My New Book Blog

I have been posting my "pho" book reviews on this blog for a while now. But, I feel like it isn't quite the right space for it as this blog is more about me and my kiddos and my life. Plus, I never get any comments on my book reviews here, so I thought about starting a new blog just where I can talk about the books that I love.

So, I started looking at other book blogs that are out there to see what they are doing. And, I learned that book bloggers don't actually read that many books. Some book bloggers read and review maybe 30 books a year, the good ones read and review 50 books a year, and the excellent ones do 70 books a year. I usually read about 50 books a year. They are not always first reads for me, I reread a lot of books, but that is still a lot of books.  And if I could read 50 books a year, that is only like a book a week to review. I could totally do that.

Then I got the idea that I would talk to my sister Sarah about it because she reads twice as many books as I do (literally). And we decided it would be fun to collaborate on a book blog where we could both review books and offer differing opinions and such.

And after much discussion, much deliberation, and much trial and error, our book blog was born. http://bookishsisters.blogspot.com/ 
I've also linked the book blog in my title bar.

Now, it is a newborn book blog with not many reviews yet, and not many viewers. But, we will treat it with love, give it posts and hopefully, someday it will be a real book blog.

So, if you want to hear my thoughts on Young Adult books, Fantasy books, Children's books, and Picture books, check out my brand spanking new book blog.

Books I've Been Reading

My sister Sarah is on some sort of reading spree, so I thought that I ought to try and read more books to keep up with her. Plus, some of her recommendations were so good that I really wanted to read the books. So, here is what I have been reading. And yes, it is all fantasy books because that is what I read. I'm so niche.

Shatter Me
By Tahereh Mafi

This book follows Juliette who can't touch anyone without causing extreme pain. Well, almost anyone. Of course there is a person she can touch, who just so happens to be a boy, in her age range, totally available, and beautiful, and in to her. You know, the typical fairytale. The world is in chaos, Juliette is in chaos and awesomeness ensues. Read this book, you will love it!

You know how YA writers all write the same and have the same basic plot lines with the same basic characters? Though her plot lines and male leads seem to follow the YA standards, the voice of her main character is not something that I have read before (and a read a bit more than average).  This is something interesting and new and not annoying. I don't like most female, YA protagonists. They are annoying and dependent, and whiny (*cough* Bella). But I actually like Juliette. So, read it, and love it.
5 stars

Incarceron
By Catherine Fisher

This book follows two sets of characters, those in the prison (called Incarceron) and those outside of the prison. No one knows where Incarceron is, just that thousands of people were sent to live in the prison many years ago. No one goes in, no one goes out, and no one knows where it is, not even the people inside. The prison is a living, self sustaining organism that is the sole keeper of the prisoners. Finn, a prisoner, is trying to find a way out. Claudia, the wardens daughter, is trying to find her way in.

I actually listened to the audio book of this. I like to listen to audio books in my car because the radio has become this really boring/lame thing that I hate. So, I checked this out at my library and I enjoyed it.

I enjoyed it enough to check out the second book in the series too. But, if I had been just reading the book, I probably wouldn't have made it past the first three chapters.

This book is very slow and very confusing. I didn't know anything about the books before I listened and I didn't realize that Incarceron was the prison until I was a ways into it. Either I'm really dumb, or the book is confusing... or it just doesn't translate well to audiobook. The characters are annoying and their motives are often unclear. Plus, the characters have clipped speech patterns. I bet if I was reading it, it would have been annoying too.
I don't really recommend these books, but if you are in a pinch or bored on a long road trip, they are worth a read.


 2 stars

Bitterblue (from the Graceling series)
By Kristen Cashore

 This book is the third book in the Graceling series. I read Graceling a few years ago and as I opened up Bitterblue to read, I was surprised by how very lost I was. I had forgotten so much from the original books that I felt very lost when I started reading this book. I should have read the first two books again before reading this one, but when my hold finally came up, I was ill prepared.

This book follows Bitterblue, who is a new princess to the once corrupt kingdom of her evil father, Leck. (weird names throughout the book) Bitterblue struggles to take command of a kingdom that is in disrepair while still trying to find out what exactly her father did to corrupt it.

I loved the original Graceling novel. I flew threw it and it was interesting and awesome. I liked the second book, Fire, less because it was confusing and seemed to have nothing to do with Graceling. This third book, Bitterblue really ties the two books together and I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had refreshed my memory on the first two books. I like the characters in this book because they are disturbingly interesting.

I recommend these books, but read them one after another, right away. Don't be lame like me.


4 stars

City of Lost Souls
By Cassandra Clare

This is the... 6th? 7th? book in the "City of..." book series. Every book starts with "City of.." I really like this series. It follows Clary, who is a shadow hunter (a.k.a. demon fighter imbued with angel blood). Clary is in love with Jace, who is also a shadow hunter, but their love is doomed (of course). Clary loves Jace, but Jace is possessed by a demon and hijinks ensue.

I recommend this book, because it has romance, fantasy, action, and awesomeness. But, you should most likely read the first books in the series first or this book will make the kinda sense that is none. The first book is the "City of Bones."
5 stars

The Golden Lily (bloodlines series)
By Richelle Mead

 This is the second book in the Bloodlines series, which is a spin-off series of the Vampire Academy series. This follows Sydney, an alchemist. In this world, alchemists are humans who are in charge of keeping the vampire world a secret from the rest of humanity. Sydney is assigned to a specific vampire, Jill and is in charge of not only keeping Jill safe, but also keeping the fact that she is a vampire a secret while they attend boarding school together.

