Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Book to Movie: Mockingjay Part 1

It really should go without saying that this is full of both book and movie spoilers. 



Book Review: The Iron Trial

by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare



Tweet Synopsis: Callum has always been told not to go. Callum goes. Callum learns. Callum is amazing. #friendship #adventure

Book Review: The Dream Thieves

by Maggie Stiefvaer



Tweet Synopsis: Ronan can take things from dreams Blue's deadly kiss is coming Gansey is trying to hold it all together Adam doesn't fit  

Monday, November 3, 2014

Book Review: Solstice

by Jane Reed


Tweet Synopsis:
Come and meet a new Dystopian that has been covered with water and Jez has been tasked to save it all ... if only she knew what was going on. 

Bingo Update


A Book with a Blue Cover
2. Leader's Eat Last by Simon Sinek
A Book of Non-Fiction
A Book with a One Word Title
A Book You Heard About Online
A Book with a Mystery
A Book by a Female Author
A Book Written by an Author Under Thirty
A Book with More than 500 Pages
The Second Book in a Series
A Book with Non-Human Characters
A Book that Scares You
A book published this year
A book your friend loves
A book from the bottom of your 'to-read' pile
not a part of Bingo
not a part of Bingo
A book that became a movie
A book of short-stories
A Best-Selling Book
First book by your favorite author
21. The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black
not a part of Bingo

Kicked that reading challenge's butt!

I NEVER finish my reading challenge. I try to set my goal appropriately and then I never make it. This year I set it low, seriously low (25 books) and I beat it. Okay, I did it in October, which means that was a sad number of books to finish this year, but still!

You can set your own goals and read my reviews on www.goodreads.com 


Book Review: The Case of the Bedtime Bandit

by: Toodles and Whistlehoot (I'm sure those are their real names)


Tweet Synopsis:
Ellie and Ace are not just best girl and best dog friends, but they are also world-famous detectives on the hunt to solve the mysteries of the neighborhood. 

Why Did I Pick It Up:
This was a review copy of the book, although I am reading simple chapter books like this at the library all the time, I haven't reviewed one officially on my blog before. I agreed to review the book because I buy the beginning readers for my library and am familiar with how they look, read, and sound. My favorites are Elephant and Piggie, in case you were curious. 

The Good:
Ellie and Ace are an adorable duo who are smart and curious. Ellie, the human counterpart is one part smart and one part Inspector Gadget (that is, sometimes she is a little oblivious) and Ace is one part trouble-maker and one part Penny (that is, he seems to know what is going on, but no one really listens because he's a dog). 

The Bad:
The narrator talking to the audience would be a writing style I'd save for an older audience as it reads more like a report and less like a story - which could make it hard to understand. I'd recommend this book to a stronger end of second grade reader, who might not like it because of the simple storyline.

Who will love this book? 
Readers of Amelia Bedilla and Fly Guy will like these simple mysteries and getting to know Ellie and Ace better. Kids who like smart pets will really like these stories as well.

How much did I like it? 6.5/10 (that whole style vs age gap presents a problem)

Will I read more? Possibly, at my library :) 

Disclaimer: I received this book as a review copy, but the review is all mine.




Book Review: Silver Bells

by: Lucinda Brant, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, Lu Ann Brobst Staheli, Annette Lyon, and Becca Wilhite


This collection is fun and a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! As I've been listening to Christmas music for weeks already, this was the perfect book to continue my holiday mood :) I've ranked my favorite short stories as follows:

1. A Taste of Home - I love Claire's excitement at going home and the detail that is spent on her Christmas memories. I love Will's hesitation that isn't fully explained at the beginning. They are both their own person and the story develops over a short period of time, but, unlike most romances, it is almost believable. This book could do with a stronger editing though, unless Will really did dip Claire's "brains" in white paint ...

2. A Christmas Promise - This book reminds me so much of the Christmas song, "Christmas Day" by Dido. However, unlike the song there is quite the happy ending in store for these characters. Starting out with a narrator was a little awkward, but it reminded me of "The Princess Bride" in a good way. Sean is a hardworking, sweet guy whose ego gets the better of him and luckily, Maeve was there to save him.

3. My Modern Girl - This one just made me laugh. How many times have we gone out of our way to have fancy French chocolates and when we got them, thought that Hershey's bars were even better? That is the moral of this story, sometimes what's right in front of you really is the best thing. I loved seeing Macy's and the Thanksgiving Day parade from an "insider's" perspective and this book felt a little like the movie, "Sweet Home Alabama" which was really a good thing (I love that movie).

4. A Fairy Christmas - This was really the only story that didn't feel rushed in the collection. Time was spent on character development and the storyline. I think much of that has to do with the fact that this story takes place during a single evening. Sweet and classic.

5. A Fezziwig Christmas - What is up with that last name? Aside from being hung up on the terribleness of the name, I couldn't really get into this story. Too much happened with too many characters in too few pages. I couldn't remember who I wanted to get the girl and who I didn't.

My only overall hesitation, as with most short stories, is that they felt so rushed. Four out of the five stories felt like too much happened in a few pages. I find this to be the case with most short romances, but they are still a challenge to fully enjoy.

