+(2).png" height="300" style="padding: 8px;" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.59375px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;"><b>Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #2198a6; line-height: 1.4em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.4em;">Each week a new topic is given and weeks topic is:</b></div>
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<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling Me to Read</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Because I very very rarely have anybody recommending books to me specifically or telling me to read a book ASAP, I decided to base my list on books that have exceptionally high ratings by my Goodreads friends. Most of these books have almost exclusively positive reviews from the people I trust.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><img alt="The Book Thief" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390053681l/19063.jpg" width="211" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>1. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19063.The_Book_Thief?ac=1" target="_blank">The Book Thief</a> - Markus Zusak</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>4.78 average rating</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><img alt="Since You've Been Gone" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377702326l/18189606.jpg" width="212" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>2. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18189606-since-you-ve-been-gone?ac=1" target="_blank">Since You've Been Gone</a> - Morgan Matson</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4.75 average rating</b></span></span><br />
<img alt="Two Boys Kissing" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364194940l/17237214.jpg" width="225" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>3. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17237214-two-boys-kissing?ac=1\" target="_blank">Two Boys Kissing </a>- David Levithan</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4.67 average rating</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><img alt="Between Shades of Gray" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327873479l/7824322.jpg" width="221" /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>4. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7824322-between-shades-of-gray?ac=1" target="_blank">Between Shades of Gray</a> - Ruta Sepetys</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>4.6 average rating</b></span></span></div>
<img alt="Breathe, Annie, Breathe" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1399210480l/16045306.jpg" width="213" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>5. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16045306-breathe-annie-breathe" target="_blank">Breathe, Annie, Breathe</a> - Miranda Kenneally</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4.5 average rating</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>6. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15777621-this-song-will-save-your-life" target="_blank">This Song Will Save Your Life</a> - Leila Sales</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4.48 average rating</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>7. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8621462-a-monster-calls?ac=1" target="_blank">A Monster Calls</a> - Patrick Ness</b></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4.47 average rating</b></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><img alt="Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407889735l/68428.jpg" width="210" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>8. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68428.Mistborn?ac=1" target="_blank">Mistborn</a> - Brandon Sanderson</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4.44 average rating</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4.40 average rating</b></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516308688831765774.post-15454325342218406562014-08-18T00:30:00.000-07:002014-08-18T00:30:03.188-07:00ARC Review - Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan<br />
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<img alt="Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel: A Novel" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406526024l/20312458.jpg" width="285" /></div>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20312458-tell-me-again-how-a-crush-should-feel" target="_blank">Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel</a> </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">by
Sara Farizan</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> Standalone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>To
Be Published by</b> Algonquin
Young Readers on Oct 7 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genres</b>: LGBT, Young Adult, Contemporary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pages:</b> 304<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rating:</b> 4/5 stars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>High-school junior Leila has made it most of the way through Armstead Academy without having a crush on anyone, which is something of a relief. Her Persian heritage already makes her different from her classmates; if word got out that she liked girls, life would be twice as hard. But when a sophisticated, beautiful new girl, Saskia, shows up, Leila starts to take risks she never thought she would, especially when it looks as if the attraction between them is mutual. Struggling to sort out her growing feelings and Saskia's confusing signals, Leila confides in her old friend, Lisa, and grows closer to her fellow drama tech-crew members, especially Tomas, whose comments about his own sexuality are frank, funny, wise, and sometimes painful. Gradually, Leila begins to see that almost all her classmates are more complicated than they first appear to be, and many are keeping fascinating secrets of their own.</i></span></span></blockquote>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.80000114440918px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is one of the
most enjoyable F/F romances I’ve read this year (and I’ve read quite a few). To
tell you exactly how enjoyable it is, I shall paint you a little word-picture.
Me, sitting on a rather uncomfortably stiff forest green couch in my mother’s
living room. It is growing late, but I’m not in any hurry to go to bed.
Instead, my eyes scan across the pages of the PDF document over and over again,
for hours on end. The muted television does not even catch my gaze, I’m so
enthralled by this adorable little book on my laptop screen. My laptop is hot
on my legs, but I need to reach the end of the book. I can’t go to sleep until
it’s done. Just a little bit longer…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I read this entire
book in one rather lengthy sitting. I couldn’t open the document on my
e-reader, which forced me to read it on my computer screen. Let me tell you, most
of the time that is reason enough for me not to read a book, but once I got
started with Farizan’s sophomore novel, I just couldn’t stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ll admit that it’s
not a particularly original story – girl meets girl, girl has giant crush on
girl, girl gets heart broken by other girl, etc. But I really liked the way
that Farizan took a somewhat cliché story and put her own spin on it –
partially through Leila’s Persian heritage and her somewhat difficult family,
and through one of the cutest love interests ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s pretty obvious from the beginning that Saskia,
as glamorous and incredible as Leila thinks she is, is bad news. She’s not a
nice girl, and I wish that there had been more character development and
background for what made Saskia the way she was. I was curious as to why she
treated those around her like pawns, like she was the only real person and everyone
else was collateral damage in the game of Saskia’s life. Part of the
explanation for this limited look into Saskia’s life can be put on Laila’s
narration, as she is without question a very self-involved teenager with a limited
ability to put herself in others’ shoes. I really can’t blame her for it – she’s
a sixteen year old girl. It’s normal for her to be self-involved. Aren’t most
people at that age?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think that Farizan’s writing style may not be for
everyone, as her narrator came off as a bit young and immature and the writing
was sometimes a bit simplistic, but I loved the jokes Laila told herself in her
head. On page three is this gem: “<span style="color: #272425;">Why would I ever
care about frictionless acceleration anyway? How is that ever going to get me a
girlfriend?” </span>I make those kinds of jokes on a pretty much daily basis. I
really related to Laila, though I’m much older and less insecure (now, at
least. I was SO insecure as a teenager!). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think what I liked most about this
book was the fact that it was so fluffy. So often books about queer teenagers
are so depressing, and it was nice to find a book with such
an unequivocally happy ending. As Gwendoline Nelson
(<a href="https://twitter.com/writing_kills" target="_blank">@writing_kills</a>) said on Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/writing_kills/status/499661818730532864" target="_blank">“Lots of good LGBT YA out there, but it’s pretty dark. If I want to read something light and fun, I have to read about straight people.”</a> <i>Tell Me Again How a
Crush Should Feel</i> was a lovely, much appreciated change of pace, and I’m
very grateful for it. I was smiling so hard through the last three or four
chapters that my cheeks started to hurt. It
was a cute, sweet book and I’m definitely ready to read Farizan’s first book,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>If
You Could Be Mine</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> (which
has been on my TBR since long before it was released over a year ago).</span></span><span style="color: #272425; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12148092068805524581noreply@blogger.com0