I really liked the original Vampire Academy series, though I would qualify it as more on the Adult side of Young Adult as there are steamy scenes in the books.

This series is a lot more mild than the original series. Less smooching, more violence. I really liked the character of Sydney as she is conflicted between what she has always been taught about the evil vampires and what she has discovered about them from her own experiences.

I recommend these books, but you should probably read Vampire Academy first or you will definitely be lost. Which is quite a commitment since there are like 6 Vampire Academy books. But I can't help it, I'm a sucker for a vampire book.
4 stars



Pure
By Julianna Baggott

This book is a dysotopian novel. It is a "what if" story. What if, a nuclear bomb was dropped on the US and everyone outside of a protective dome either died or became mutants? If you were outside during the bomb and survived, you became fused to whatever you were touching. Laying on the ground? Fused to the ground, now you are a dirt person. Hugging your child? Fused to your child, now you are a multi-person mutant. Holding your dolly? Fused to your dolly! Now you have a doll for a hand. Main character, doll hand, girl is trying to survive in a world where everything is scary and resources are grim.

This book is weird, and disturbing, and a little gross. I just couldn't handle how effective the author is at describing the mutations and items fused to the people in this disturbing world. I could not stomach it. Maybe if the author was a little gentler in her descriptions, or if she was bad at it, I could have been able to handle it, but *shiver* no.

The story line of the book is interesting enough and captivating enough to keep the story moving, but I just couldn't get past how disturbing the descriptions of characters in the book were. If you are into that kinda thing, then yeah, read it... otherwise, I do not recommend. I know there are more books in this series, but I will not be reading them. Can't handle it.
2 stars

Firelight
Vanish
By Sophie Jordan

 This book follows Jacinda, who is a teenager girl, just trying to be herself and have her freedom... as a dragon! But, her Pride (group of dragons) and her mother keep trying to dictate her life. Oh, and, of course, she falls in love with her mortal enemy, but is already betrothed to another at the dictate of her Pride. It is the basic Romeo and Juliet story.

These books are a lot of fun to read. The writing isn't anything special, and the characters are your basic YA teenage angsty characters. The hook factor in these books are that they are people who also turn into dragons.

I really enjoyed these books. They are fast moving books that I consumed in a day each. I am on hold at the Library for the third book. I recommend.

The only thing that is a little confusing about the book is that the author does not describe how they look as dragons very well. I'm still a little confused. They turn into dragons, but I'm pretty sure they are the same size as they are when they are human. And also they seem to retain feet and hands and stand upright rather than four feet on the ground. The characters keep doing things with their hands when they are in dragon form that would not be possible if they had stubby feet for hands. It is a little confusing.

Oh and one more thing that I think is a little bit of a problem, the main character turns into a dragon every time she gets aroused. It just seems like this is going to be a problem if she wants a future with Romeo. The last book will hopefully resolve this.
4 stars

Delirium
Pandemonium
By Lauren Oliver

This book is another dysotopian novel. What if the world believed that Love was a disease and everyone was forced to have a surgery that would remove their capacity to love when they turned 18?

Lena, a 17 year old girl, has believed that Love is a disease that should be feared and reviled... until she falls in love. Then, she sacrifices everything, and rethinks everything she has ever learned to keep love in her life.

The first book, Delirium is really interesting and has that exciting edge to it because not only is Lena's love a forbidden thing, but all love is. Even parent and child love. Which, if you ask me, means no child would be born or ever survive if their parents didn't love them. With the amount of work that goes into raising my children, I know that if I didn't love my sweet children, they would never survive because I would not care enough to take care of them.

But, putting that aside, and putting aside the fact that no children would ever be created in this world since everyone who has their love removed also gets their sex drive removed; I really enjoyed the book. Even though the concept is a little flawed, it is an interesting idea and the author does a really good job getting you to root for the survival of love. I recommend.
4 stars

The Serpent's Shadow
By Rick Riordan

This is the third book in the Kane Chronicles which follows brother and sister, Carter and Sadie, who are imbued with the power of the old gods of Egypt. They fight to save the world from bad egyptian gods while also dealing with growing up... as they are both children.

This is definitely a children's book. As are all of Rick Riordan's most famous books. It is an interesting story about that includes a lot of historical facts about Egyptian gods and pairs with brotherly and sisterly love. I recommend if you are fond of children's literature (Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Fablehaven, etc...)
3 stars

Beyonders
A World Without Heroes
Seeds of Rebellion
By Brandon Mull

Jason is a kid who accidentally falls into the pen of the hippo at the local zoo and is swallowed whole by the hippo and then finds himself in another world. A world of magic and mystery that is ruled by an evil dictator. Only Jason can save the world by finding a  magically word that can destroy the evil dictator.

This is a children's book with the typical fantasy, children's story plot. Child lives in reality and then is pulled into a world of fantasy, which is convenient because then the other characters can describe all the rules of the fantasy world via dialogue rather than exposition.

