Thursday, December 5, 2013

Drum Roll Please …

Announcing Lizz the Librarian's Favorite Books of 2013 …


wait, before we get to the big announcement I'd like to point out that this "contest" was decided bracket style. The order of the brackets was done by taking the most recent read book with the first book I read of the year and working backwards (with the exception of two children's books, two graphic novels, and two classics, which I paired against each other). This sounds scientific, but I guarantee it was not. 

Some of these were nearly impossible decisions - like the top two choices … I LAMENTED over the decision. Okay, you've waited … my favorite book of the year is … 

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes


Dreaming Awake
by Gwen Hayes

Awesome Book Quotes - Tumblr Feature

Tumblr is a wonderful thing and I don't spend nearly enough time there. Anyway, enough something a little different; instead of book quotes, enjoy some quotes from books and check out Awesome Book Quotes on Tumblr. 

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Team Gale

This whole post is going to be rather spoiler-y, so if you haven't read Mockingjay yet, proceed at your own risk. 


I was over at Hello Giggles (totally awesome site, by the way, and you should all check it out) and one of the bloggers was talking about, "5 Fictional Couples That Were Doomed From the Start" and it got me thinking: why are Katniss and Gale not meant to be together? Or, better yet, why in the world are Katniss and Peeta meant to be together?

Saturday, November 30, 2013

I'm So "Unread"

Nothing makes me feel like I don't read the "right things" like when the New York Times publishes a review of the 100 Notable Books of 2013. I haven't read a SINGLE TITLE on the list. 90% of the titles I hadn't even heard of before. I'M A TERRIBLE LIBRARIAN!!

However, I feel slightly better when reviewing the Notable Children's Books of 2013. At least I've heard of these books! Bluebird and The Dark were commonplace in my story time sessions this year. I LOVE Hilda and the Bird Parade enough to add the whole series to the Graphic Novel collection. I have Eleanor and Park on hold at the library … but I still didn't get to enjoy many of their favorite titles from the year - I think that I will have to make my own list!

Book Review: Sweet Evil


Sweet Evil
by Wendy Higgins

Friday, November 22, 2013

Nerding Out on Books

It's been a long, fairly miserable week. However, after a nice long nap, some hot cocoa, and several hours reading I'm feeling much more like myself. How about some nerdy book quotes?


Thursday, November 21, 2013

Winter Reading Wish List

In the fall I posted my first ever Fall Reading List … although I didn't make it through all the books, I read others and it was a pretty productive season. Winter won't start for a few more weeks, but Baby, its Cold Outside here in Colorado (… and I might be bored with that list and really want to start a new one). My goal is still to finish a couple more titles on my fall reading list before December 1st - The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland on a Ship of Her Own Making and The Bitter Kingdom. Plus, I'm currently reading Evermore. I've added Clockwork Princess to this list because I want to reread the other two first - it spoils the book to spend half of it trying to remember what happened last.

So, you may have noticed that I changed a couple of the books - I started one and it was just terrible, so I replaced it with another … no, that's not cheating :)

Saturday, September 7, 2013

City of Ashes: A Book Review



I'm blushing thinking of how quickly I tore through this book - and some of those scenes, phew. My first read through this book was simply for the answer to Book One's question (I won't give it away, in case you're one of the three people who hasn't read it yet), I didn't linger on the story. This time, knowing the answers already, I was able to enjoy the story, take it all in, revel in Clare's cruel twists of my heart strings knowing it was all going to be okay (well, as okay as Jace and Clary's life could ever be).

Friday, September 6, 2013

Top Ten Dinner Party Guests

When asked the question, who would you most like to have dinner with out of history, do you ever feel stumped? While looking for the end of the internet today, I stumbled across a series of people who have answered this question in all too typical ways (basics from Abraham Lincoln and Jesus, to Mother Theresa and Elvis). Limiting myself to modern history and trying to pull people together who would have something to talk about, this is what I came up with.
The most interesting dinner party that I'd love to attend. 