Disclaimer: I received this book as a review copy, but the review is my own. 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Book Review: Half-Blood

by Jennifer L Armentrout



Tweet Synopsis:
Alex is half-god, half-human, and all trouble. Aiden is a pure and gorgeous. Rachelle is a mother who didn't die. You are in for a wild ride. 

Monday, October 20, 2014

Book Review: Cinder and Ella

by Kelly Oram


Tweet Synopsis:
Ella is living a nightmare. Her best friend, Cinder, is a mystery. Her stepsisters are terrible. This modern Cinderella story has some twists you aren't expecting.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky



This might feel a little spoilery ...

Tweet Synopsis:
Charlie has led a great life and things might be turning around when he meets a group of wallflowers who just want to be themselves.

Bingo Update

A Book with a Blue Cover
2. Leader's Eat Last by Simon Sinek
A Book of Non-Fiction
A Book with a One Word Title
A Book You Heard About Online
A Book with a Mystery
A Book by a Female Author
A Book Written by an Author Under Thirty
A Book with More than 500 Pages
The Second Book in a Series
A Book with Non-Human Characters
A Book that Scares You
A book published this year
A book your friend loves
A book from the bottom of your 'to-read' pile
not a part of Bingo
not a part of Bingo
A book that became a movie
18. Silver Bells Collection
A book of short-stories

Book Reviews: The Raven Boys

by Maggie Stiefvater


Oh my goodness I finished a book! 

Tweet Synopsis:
Four boys on a quest, one non-psychic girl, surprises around every turn and old magic. The future has been written and it doesn't look good.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Book Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray


No historians or librarians were harmed in the making of this book,
but some were badgered extensively with questions
Libba Bray, The Diviners: Author's Note

Why Did I Pick It Up:

It was a recommended read by the YA Librarian at my library.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

New YA Releases I Can't Wait to Get My Hands On!


Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne
Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.

But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

In her arresting debut novel, Livia Blackburne creates a captivating world where intrigue prowls around every corner—and danger is a way of life.

Extraction by Stephanie Diaz
"Welcome to Extraction testing."

Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.

What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too. 

Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.

With intense action scenes and a cast of unforgettable characters,Extraction is a page-turning, gripping read, sure to entertain lovers ofHunger Games and Ender's Game and leave them breathless for more.

Illusive by Emily Lloyd-James

The X-Men meets Ocean's Eleven in this edge-of-your-seat sci-fi adventure about a band of "super" criminals.

When the MK virus swept across the planet, a vaccine was created to stop the epidemic, but it came with some unexpected side effects. A small percentage of the population developed superhero-like powers. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba has the handy ability to change her appearance at will. She's what's known as an illusionist...She's also a thief.

After a robbery goes awry, Ciere must team up with a group of fellow super-powered criminals on another job that most would consider too reckless. The formula for the vaccine that gave them their abilities was supposedly destroyed years ago. But what if it wasn't?

The lines between good and bad, us and them, and freedom and entrapment are blurred as Ciere and the rest of her crew become embroiled in a deadly race against the government that could cost them their lives.

Unwept by Tracy Hickman

Gamin, Maine, is a remote seaside town where everyone seems to know Ellis Harkington better than she knows herself—but she doesn’t remember any of them.

Unknown events have robbed Ellis of her memory. Concerned individuals, who purport to be her friends and loved ones, insist that she simply needs to recuperate, that her memories may return in time, but refuse to divulge what has brought her to this state. For her own sake, so they say.

Ellis finds herself adrift in a town of ominous mysteries, cryptic hints, and disturbingly familiar strangers. The Nightbirds, a clique of fashionable young men and women, claim her as one of their own, but who among them can she truly trust? And what of the phantom suitor who visits her in her dreams? Is he a memory, a figment of her imagination, or a living nightmare beyond rational explanation?

Only her lost past hold the answers she seeks—if she can uncover its secrets before she fall prey to an unearthly killer.

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother - Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid - was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea's uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea's 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother's guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom's heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother's legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive.

Descriptions from Good Reads

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Soap Box: #weneeddiversebooks



Let me soap box for just a second. There is this huge, awesome, trend right now that is a rally cry to writers and publishers - WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS. We want to read about different cultures, ethnicities, and abilities (I'm not talking magic here). The argument is that people want to picture themselves as book characters and should be represented, as main characters, in good books! The only books I've read recently with diverse characters focus on their difference from the "popular" white skin, blonde hair, stereotypical characters we've all grown accustomed to. I've been searching for picture books that feature different types of abilities without being ABOUT how to make friends with someone who is in a wheelchair. Does the chair itself have to become the overriding theme of the story? I'd like to say no.

Sunday Musing

Oh, I haven't had a Sunday Musing in awhile - enjoy the bookish quotes on these last relaxing hours before Monday morning comes oh so early!