But, even though it follows typical conventions, Brandon Mull is good at describing his world and creating interesting and new characters that I haven't seen before. Sometimes you read a book because it has a unique idea and sometimes you read a book because the author is just really good at describing his story, even though it seems you have read the story before. I recommend.
4 stars

Entwined
Heather Dixon

Ever heard of the 12 dancing princesses? This book takes that idea and runs with it. Once upon a time, there were 12 princesses, whose mother had just died. And these girls loved to dance, but are forbidden to by their father while they mourn their mother. So, the princesses find a secret passage in the castle that leads to a magical world where they can dance every night without their father's knowledge. But, of course, good things come with a consequence and the girls find themselves entwined in an evil magicians net.

This fairytalesque book was an enjoyable read. I believe that this is the author's only book she has ever written, but it is written really well. The author describes the dances so well that you can see the princess gliding along the dance floor through her words. I recommend if you want an easy and enjoyable read.
4 stars

Books Books Books

So, I was inspired by my sister Sarah's post and I decided to do some reviews on books that I have read lately.

I'm rating these on a scale of 5.
5=Awesome, read now.
4= A good read
3= An average read
2= Didn't enjoy it
1= Bad book! Don't read.

The Savage Grace is the third book in the Divine Series by Bree Despain. Bree is a local Utah writer and this is her third book published.

This book is about Grace Divine, who is a werewolf. She battles the demons of the world and tries to contain her inner wolf.

Rating: 4
I really enjoyed this book. It was just as good as the first book in the series, The Dark Divine. I like how she writes Grace; she is very different from many other heroine's who are annoying and unlikable. I like how she writes the romance in the story. It is exciting and dramatic and interesting to read. If you like fantasy/teenage dramas, be sure to check it out.

This is the first book in the Glass series, but is a continuation of the Poison Study series by Maria Snyder. If you haven't read Poison Study, this book will be confusing. I read it many years ago and don't remember much of the series and I was a little lost at times.

This book is about Opal, a 20 year old glass maker who is also a magician. Her magic is centered around her glass making and she is still trying to find confidence in her work. She goes on adventures as a new magician's apprentice and solves problems for the storm catchers who harvest energy of storms within glass globes.

Rating: 4
I really enjoyed the plots and characters in this book. Snyder is really good at describing scenes and developing complicated plots and her characters are really likable. One thing I don't like about her writing, she is really bad a writing romance. It definitely falls flat if you are looking for a romance novel.

This book is the first book in a series of three sci fi books. I read all three, but I'm only going to tell you about this first one.

This book follows Thomas as he wakes up in an unknown place, with people he doesn't know and no memory of his past. He discovers he is being held captive with many other boys his age in a maze. The boys run the maze every day, hoping to find a way out someday.

Rating: 5
This book was a mystery/puzzle that is thrilling and compelling. I couldn't put it down once I got into it and I blazed through this book. The other books in the series are not as good as this first book, but they each present Thomas with a puzzle that he is challenged to solve. These books are all about the puzzles, not about the romance. If you want romance, don't read these novels.

This book is the first in a series of books that are not yet completed.

This book follows a girl who grew up in two worlds. One of her worlds is living alone in Europe and attending private school while her other world is a world of monsters, magic and wishes. She tries to discover more about the world of wishes and her own origins and doesn't like what she finds.

Rating: 4.5
I really liked this book. It was a story about angels and demons that I had never encountered before. It discussed facets of magic that I had never read in other books. It was definitely different from any fantasy book that I have read before. And it integrated our world with a world of magic really well without the typical coming of age involved. Also, it had a little romance which is always a good thing in my book. I definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers.

This book is the first in an incomplete fantasy series.

This book follows the life of Niki who sold her soul to the Everneath in a moment of weakness and only has 6 months left on earth with her family and friends before she is sucked back down to the underworld.

Rating: 4.5

This book was really interesting. It was a new twist on greek mythology and eternal life. Niki is an interesting (though somewhat depressing) character who is torn between the man she loves and the man that she sold her soul to. It is a mystery as to the details of her contract for selling her soul and I read it quickly trying to figure the whole thing out. It was riveting and an excellent read. If you like fantasy and romance, this is a good book.

I Love Reading

I love reading. I may have a reading problem. With my new tablet, I can now read ebooks from the library as well as paper books. They library's ebook rentals are awesome. I can get the books I want without having to go to the library to get them.

So, here are the books that I have read this year.

Description: This book is a mix of the Giver and Farenheit 451. In a world where books are burned and everything is decided for you, including your spouse, your job, and your life, main character girl discovers that the world might actually not be as perfect as the society makes it out to be. It is dysotopian, but with a love triangle. Who doesn't like a good love triangle?

My Impression: I really enjoyed this book. It is one of those books that sucks you in and makes you stay up until midnight reading it. I found that it was kind of a mix of stories that I have read before, but it is really the characters that make it different. The characters are very likable and the mystery of the society made me want to read more. If you like sci fi or teen romance, this is definitely worth a read.

Rating: 5 stars

Description: Sequel to Matched, main character girl fights against the society and chases after one of her "loves."

My Impression: If you liked the first book, you will like this second book, but maybe not as much as the first. I anxiously await the next book in the series.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Description: Twins Josh and Sadie find themselves drawn into the world of magic by the famous alchemyst Nicholas Flamel. They are chased down by even magicians and gods that they used to believe were myths. Real people from the history books turn out to be magicians and immortals. The twins fight to save themselves from evil while learning magic during the process.