T. S. Eliot 
This is a man whose brain I'd like to pick for a few minutes. Plus, I need to do a little gushing since he wrote two of my top five favorite poems ever.

Oscar Wilde
No entertaining party would be complete without Mr. Wilde's antics ... I wonder if he'd be on time?

Marilyn Monroe
Although she was quite the sexpot, I think of Marilyn as a poet and a reader (you have to read this book if you haven't already) and I think that she would love to sit with poets, writers, and adventures - we are kindred spirits in that way. 

Nikola Tesla
The inventor himself. I'd love to see what he thinks of all our modern things, plus be able to listen to him as one of the greatest inventors, just talk, tell us stories about misadventures while inventing, and so forth.

Sigmund Freud
I am aware that he would have more than a few thoughts on our other dinner party guests, but the man had a singular mind and I'd be interested on talking to him about how his own life plays out in his theories. 

Jane Austen
As a single girl, I think that Jane Austen would find my dinner party cause for a new novel, however I hope we would have the chance to converse about the true romantics that we are.

Amelia Earhart
The girl fears nothing and takes the world by storm. I hope that while we share dinner some of her fearlessness and sense of adventure wears off on me.

Shakespeare
One question: did you write them or not? After he answers it for us we can all go on and have a lovely dinner. He might even spoil us with a tale or two.

Emily Dickenson
Since we would be one of the few dinner parties Emily will have ever graced with her presence, just being there is reason enough for me to invite her. However, I'd love to see through her eyes for a few moments, having her describe what she sees through a window in my house would be the high point of my year.

James Franco
Aside from not wanting to be the only person in the room who has used a cell phone, I think that James Franco is both interesting and educated enough to hold his own at this dinner party. He is quite the modern Renaissance Man who would enjoy most of my guests, I believe. 

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Series or Stand-Alone Books?


I recently read a great blog post over at Book Revels that listed 25 stand-alone books to read after series burn out ... series burn out? What's that? Personally I love the trilogies and other series that are being published today. Many of them have great character and story development that grows over the series. In fact, I love series so much that I had to really think about the last "stand-alone" book I even read. Even harder was one I had both read and liked. 

When an author writes a stand-alone book the plot has to move fast without being rushed and the characters need to feel dimensional and grow without the book feeling character-centric. For many authors this isn't in the cards - for many readers, this isn't a preferred style.

The only recent read I can think of that I enjoyed was "The Night Circus" ... I'll blog more on that later.  But it is one of my favorites :)

I wanted to list out more books, but I'm really obsessed with series, plus it seems like all that is being written these days (probably the publishers see it as a way to make more $$, but I won't vent about evil publishing houses right now). Almost every book I've reviewed in the last two years falls under a series, at least the ones I've truly enjoyed do :)

I'm challenging myself to add a stand-alone book to my Fall Reading List. I choose "Scorpio Races" by Maggie Stiefvater as recommended by Book Reveals. I had looked at this book before, but didn't check it out from the library BECAUSE it wasn't in a series. What happens after I fall in love with the characters and the book ends? It is over. Those characters are finished. Sigh, not sure I can handle this emotionally, but I'm going to make an effort. 

However, if you are looking for some great stand-alone reads, check out Book Reveals' list. There are some fantastic YA and Adult lit titles on there. What are you looking forward to reading? 


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Top Five: Poetry


You may feel that a couple of these are cliched (Sonnet XLIII by EBB, I know, but I love it), here is why I love them ...

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Book Musings Version III

It's been awhile since we mused about the gloriousness that is a great book - so here we go :)


Monday, September 2, 2013

Book Review: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Nice to meet you Tumblr!



I'm stepping up in the world, I've now added a 

Tumblr Account

to Lizz the Librarian's web prescence.

Check it out! It is an easy way to follow what I'm reading, as well as what I'm obsessing over right now ;)

Oh, and have a little patience, there is a little learning curve to everything. 

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Book Review: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick



Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick



September 1st

Now, as much as I enjoyed the Angel/fallen angel/human component that was Falling. Under, Hush, Hush blew me away. My review doesn't even have parts, I read almost the whole thing in one sitting (who says sleep is important).