Book Review: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence


Why Did I Pick It Up:
It was on display in the Young Adult area of the library when I walked a patron over there. Because of the cover, I thought the character in the story would be black and I've been trying to read some more culturally diverse books (that aren't about being culturally diverse #weneeddiversebooks). However, if Aria isn't white, I glossed over it because I'm pretty sure all the characters were white ... just like in every other story I've read lately.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Book Bingo: August Update


A Book with a Blue Cover
2. Leader's Eat Last by Simon Sinek
A Book of Non-Fiction
A Book with a One Word Title
A Book You Heard About Online
A Book with a Mystery
A Book by a Female Author
A Book Written by an Author Under Thirty
A Book with More than 500 Pages
The Second Book in a Series
A Book with Non-Human Characters
A Book that Scares You
A book published this year
A book your friend loves

Book to Movie Review: Divergent



Divergent


So many spoilers ahead, proceed with caution.

Check out my Facebook page for lots more Divergent themed info.

Overall Comparison:

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Book Review: Earth Girl

Earth Girl
by Janet Edwards

Why Did I Pick It Up:

My friend and coworker brought it to me. We typically like the same books (like Cassandra Clare's series) and so I took the book happily.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Book Review: These Broken Stars

These Broken Stars
by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner



Why Did I Pick It Up:

To be honest, this book has an awesome cover and I saw it on a "to be shelved" cart at the library. I vaguely remember reading a review on it and it was on my GoodReads to-read list. But really, it has a great cover. 

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Book Review: The Hollow City

The Hollow City
by Ransom Riggs

Why Did I Pick It Up:

I read the first book and really enjoyed the uniqueness of the story (not to mention those awesome pictures). Plus, I needed to try out our new eBook vender at the library :)

Monday, August 4, 2014

Book Review: Ruin and Rising


Notes before we start:

Only a few times have I loved characters so much, I've cried even when things weren't sad. There is something about Alina, Mal, Nikolai, and all the others that I've grown so attached to. I cry with their pain, rejoice when they are happy, and savor every moment with them. As I started this book I was constantly reminding myself to slow it down, enjoy the moment, don't race to the end. Still, the end came much too soon. There were unexpected and glorious lines like, "I am ruination" and events that made me cringe. There were silly lines I repeated aloud and times I slammed the book closed in anger only to flip it open and quickly find my spot back.

I picked up Shadow and Bone off of the new book table at the library on a whim one day and I'm so glad I did. This series is one of the best I've read. The action is interesting, the details are visible, and the characters are so well formed I want to go and stay with Alina for awhile because I think we could be friends. 

Please, please, someone hear my plea, don't make this a movie. I love it too much. It will break my heart and be terrible. I love the Grisha series too much to see it ruined.

Why Did I Pick It Up:

After reading the first two books in the Grisha Triology (Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm) I couldn't wait to get my hands on the third, and sadly final, book. Just a quick recap, Shadow and Bone I read in 24 hours and I said that "not since Catching Fire have I loved a sequel as much as Siege and Storm." This series is quickly ranking at the top of my favorites ever.

Why? I guess because the characters are so intriguing, but more on that later. 

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Book Review: Prophecy of the Sisters

Prophecy of the Sisters
by Michelle Zink



Why Did I Pick It Up:

The title is pretty intriguing and I needed a book. This was a cold pick - I recommended (a risk, so to speak).

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Dear Ms. Rowling,


In my last open letter to you, Ms. Rowling, I was rather harsh. However, as women are apt to do, I'd like to take a completely different tone with you today. This is a tone of praise for reminding how magical and enchanting the world you created is. Tonight I treated myself with the pleasure of reading your new ... what shall we call it? The news has said it is a short story, but it is more then that, it is a look into the world we love so much.

This is my wand - surprisingly swishy ;)
I love how you were able to take a most detestable character, Rita Skeeter, and turn her into the narrator of a story that made me smile all the way through. Of course, Ginny is there as well, telling us all about what is the most exciting Quidditch World Cup Final between Bulgaria and Brazil. She told me everything I wanted to know in her very Rita like way. Although she is terrible and dislikable and totally dishonest, I could picture exactly what Dumbledore's Army looked like as they watched the match.

Now Ms. Rowling, I know that your people have said this is the LAST time you'll write about these characters, but didn't you say that the last time? I'll keep holding out that one day you'll write another novel and bring us another tale from about Harry Potter and the wonderful world of magic we all love.

Your Devoted Fan,

Lizz


P.S. For readers who haven't read the short story yet, savor it over at www.pottermore.com. You'll need to log in, but I highly suggest it so you too can attend your sorting. If you're in my house look me up (even if you aren't), I'm BloodSpirit26167. Oh, by the way, I'm in Gryffindor ... it was that or Ravenclaw, but the Sorting Hat let me choose :)

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Reading Bingo - May Update

A Book with a Blue Cover
2. Leader's Eat last by Simon Sinek
A Book of Non-Fiction
A Book with a One Word Title
A Book You Heard About Online
A Book with a Mystery
A Book by a Female Author
A Book Written by an Author Under Thirty
A Book with More than 500 Pages
The Second Book in a Series
10. The Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
(Review forth coming)
A Book with Non-Human Characters