My Impression: I rented these three books from the ebook library and I picked them out because I saw the name Nicholas Flamel and thought "Harry Potter!" But, this character is NOT based on the Harry Potter character and does not even slightly resemble the Harry Potter world. But, I do enjoy the world that the author has created. These are books definitely geared more towards children; it is all about adventure and discovery, a lot like Artemis Fowl or Percy Jackson. If you liked those books, you will like these too.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Description: Sequel to Clockwork Angel and based in the same world as City of Bones. This book ventures the idea that angels and demons are real. Tessa is the offspring of both an angel and a demon and is trying to find her origins and save the world from an evil doer with equally unknown origins. Oh yeah, and there is a love triangle. This seems to be a trend with writers.

My Impression: I love everything that this author has written and this is no exception. She writes her females as pretty, but strong and writes her males a lot like Edward Cullen. It is Twilightesque characters in a fantasy world. This book is set in old England, which gives it a whole other layer. I enjoy the fantasy world, but really I read these for the character relationships. It is like an addiction. Will Tessa choose Jem who is dying but safe? Or will she choose Will who is mysterious and dangerous? Read it, love it, become addicted.

Rating: 5 stars

Description: Percy Jackson is lost in a world of Roman Gods and demigods when he is the child of a greek god. But, he has lost his memory and doesn't know where to find it. So, he helps out the romans while on his quest to discover who he is. This is the sequel to Lost Hero and a continuation of the Percy Jackson Lightening Thief series.

My Impressions: This is a fun read. Rick Riordan builds a very entertaining world where ancient gods and creatures are real and exist in the current world. These are most definitely children's books. They are simple characters and simple plots, but they are entertaining to read. I would read this one to your 9-14 year old. But, start with the Percy Jackson series first.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Description: Set in the world of Drizzt Doerden, a young boy tries to discover his origins while fleeing from an unknown demon. The secrets of his past are hidden in the secrets of a black stone that is cursed and also bound to him.

My Impressions: If you like RA Salvatore, if you want to see more of Drizzt, this is the book to read. I loved these stories! The world is vast, the characters are many, but it is intriguing and exciting and there is no better writer and describing fight scenes. I love high fantasy, so I loved these books. I was able to rent them from the ebook library, so I was able to read through them pretty fast.

Rating: 4 stars

The Hunger Games

I just finished my second reading of the Hunger Games trilogy. I decided to read them all again because Sarah was reading them, DJ had the books for me to borrow, and they recently cast the movie that is being made of these books.

Hunger Games is the story of 16 year old Katniss in a future world. The government has control of the 12 districts in the country and to show their power, every year, they select one boy and one girl to compete in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a futuristic Gladiator, fight to the death sort of competition. The story follows Katniss in her journey through the hunger games.

I like these books because they are very creative. The futuristic technology that the author comes up with is so interesting. I could not create the crazy stuff that she invents. The book moves really fast and is intriguing through the end. Also, there is a love triangle, and who doesn't love a good love triangle?

The only part of this book that I do not like is the main character Katniss. She is often emotionless and really hard to relate to. But, like Twilight, I can forgive that the main girl is a dud and enjoy the story for what it is.

The two other books in this series, Catching Fire and Mocking Jay follow Katniss after the Hunger Games (sorry to spoil it, but there are two other books, so she obviously survives the first one). The last two books are about Katniss's fight against the corrupt government. These books are intriguing and are a good read, but the first one in my favorite.

I would definitely recommend these books, they get 4.5 stars from me. I especially think that Marie should read them... if only I could convince her somehow....

Harry Potter Sir!

Matt and I doubled with Johnny and Krista on Saturday morning and we went to see the last Harry Potter film. We got tickets to a morning movie (9:45am) because we had family pics later in the day and we wanted to go out before Nicole's nap (family pics will have it's own post soon). Norm and Miranda were kind enough to watch the kids for us so that we could go. But, Norm was working, so it was really more Miranda than Norm who watched the kids. Luckily, Nicole loves her cousin Hailey and had a good time.

We got to the movie 15 minutes beforehand, which I was concerned would not allow us to sit together, but, apparently, no one wants to go and see a movie at 9 in the morning. Johnny and Krista met us there. It was fun going to see it with Johnny and Krista because they are fans. It is always more fun when someone is as excited about the movie as I am.

Now on to my impressions.

I really enjoyed the movie. It was very exciting, thrilling, and entertaining. I felt like it was a very dynamic conclusion to the Harry Potter story. The story followed the book fairly closely, with the exception of the battle at Hogwarts. I felt like the movie did a better job depicting the battle than the book did. Additionally, the movie did a great job describing the idea of wandlore and wand allegiance. When I read the books, I was always a little bit confused as to the allegiance of the elder wand, but the movie really drove the point home because it is so pivitol to the destruction of Voldemort.

My favorite characters in this film were Snape and Neville. This movie shows such a different side of Snape. He is more human than in any other film and I really got emotional when the movie came to the end of his story. Neville was my second favorite because he gets a couple epic moments in the film that make me root for him. Both actors did a great job with their characters.

Things that disappointed me, the underwhelming relationship between Harry and Ginny. These two end up together, but the few moments that they have together in the film felt very forced and a little awkward. But, the Ron and Hermione relationship was playfully depicted. They added a little humor to the final acceptance of their building romantic relationship which made it very endearing rather than corny.