Nora is your average teenage girl. She has a best friend, a crazy Biology teacher, a working mom who is gone almost all of the time. However, her life quickly goes from normal to crazy by being biology partners with a fearsome, untrustworthy, inappropriate guy. Even though he is a jerk 80% of the time, Nora is still drawn to him. Even though Vee doesn't like him and tries to set Nora up with someone else, Nora is still drawn to him. Even when Nora feels like she could be going crazy, Nora is drawn to him. This can't end well.

Patch is pretty mysterious, in fact, for the first 2/3 of the year, no one has really heard him say anything.  Tall, dark, and brooding, he does seem to know aLOT about our girl from the very beginning. His fuse his short and he plays this hot and cold game that it is his favorite sport. In the first chapter I though Patch was the love-interested. In the next chapters I thought he was the enemy. Now I feel like I'm going a little crazy.

Okay, so this story may seem like all of the others. In one aspect the storyline is very similar to Falling Under. However, there are so many layers. So many people I don't know if I can trust. Just as I'm starting to think someone is the "good guy," they come along and do something terrible. This story isn't just about angels/fallen angels/humans interacting - no, there is another whole crazy storyline thrown in on top for good measure. I won't give too much away, but it really has some great twists & turns, and as soon as you start to get comfortable, rely on Becca Fitzpatrick to pull the run out from under you.

Oh, and before I go, kudos to Hush, Hush for extending out the romance. It was such a relief to not guess who the good guy was from the first page and for the first kiss to come so far into the book. It made for SUCH a great read.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Fall 2013 To Read List


A few days ago I created a "To Read This Fall" list on GoodReads. Almost every book on the list I've checked out and they are sitting next to my favorite chair to read in - ready for me to dive, head first, into all of their worlds, one by one.

Do you want to join me?


Love/Hate The Great Gatsby


I love to read. I know these days I immerse my mind in YA fiction, the paranormal - angels and demons,  and dystopian fiction - but throughout the years I've love many different sorts of books from classics, to children's lit, to non-fiction. In high school I planned on reading every book on a list like "100 Greatest Novels of All Time" and that was my first meeting with Mr. Gatsby, Daisy, and the gang. In college it was recommended by a group of friends and cited as their "favorite novel ever!", recently colleagues were excitedly chatting about it before the movie came out. Three different attempts, three times failed. Gatsby and I aren't destined to be together.

However, tonight I watched the movie. In part because I love watching who Leonardo DiCaprio becomes on the screen, in part because "everyone" had seen it, and in part because the trailers looked so enchanting. And the music! What a brilliant pairing of modern music with the period ... everything else.

There were parts that dragged, twice that I checked to see how much was left, once that I got up to let the dogs out without pausing, but never did I dislike Gatsby himself. Daisy was sweet and charming. Tom was well cast, I feel (he had a delightful Rhett Butler feel to him). Nick, however, Mr. Nick Carraway was the thorn in my side. At first it was, I thought, because Tobey Maguire is not my favorite actor. I just see him as the silly representative that was stuck in a Spiderman costume a couple times. However, it was more than that, Carraway represents what I don't like about The Great Gatsby -- the narrator's voice. Does he love his cousin? Is he in love with his cousin? Why is he so obsessed with Gatsby? Oh, right, is he in love with Gatsby? I feel he is unreliable, untrustworthy, and we know nothing about him.

I want Gatsby to win the girl and live happily ever after, but why does Nick help him? What was in it for him? What were his moral responses? Ugh, if I could sit down and talk to Mr. Fitzgerald I'd give him a piece of my mind. Why choose Carraway? Why not make Carraway more interesting so he as narrator wasn't so painful?

When Gatsby pulls down a book with all Daisy's letters and newspaper clippings in it my heart was stilled. When he tells Nick that she has to tell Tom she's never loved him, those words, that phrase, my heart was broken. When he looked at Daisy over lunch that day -- my heart was stollen away. Do those things happen in the book? Don't know, I never got that far. But watching Jay die because he wanted to protect Daisy (and watching Leo with an unbeating heart in the water ... again), I cried.