I really enjoyed the film. I thought that it was well made and definitely one that I would buy for my Harry Potter collection. Matt even enjoyed it and he has neither read the books, nor is much of a fan (he just watches the movies with me because he is a good husband). But, I would put a disclaimer on this film that it is absolutely NOT a children's film. It is scary and gory and I would not let a child under thirteen watch it. One couple in the theater had a 2 year old looking kid with them and I was shocked! People were dying left and right, blood splattering here and there, and they are letting their two year old watch it? Nightmares!

After the movie, Krista, Johnny, Matt, and I ran over to El Pollo Loco for a quick lunch. Matt loves this place and we hardly ever go because it is in AF. So, it was a fun treat. But, it is not the cheapest place. We definitely could have gotten a cheaper meal going to In and Out. I had the Pollo bowl and it was good, but I only got two tortillas for a huge bowl of food, it was not enough. Plus, I ate their delicious salsa, which was a mistake because it gave Daniel the spit ups for the rest of the day. I ended up pumping out the rest of my milk and throwing it down the sink because it was too spicy for him.

It was a good morning date! Even though I miss my children whenever I am not with them, and I try to spend all of my free time with my kids, I think it is completely worth it to go on dates with just my husband. It is just as important to have one on one time with my husband as it is to have it with my kids. Perhaps it is even more important. As much as I love my kids, it is my husband that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with and I love being with him!

Books I've Read This Year

It is well known that I am an avid reader of fictional books. I don’t read those silly non-fiction books because they are lame and boring. (No Marie, owner’s manuals are not interesting and not cool to read!) 

When I was pregnant with Nicole, I lost my desire to read. I read maybe 5 books during my whole pregnancy. This was a pathetically sad number because I usually read about 30 books a year. Back in my single, college days, I read between 50-80 books a year, but that was when I was carefree and had a lot of time. Now, I’m more momish and I read when I’m feeding the baby, while Nicole watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (for the 100^th time), or when Matt wants to watch Top Gear.

During my Daniel pregnancy, I did not lose the reading bug. Near the end, when I was just waiting for that baby to come, I increased the amount that I normally read. Now, I am back on my 2 books a month schedule. 

I thought that I might share some of the books that I have read this year to throw out some recommendations and to brag about how many books I can read. Just a note, these are all fantasy/sci fi books because that is the kind of girl I am.

 

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan;
Synopsis: Egyptian gods are real and modern day children are related to them, but they don’t yet know it!
3 Stars

The Lost Hero-Rick Riordan;
Synopsis: Greek Gods are real and modern day children are related to them, but they don’t yet know it!
3 Stars

Shiver-Maggie Stiefvater;
Synopsis: Werewolves are real and Grace is in love with one and hopefully she is the cure.
5 stars

Linger- Maggie Stiefvater; Currently reading.
Synopsis: Sequel to Shiver

The Host-Stephenie Meyer; Pulled off my own bookshelf and read for the 3 time.
Synopsis: The human race has been taken over by parasitical aliens, but one of these aliens is not like the others.
5 stars

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets-JK Rowling; Pulled off my bookshelf and read for the 10^th time.
Synopsis: Witches and wizards are real and you should really at least watch the movies if you don’t already know what this book is about.
5 stars

The Lost Saint- Bree Despain;
Synopsis: Werewolves are real and Grace is in love with one and she already cured one (sound familiar? See Shiver above. No joke, the main characters are both named Grace).
4 stars

Clockwork Angel- Cassandra Clare;
Synopsis: Angels and demons are real and one young girl discovers she is a demon, but hopefully, she is the good kind.
5 stars

Forest Born-Shannon Hale; synopsis: Magic is real and some people who live in the forest have it.
2.5 stars

Peeps-Scott Westerfeld; Pulled off my bookshelf when I had nothing else to read. This was my second read of this book.
Synopsis: Vampires are real, except it is like a parasite, kissing disease that is rapidly spreading through New York City.
3 Stars 

 Last Days-Scott Westerfeld; Pulled off my bookshelf for a 2^nd read.
Synopsis: Sequel to Peeps, the disease has spread farther and is affecting rock and roll music!
2 Stars

 So Yesterday-Scott Westerfeld
Synopsis: Young kids realize that what they think is “cool” is actually decided by evil conspirators!
3 stars

Skybowl-Melanie Rawn; Pulled off my bookshelf for a 3^rd read.
Synopsis: Sequel to the Dragon Prince series, Dragons are real and people can talk to each other on rays of sunlight. Oh, and there is a war.
4 stars

Dragon Token-Melanie Rawn; Pulled off my bookshelf for a 3^rd read.
Synopsis: Dido.
3.5 stars

Stronghold-Melanie Rawn; Pulled off my bookshelf for a 3^rd read.
Synopsis: Dido dido.
3.5 stars

 

Nightshade-Andrea Cremer; Synopsis: Werewolves are real (that brings our werewolf book count up to 3) and the packs are colliding. Things are not what they seem in the werewolf world!
4.5 stars

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

I love these books! I have read them more times than I can count, I own all the movies and I am excited for this final film. To see the books put to film has been a fun experience and it is a little sad to see it come to an end.
This last book is my favorite of all the books, perhaps because it is so sad. I like sad books and sad movies because it makes them seem more real. Life isn't a wonderful fairy land and there isn't always a happy ending (one reason why I love Serenity).
So, this final trailer came out for the films and I think it was cut really well. It shows some thrilling moments in the final film and it makes me excited to see it. July 15th! Or, probably not on opening day because I have to find a sitter and convince Matt to come with me, but I will see it soon!

I love YA Adult Books

I love reading Young Adult literature. Why you ask? Because it is entertaining, I have a better chance of "clean" literature, and because I can relate to the angsty characters. Additionally, the story lines and plots are usually easier to follow than some of the Adult fiction that I have read.

I am very much a fantasy reader. I love to read fantasy, but often fantasy books tend to be too graphic for my taste, but if I read YA, I usually have a cleaner story and language. Additionally, fantasy often involves world building, meaning that the writer creates their own world in the book and describes it to the reader. In Adult fiction fantasy, this sometimes is so monotonous to read because the worlds are so complicated. In YA, is is usually a little simpler. Plus, YA books are shorter than Adult fiction, but longer than children's books. Perfect size!

One of my favorite book review blogs is having a YA book giveaway and I had to jump on board for that as I love YA books and I love free stuff. I love reading her reviews, they give me ideas for new books to read, they give me an idea of the content, the genre, and the cleanliness of a book. To check out her blog, go to http://booksinthespotlight.blogspot.com/.

My favorite YA books have to be the Harry Potter books. I know what you are thinking, "What? What about Twilight?" As much as I love Twilight, there are so many flaws in the writing and so many flaws in the characters that it just doesn't compare to JK Rowling's wizard world, whose characters I love. Let's just face it, I hate Bella, she is annoying. But, I love the world that Stephenie Meyer created.

Well that is all the book ranting that I have for now.

Twilit

For Matt's birthday, I took him to the murder mystery dinner theater Twilit! It is a murder mystery that pokes fun at Twilight, Harry Potter, and Frankenstein. It was so much fun! While we ate dinner, characters came out and mingled between the tables, so that you could get to know the characters. Our very own Lisa Svetz played the beautiful Bella and she was fantastic, funny, and entertaining. But, one of my favorite characters was Edward. He was so stinkin' funny! Completely in character the whole time and playing Edward way over the top. Hilarious!

After dinner, the show started. The premise was that Edward and Bella were having a party at their castle so that Bella could meet other supernatural people. During this part, Matt got pulled up on stage for a little audience participation because it was his birthday. He didn't particularly want to do it, but he was a good sport. I got pictures of this on my phone as I had forgotten to bring my camera, but I have not idea how to get them from my phone to my computer, so you will just have to imagine Matt dressed up as a pirate up on stage.

The show turned out to be a musical, which made it even more entertaining. The show lasted 40 minutes or so until one of the characters died. Then, all the audience had a chance to talk to the characters to try to discover who had actually committed the murder. Matt, after having participation forced on him earlier did not feel inclined to participate at this point. So, we just enjoyed the atmosphere and eavesdropped on other people asking the characters questions.

Then, came the big reveal and the song of summation. It was a lot of fun! I'm glad that Lisa was in it so that we could even know that the show existed. My mom was kind enough to watch Nicole so that we could go on this date for Matt's birthday. I recommend mystery dinner theater to all! Matt seemed to have a good time despite that he was pulled up on stage.

Stolen

I stole this from a friend's blog and filled it out myself. Shhhh, don't tell.

What is your favorite childhood book?
There is a Monster at the End of This Book: My Dad used to read this book to us when we were kids and he had a great Grover voice. I always loved this book because of the way that he read it. I haven't read it to Nicole yet, but I bet my Grover voice is severely lacking.

What are you reading right now?
Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card. I have read all of the Ender and Shadow books, so I finally am reading this one. My sister Sarah had the book and she was suppose to hand it off to me when she was done reading it. Instead, she put it on her bookshelf and forgot about it. I recently went to her apartment and raided her bookshelf. That's what she gets.
What books do you have on request at the library?
Too many to count, but I never seem to be the one who gets the book. I must be doing something wrong when I hold a book. I usually find someone to borrow the book I want from. Library shmibrary.

Do you have any bad book habits?
I break the binding of my paper backs. I like to hold the book with one hand and it usually breaks or creases the binding. When I am reading a borrowed book, I have to be extra careful not to hurt the binding. If everyone broke the binding, then I wouldn't have to worry. Curse you non-bad habiters!
What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Fablehaven book 4.

Do you have an e-reader?
A what?

Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once?
I usually read only one book at a time, but I find myself getting bored by books more easily as of late. So, I am reading a few at a time. Usually, it is one I really want to read and then one that I read when there is nothing else to read.
Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Not really. I guess I get better book referrals since starting a blog because other people blog about the books they have read.

What is your least favorite book you’ve read this year (so far)?
Glasswrights Apprentice by someone that I don't remember. I borrowed this book from Kelli and it was painful to read. I hated it! I almost didn't finish it, but I ran out of other books to read, so I just gave up and read it. But, I felt no need to read the rest of the books in the series. Boring!

What is your favorite book you’ve read this year?
I have read so many good ones this year. But, it is probably Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Or, maybe City of Ashes by that other girl.

How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Almost never. I used to read required stuff for school, but I graduated 4 years ago and I don't have to read lame books anymore.

What is your reading comfort zone?
Fantasy! With a dash of SciFi.