Will I go back and read the book? Nope, three tries is my limit. Will I hold Gatsby in my heart. Yes, forever more.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Book Review: Falling Under



August 29th

Do you ever begin a book and swear you've read it before. Everything you read is totally familiar, but you have no idea what is going to happen next? That is how I feel starting this book! I actually feel a little like Theia, the protagonist, who in her very sheltered like, starts to feel like she is going a little crazy. Not that I would blame her, the book opens on a BurningMan (not the event, an actual man on fire) falling into her front yard. The man on fire stays alive longer than should be possible and things actually get more complicated from there. Theia's father is both uninterested and totally micromanaging her life. There is this boy, Hayden Black, whom I'm pretty sure shouldn't be her love interest. I mean, he kisses other girls and Theia feels it? That's a little suspicious!

The characters might be one dimensional and a little too predictable. Calling the popular kids Skeetches is pretty awesome. I'm pulled into the story because of how familiar it feels, but at the same time I'm not that attached to the characters and I'm already 30% of the way into the story (thank-you GoodReads for figuring that percentage out for me).

August 30th 

Let me just say, if you liked Twilight, you'll like this book. Theia is very Bella-esque, Haden is very Edward-esque. I think the reason the whole book felt familiar was because it was pretty predictable. In fact, nothing in the book surprised me. The only thing that really bothered me is that it didn't feel like it was coming from an British girl's thoughts - it was very American and that didn't fit with what I was told. I could have done without all of the cliched lines and similes as well - but we don't get everything we want. That isn't saying I didn't enjoy it, it was a sweet little treat, a guilty pleasure, that I relished to the end.

Top 10 YA Book Character Crushes

You know when you read a book and you slowly fall in love with a character. Sometimes I love the way they are with the other person (for example, I love the way that Alina loves Mal in Shadow and Bone, but I don't actually love Mal), but other times I really, honestly, feel like I'm giving my heart to someone who isn't really ... alive.



Well, here are my top 10, in no real order

(well, that might not be totally true)

Books tagged are usually the first of the series

1. Jace Wayland - City of Bones
2. The Sturmhond - Siege and Storm
3. Wolf - Scarlet
5. John (the Underlord) -Abandon
6. Jem Carstairs - Clockwork Angel
7. Gale - The Hunger Games
8. Marcus - The Night Circus
9. Fred or George (not too picky, I guess) - Harry Potter
10. Four - Divergent (but only in Divergent, then he gets...idk)

Okay, there are my favorites, what are yours?

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

City of Bones Quotes

I like these little quote pictures that are always showing up in my Pinterest feed ... but why are all the quotes taken from the movie?
I made some Mortal Instruments: City of Bones quotes directly from the book :)
Remember to check out my Book to Movie Review and my City of Bones re-read Book Review!!



More after the jump

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

City of Bones: A Book Review

I won't even bother writing dates because I re-read this gem in under 24 hours. Why? It is one of my favorites and I had forgotten until we went and saw the movie. Here is how that broke down: saw the movie on Thursday (opening night), re-read the book on Friday, saw the movie again on Saturday (then I went on to read City of Ashes on Sunday and am nearly finished with City of Glass today).


The Basics

Here we meet a girl named Clary. Clary is strong, independent, with no training on understanding on what is about to happen to her, she survives -- thrives, even! I love that there are these boys around her all of the time, but she never relies on them to come to her rescue. She protects herself in whatever way she can. There are times she is in over her head, but her first thought isn't to run to Jace, it is to protect herself. Clary has thought she was human (or mundane as the case may be) for her whole life, not knowing that there is anything else out there. But when she starts to see what else is going on around her, things that no one else sees, she knows that either she is crazy or there is more to her life than she knew before.

Jace is the first half of what people have labeled a love triangle (there aren't halves of triangles, but go with me here). Honestly, I finished the first book without ever seeing a love triangle. Jace feels like an outsider. His family is gone, he was adopted into another family, and he loves and respects them, but they aren't fulfilling. Jace, with his blonde hair and green eyes, deals with his pain by working hard and pushing everyone away. In a somewhat predictable (but enjoyable none-the-less) way, Clary starts to break down those walls. Not by being endearing and adorable, but by being annoying, dorky, and untalented. He wants to save the world and Clary gives him that opportunity, but she starts to get under his skin. Their relationship is real, like teenagers would behave (although, probably more mature than most 15 year olds in their first relationship).

Simon is the other half. Although, let's be honest, he didn't stand half a chance going up against Jace. Simon is Clary's best friend, that is the only way she sees him. Simon is a nerdy, gamer, musician who has dated and lived a life beyond Clary. Clary is the one whose whole life has been Simon and I love that Cassie Clare didn't make her have unrequited feelings for Simon, because that would have been depressingly predictable. Instead, Clary loves Simon like a brother and Simon is totally in love with Clary. He handles things pretty awesomely after his declaration of love falls on the ears of a girl who doesn't feel the same way.

Opinions

I'm too close to this story to really tell you anything negative. I can say that if you see the movie before reading the book, giving away the BIG SECRET makes me crazy. It is so much better to read book two without the answers right in front of you. This book is one of my favorite reads because Clary is strong, feisty, and not always perfect. Things fail for her, she lets people down, says the wrong things, and isn't a picture of perfect beauty. However, Clary doesn't expect anyone else to fix these things for her, she figures it out, fights for what she believes in and never gives up. This is also what Jace sees in her - maybe someone so self reliant won't let him down.

SPOILERS










Let me vent for a quick moment about Cassie Clare taking us on this rollar coaster ride of emotion that is the City of Bones. Just when you think that Jace and Clary are in a good place, they are trusting each other and, obviously, there is a lot of chemistry. Then, BOOM! They are related. Not just related, not just the semi-shameful, but still acceptable in some places, cousins type of relation. No, Valentine tells them they are siblings. When I read this for the first time my heart dropped out of my body, my blood boiled, I wanted to scream (I may have, at the book, at the author, at myself for trusting that everything would be okay), I threw the book - but quickly scrambled back to get it because, after all, it had to be a mistake, right? City of Bones breaks my heart in more ways than one, but this is the kicker, the made-me-stay-up-until-3:00am to read City of Ashes in hopes that there would be hope. Now City of Ashes holds my favorite scene, but we will get to that in the next review. Because Clary and Jace (and the cast of characters they associate with) hold my attention and my emotions in their imaginary hands, this was a great twist. Can I say that now, yep, I've read all five books at least once, some twice, and for City of Bones this was my third read through the book. Would I want Clare to rewrite that part and just let them be together? No! Clare has a magical pen somewhere because she always makes it worth the wait.

Question for you - would you rather not have the knife stick in deep with the whole sibling debacle? If you could go back and read City of Bones for the first time, would you want it to continue in any other way?

Friday, August 23, 2013

City of Bones: A Book to Movie Review


First, a little conversation

After spending a little time at my blog, you may have noticed I'm a little obsessed with Cassandra Clare. Like with any healthy relationship, sometimes I'm frustrated with her, sometimes I even yell at her from my polka doted chair (luckily she doesn't live anywhere close and can't possibly hear me). None the less, Ms. Clare writes exactly what I want to read (most of the time).

When it was first announced that some wonderful Hollywood type was turning one of my favorite reads into a film, I went through the following stages: Elation! My book is going to be a movie! It will be wonderful!! Sharing! I need to tell the whole world right now. Interest! I must find out everything about this movie. Standoffishness! Oh no, what if they cast someone terrible in this cinematic masterpiece? Fear! It will be terrible, they cannot make a good adaptation of a book. Why did Cassandra agree to let them make a movie? Why are they casting all of those terrible people .... this usually ends with me, deciding not to see the film because it will, obviously, be terrible. I cannot support terrible movies, after all.