Can you read on the bus?
Only if I want to vomit. Who takes the bus anymore? Buy a car cheepo!

Where is your favorite place to read?
Bed. I love snuggling up with a book.

What is your policy on book lending?
I lend books all the time, but I won't lend ones that are signed.

Do you ever dog-ear books?
That is like using your book as a lunch table!

Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
When I was in school I wrote in the margins all the time. I would look for books with writing already in them because I liked to read what other people thought about the book. Margin notes gave me great insights.
What is your favorite language to read in?
Wait, books come in different languages? What's the point in that?

What makes you love a book?
Plot and character development. But, lets face it, there has to be romance in the book or it just isn't worth it. It was difficult getting through RA Salvators books because the romance doesn't start until the 16th book in the series.

What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I was so riveted by the book that I couldn't put it down and couldn't wait for the next book in the series, then it is recommendation worthy.

What is your favorite genre?
Young Adult, Fantasy

What genre do you rarely read (but wish you did)?
I never read the classics because they are mostly boring, but sometimes I wish that I had read more of them. You would think that I had read most of them because I was an English major, but really teachers are branching out in their required reading. I'm guessing that it is because they don't want to teach the same ol' books that they were required to read back in school.

What is your favorite biography?
I don't think I've read one. I probably have for a report or something back in grade school, but nothing recently.

Have you ever read a self-help book?
Yeah, The Five Love Languages. I really enjoyed it and it was very informative. I am Acts of Service.

What is your favorite cookbook?
Allrecipes.com
Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
I don't think that the books I read are inspirational so much as entertaining. Sooo... the Nursery Lesson Book.

What is your favorite reading snack?
Pizza. I know, it doesn't seem like a snack but it is, oh yes, it is.

Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Breaking Dawn. Lotta hype, not a very good book.

How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Wait, there are book critics? How do I get that job?

How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
Good, I feel good about it.

What is the most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
I once took a Virginia Wolfe class and we "read" 13 of her books. They were all difficult to read and I really only finished reading one of the books. I was very much a BS student. Read just enough to be able to write a paper.

What is the most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Moby Dick, Great Expectations, Name a classic, I'm probably not gonna read it.

Who is your favorite Poet?
Robert Frost? No, Shel Silverstein; excellent poet.

How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
For me? One. Nicole? Many.

How often have you returned a book to the library unread?
Lots. Some books are boring.

Who is your favorite fictional character?
Jacob Black... mmmmm...

Who is your favorite fictional villain?
The best villain is always the one that you love first. So, Lex Luthor, from Smallville. I know it is not a fictional character from a book, but I don't care.

What books are you most likely to bring on vacation?
Whatever I am reading. Usually 2-3 books.

What is the longest you’ve gone without reading?
My pregnancy. I was not into reading and I think I only read one book near the beginning of the pregnancy and then didn't read for 9 months.

Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Too many to count. Probably just about everything that I read for school.

What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Nothing. I read everywhere. I read while I walk. I've trained myself to read anywhere.
What is your favorite film adaptation of a novel?
The Lord of the Rings, Return of the King. Still my all time favorite movie!

Most disappointing film adaptation?
Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief.

How much is the most you’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
500 on text books. Curse you school!

How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Never.
What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Graphic sex, excessive bad language.

Do you like to keep your books organized?
Not really. My bookshelf is beyond full, so I just started stacking them everywhere.

Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
Keep because I read them again and again. I always forget what I have read. Bad memory. I can read a book a couple years after I originally read it and it is like reading it for the first time.

Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Sure, everything non fantasy.

Name a book that made you angry.
Breaking Dawn.... lame!

Name a book you didn’t expect to like but did.

Native Son. Don't remember the author, but I loved the book and it was required reading.

Name a book that you expected to like but didn’t.

A bunch of the books that Tamara Pierce wrote. I like her writing, but some of her books are dumb.

What is your favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Twilight, obviously. Harry Potter, of course. I have read them so many times, it is too many to count. Probably around 7-10 times.

Eclipse

Last night I got to go to Eclipse with my sisters and my mother. Marie arranged this little event and I am glad she did because I really enjoy the Twilight books. In preperation for the movie, I reread Eclipse last week. When I told Marie, she marveled that I could read a book in a few days. I think this is because Marie mostly reads magazines and pregnancy books and the occasional owner's manual.

I am happy to say that the movie was very true to the book with a few exceptions. Extra scenes were added to expand upon things that were vague in the book. For example, the book never really tells the story of the newborns in live action, it is all second hand past tense. I like live action better. Plus, the movie actually showed the newborn fight whereas the book just says that the fight ends. I'm starting to think that Stephanie Meyer doesn't know how to write fight scenes because you never see them in her books. Either fights are avoided, or they are told in the past tense without detail. RA Salvatore is my favorite fight scene writer. No one writes fights better than him in my opinion.

The directing in this movie was definitely superior to the previous ones. The angles, the music, the intensity of the shots, so much better. It actually seemed like there was chemistry between Bella and Edward this time whereas that was lacking in the previous movies. But, I am still on team Jacob. I would do an entire rewrite of the last book and have Bella end up with Jacob and have Edward just die or something.

Additionally, I really like the writing of the movie. The script writer is definitely funnier than Stephanie Meyer. I don't think Stephanie knows how to write comedy either. I love the worlds she creates, but her character development is very one note. Charlie, hilarious, Emmit hilarious, bravo script writer.