Okay, so I saw it ... and I'm smiling as I say this ... it was grand entertainment. However, it wasn't perfect as they followed very little of the original storyline ... but let me elaborate.

Loved/Hated

What I loved: I loved hearing the words I'm familiar with spoken from real live characters. I loved seeing Simon cast as a nearly normal looking nerd. I love Magnus (just overall, but the actor and the costumes were spot on). Jace and Clary, they might not have been my first choices to play those parts, but together they have chemistry ... heartbreakingly so.

What I didn't love: Kevin Zegers as Alec, looks too old, too big, his has terrible hair - plus I can't think of him as anything but a spoiled drug dealer in Gossip Girl. So many of my favorite parts were gone. The flowers on the roof looked so fake. Where are Clary's mom's paint splattered overalls? As will all books to movies, where is the character development?

A Break Down - Spoilers!

Okay, so from here are spoilers - don't continue if you haven't both read the book and seen the movie. Unless you want it to be spoiled, then totally continue.

1. Where is all the glamour? I love the carriage ride through the city as Clary learns about how the glamour works. Where was it? It would have been such a cool scene.

2. The Pandaemonium club was all a blur and the book reads with more clarity - if I hadn't read the book this would have been a tumble of confusion.

3. Protective Simon? Nope, the movie Simon just seemed to blend into the shadows. How does he expect to win Isabelle's heart doing that?

4. Jemima West is beautiful, but I expected Isabelle to look more made up, even in gear.

5. The movie doesn't let us see/feel/hear Jace's pain, his feeling of being an outcast, his over confidence, his love of Isabelle and Alec (they argue in this movie, just like the book, but the other side isn't shown).

6. Simon is supposed to turn into a RAT! It is the blue juice, he drinks it and nothing ... what a let down.

7. Jace is intelligent, and we don't see that at all. When they go to the church and Jace starts telling Clary all about how services work, where people sit, etc. Where was that? I would have sat through a four hour movie here Hollywood!

8. Hodge is bad. Seriously, a bad guy. A total traitor. Yet, the audience knows he is evil and Jace, Clary, etc. don't seem to take notice of everything.

9. What is with the full ending rewrite? How are they even going to incorporate the first half of the second book?

... I'm sure there are more. I've started re-reading the book. I want to remember everything I missed seeing come to life. The movie falls flat. Although there were parts I enjoyed, straying so far from the storyline into never-neverland, ruining a couple of the characters with poor casting, and just general lack detail. People have read and loved this book, they know all the parts, why can't Hollywood figure it out? They totally should hire fangirls to approve the scripts for these things :)

Monday, August 12, 2013

Book Review: Ender's Game

Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card


August 12th 

There is quite a bit of pressure on me to like this book. Mostly because I don't know how I would tell one of my best friends that I didn't like it ... actually, she would read it right here with the rest of you, but still. She has been recommending it to me for at least two years and I just never picked it up. Finding out it was being made into a movie was the final push to get this one read - rules are rules you know!! Being a librarian I like to say, "Have you read the book? It's fantastic!"
Okay, but that doesn't seem like it will be a problem. I'm a mere 35 pages into the story and I'm already fascinated by Ender's plight. Is is because he is a tiny child? Is it because he is a Third (I love how we understand what that means without ever being explicitly told, other dystopian authors should take note)? Is it because he is so concerned that he is going to be like Peter? I don't know; I'm not even sure I care. I'm finished writing - off to make dinner and keep reading!!

August 31st

Dear Ender,

Poor, sweet Ender, I've read your story and it has broken my heart. I had nothing to cling on to for hope! I, like you, couldn't even trust Valentine, I'm still not sure she had your best interests at heart. Dear Ender, poor, sweet Ender - I'm so sorry. 

Sincerely, Lizz the Librarian

Let me just say that this book ended on a fine note, I loved the story, and Ender is a character like no other. But in the end I just felt like there was no hope. It wasn't sad, just hopeless. The only thing I have to say, really, is that Ender is just SO young. 

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Starting a New Book: Ender's Game

My long wait on the hold list is finally over - Ender's Game has come in!! Glad to start it tonight!!

Won't be long before the movie comes out! I'm nearly ready.





Monday, August 5, 2013

Book Review: Siege and Storm


August 5

Curling up with a sequel is like ... well, actually, I don't like sequels. No matter how good the first book was, unless you are starting the sequel the moment you finish the first book, you start out feeling a bit lost. I it is like trying to recall a dream. I know these people, what was their story again? What were the emotions this ended on? Sigh. 

Lucky for me, I blogged about Shadow and Bone, so if you also need a refresher, you can read that (I did, it was helpful). 

Let me walk you through the first chapter. Here is Alina, boarding on feeling sorry for herself and leaving work. There is Mal, looking as delicious as ever (as EVERYONE has noticed), but he only has eyes for one girl. I feel back in step with this novel with only a mere misstep at the beginning. However, in a less than twenty pages the book takes off, the Darkling is back, there will be no happy Alina and Mal chapters. Not only do I already dislike the Darkling, but he is back with new tricks. 

August 5 ... continued

Well, Leigh Bardugo certianly knows how to suck me into a book. I finished the first title in under 24 hours, but I think this one will take longer (I did have to go to work today, after all). Wowza, what a story though!

Oh, and I totally love it when an author responds to my tweets!!

August 6th

Ummmm, you know how Mal is awesome? Maybe this other guy is slowly gaining ground on Mal. I mean, he is pretty awesome and princely and has more emotional depth than Mal (or maybe I just like him more). He is charming and wonderful. 

Other than that guy - the book has taken so many twists and turns that I'm surprised I got any sleep last night. It is wonderful and exciting and I'm going to go keep reading. I'll post the finished review tomorrow! (I can finish as soon as I'm done with this rerun of Gossip Girl!)

August 7th

You know how Blair originally loved Nate, but she actually belonged with Chuck (keep up, I'm on a Gossip Girl kick) -- that is sort of how I feel right now about Alina, Mal, and the Prince. Sigh.

August 9th

Wowza, that is how I feel about this book! That ending, the whole part before the ending, I've said it before, Ms. Bardugo weaves a fantastic tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat and ends with you wanting more. I'm totally pulled in two directions - do I want Alina to end up with Mal? Love triangles (haha, this one is nearly a square) make books go around.

I don't think that I've loved a sequel since Catching Fire and this one was at least as good as the first. Awesome, fabulous, I can't wait for Number 3 in 2014.


Sunday, August 4, 2013

Book Review: Paradise by Joanna Nadin

Paradise
Joanna Nadin


August 4

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover. But I did. This book is pretty much nothing like what I thought it was going to be. I'm not sure what I thought it was going to be like, but it is a teenage angst story about Billy, her mother, and her grandmother, their stories told in alternating chapters. The story is interesting so far and I almost feel sorry for Billy, but is she a little one sided? Is she a little bland? Do I care what happens with the story? I haven't decided yet. 

August 5

This was a short, quick read. It went from being a story about Billie, an unhappy teenager with a classically messed up family, to a web of lies spanning three generations. Nothing is what I expected with this book. I wish that Nadin would have fleshed out the last third of the book a little and focused on how the characters FELT rather than just a recount of the action. However, the book is a great read, quick and poignant. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Serious Question for All Mortal Instruments Readers

City of Lost Souls


Dear Mortal Instruments Readers -

Hello Kindred Spirits! I, as you, have loved Clary and Jace, Alec and Magnus, Simon and the whole cast of characters that make up this delightful series from Cassandra Clare. I've "Fan-girled" my page with gifs of the upcoming movie and book quotes. I'm eagerly anticipating going opening night to the movie and have had my own misgivings about the casting job ... nevertheless, this isn't about the movie.

This about book 5, City of Lost Souls. This book is too long. Nothing happens in this book. I went from loving this book to just hoping I can finish it. It's taken me a month. Normally it takes me two days. I'm dying.