So my sisters and I are definitely movie talkers. I don't think my sister-in-law, Krista, is a movie talker, my apologies to her because we talked a lot during the movie. We like to make comments about the movie and also make fun of the movie when it is necessary. It was a lot of fun.

After the movie we went for ice cream, but I was the only one who actually ordered ice cream. Lamo, skinny sisters. But, I enjoyed my ice cream and that is what really matters.

Books I've Read This Year

So, I've read an awful lot this year. When I was pregnant with Nicole, I lost my desire to read. I didn't have the mental concentration to read a book, so I only read a few (twilight, harry potter). I just barely got back the urge to read and I can't seem to find enough books to read. Here are a few of the books that I have read this year and I really liked them.

Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

This is a series of 5 childrens books. I emphasize that they are for children because the characters are very immature! But, it is very interesting. This series is fantasy set in present day. All the greek myths and legends are TRUE and hidden from us humans of the real world. Perceus Jackson finds that he is a demi god, son of Poseidon and goes through many adventures in the greek god world. I loved it and sailed through all five books in a week, but it is an immature read.

Wild Magic series by Tamara Pierce

I've read a lot of the books by Tamara, but this was a new one for me. It is a set of three books for Juvenile readers. It follows the story of Daine, who talk with animals and can even shape shift. It is set in Tortall, a high fantasy world from a Tamara's previous series' Lady Knight, Page, and Trickster (which I had previously read). Though not as good as interesting as the other series (because these books are for a younger audience) I found it to be very interesting to read. I liked how she made up a new kind of magic that involved animals. I definitely reccommend these books.



Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

This is an incomplete series. So far there are four books but another is set to come out soon. These are fantasy books set in present day. A secret race of vampire and dhampirs (half human half vampire) live among us. Dhampirs dedicate their lives to protecting vampires. The books are set at an academy where vampires and dhampirs train for the real world. The first book was really hard for me to get into because there is a LOT of back story that is not revealed until the end of the book. But, the second book I read in a day and loved it! If you like doomed romances and vampires, definitely read these books. (I'm talking to you Jenni).

Graceline, Fire by Kristin Cashore

This is two seperate books set in the same world. Graceling, the first book, is set in a fantasy world where some people are born with a gift (and two different colored eyes) and are therefore "graced." The main character struggles to defeat the bad guy and better understand her grace. It is very intriguing and contains a romance. This is NOT for a younger audience though it is in the young adult section.
Fire, the second book, is in the same world, but set in the past before the first book's time. It is like an origins story of the bad guy from the first book, but doesn't revolve around that character. It is difficult to explain, but I loved the book as much as the first one though it took me a little longer to get into because the author hides the back story until the middle (I hate when they do that). Also, not a childrens book, this is definitely for adults as it has sexual content.

Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, Princess Academy, and The Book or A Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

I just have to say right now, I love this author. Though her books are in the Juvinile section, the characters are not childish and are very relatable. The first three books are known as the Books of Bayern because they involve the same characters and are set in the same world. I loved Goose Girl the most and the other two books just give a better depth of subcharacters from the first book.

Princess Academy is a book that follows a young girl in the mountains who is chosen to train to become a princess (along with a lot of other girls from her village). It is a nice quick read and a very pleasant story.

The Book of a Thousand Days I just read yesterday (yep I read a 300 page book in a day. Maybe Dr. Phil was right about mothers having tons of free time.) It was very good! It is about a maid who is locked in a tower with her mistress for 7 years. It is written in journal form as the maid keeps a record of all the happenings since being locked in the tower.

Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer

I read the first book in this series three years ago and bought the second and third book at that time but did not read them until this year. It is definitely a children's series as the writing is juvenile. The author definitely didn't know what he was doing in the first book as he often switches pov mid chapter and mid paragraph. It is about an 11 year old super genius boy who is trying to hack into to the world of fairies and steal their intelligence and their gold. The 11 year old character is annoying and unrealistic as no child is that smart, independent, and void of emotion. That is why it took me three years to read the next books. The second and third books are a little better than the first, but still the writing is not that great. I don't know why these books are popular and I don't reccommend them. There were more books in the series, but I decided not to read past the third book.

If you are keeping count, that is 21 new books that I have read this year so far (or the onese that I remember at least. I know I read other books, I just can't rememberr them all.). I also reread some books that I had read before and here they are: Work and the Glory books 1-7 (why did I stop at 7? Because I got bored and I've read them all twice before), Lady Knight series by Tamara Pierce (I thought I should read these again as I was delving back into that world), Wheel of Time book 12 (this one was actually new for me as it was a new book, but I reread the whole series last year in preperation for this book. These books are my favorite series). That is all I can think of that I read this year, but I feel like there were more.

That brings my grand total to....32 books that I have read this year. Tadah! I used to read between 50-80 books a year while I was in school but slowed down to 30 when I started working full time. Now that I have figured out this Mom thing to an extent and Nicole plays by herself occasionally, I have more time for reading. I am right on track to reach about 70 books this year. We shall see how I do. I run out of ideas for books to read all the time and I know I will just start pulling random books off the shelf at the library.

Right now I am reading Chalice by Robin McKinley, we shall see if it is any good as I just started it. I am on hold at the library for Hunger Games. I need more book ideas. Feel free to chime in.