I've spoken with other fans and they have felt the same way. Did Ms. Clare run out of ideas? Did her publisher insist on a certain amount of pages? Did someone feel that this slow moving action was good? I'd like to disagree with that someone.

Now, as a good reader I feel I must finish the book (not always the case) and in order to read the next one (which, hopefully, will be infinitely better). I like these characters, this series, but I feel like this book is still in a draft form and I should be giving advice of what writing to tighten and what to cut because it is so repetitive. If Clary and Jace have one more make-out scene where she is trying to remind herself that "THIS ISN'T HIM," I might put the book down forever.

There is light at the end of the tunnel ... 78 pages to go. I feel like Clary would do anything for Jace, which I don't think was ever the case before. Clary knew the difference between right and wrong, good and bad ... now, gah, now she is Bella and her whole life will fall apart just because Edward, I mean Jace, is gone.

What do you think? Seriously now, tell me if you think that this was up to the standard of Clare's other books.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Time to Geek Out

Occasionally on a sick day I turn to the nerdom for some entertainment.
I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you.

A note about pinterest issues - please people, pin from the site - I couldn't find many of the original sites for these pictures. Let me know if you know the owners.

Found on pinterest with a broken link - who does this belong to?




Language warning in the next one ... you've been warned!

Now let's discuss this theory. Any takers? Rose is by far my favorite companion and I'd really like to see a revisit to her and the half-doctor's life. Do we think she had a kiddo? 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Rules are Rules

I have a rule. I read the book before I see the movie. Because the book is always better than the movie. 

My sister also has a rule. She sees the movie before she reads the book. Because the book is always better than the movie.
(my sis is an awesome movie/television blogger, you should check her blog out)

Now I realize that our motivations are the same - but I'm obviously right. I mean, Hollywood always messes up the story by making it into the movie (which I always gladly pay too much money to go see in the theater) and so it is better to know the whole thing before we go and see it. Right? 

This morning I was pleased because BuzzFeed agreed with me, posting a list of fourteen books to read BEFORE you go and see the theatrical versions.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth --- read and enjoyed. I'm not going to say loved because the whole story kinda fell apart for me in the end. I haven't read the second in the series yet, but hopefully that pulls it all back together again.

2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card --- well, I haven't read this one (I'm ducking subconsciously as I write this because I'm imagining the shock/horror on my friend's face because she has recommended it no less than 5 times). Okay, okay, I'll read it before it is a movie - cross my heart!

3. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare --- obviously I love this series and the way that Cassandra Clare writes. I'm a little disappointed with how the film was cast - but I look forward to seeing it (maybe they will surprise me).



4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green --- I haven't read it. I don't plan to. I don't really plan to see the movie either. When the first line of the description tells you it is about a "terminally ill girl" I kind of lose interest.

5. The Maze Runner by John Dashner --- I haven't read this one, yet. But I did buy it at the last Friends of the Library Book Sale, so I'm getting closer.

6. The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort --- I hadn't even heard of this book until just now. However, since it stars Leo DiCaprio I think I'll be reading this one really quick before, what BuzzFeed says is a "Leo film that is bound to be a masterpiece."

(from BuzzFeed)

7. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn --- here is another on my "to read" list (the amount of adult books on this list is officially at two #6 and this one). However, Reece Witherspoon is rumored to play the part. Please tell me this is a grown up person in this movie? I loved Water For Elephants - but she was WAY too old to play the part (and then they cast the sparkly vampire opposite her - heavy sigh). 

8. The Moments of Men by Robert M. Edsel --- remember I said there are only two adult books on my list. This one isn't one of those.

9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak --- are there people who haven't read this book? It was good, not one of my favorites, but good none-the-less. It should be a great movie!!

10. Serena by Ron Rash --- okay, sometimes I break my own rules. This doesn't sound like an interesting book to me (like Western sounding, am I right?), but it looks like a great movie. Good for whomever cast this by putting Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper back on the screen together so quickly, sure to bring out the audiences :)