Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Book Bingo 2016


New and improved for 2016! My goal for this New Year is to read 65 books (which is just one less than what I read this year). Since I recently discovered a love for audio books I feel like this will be an easy challenge to complete. So, in addition to the 25 Book Bingo books, I have an additional checklist on the side. If your goal is smaller, just black out what you don't want to use :) 

As for the rules, last year there was some confusion:
1. You can only use a book once, even if it would work for multiple squares.
2. You don't have to report back to me -- but I'd love to know what you're reading.
3. Audio books count, physical books count, eBooks count. (Picture books don't really count, except for that one square)

Looking for some book recommendations? Check out what I read in 2015 on Goodreads! Become my friend, I love new Goodreads friends! 

Monday, December 28, 2015

Book Review: The Young Elites


Why Did I Pick It Up: Our YA librarian recommended the series to me

Book Review: An Ember in the Ashes


Why Did I Pick It Up: Many of my GoodReads friends had added it to their "to read" lists

Book Review: Six of Crows


Why Did I Pick It Up: Um, I didn't, it was delivered to my Kindle at midnight because I couldn't wait for it to come out ... or because I love Leigh Bardugo ... or because the book sounded AWESOME

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Book Review: The Assassin's Blade

This will be pretty spoilery if you haven't read the books yet. So, you know, proceed at your own risk. 

Why Did I Pick It Up: After reading everything else, I decided I'd risk a novella.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Book Review: Sea of Shadows


Why Did I Pick It Up: It has a great cover ... yes, I'm that librarian

Book Review: Paladin


Why Did I Pick It Up: It was recommended on GoodReads

Genre: Fantasy

Reminds Me Of ... First Year by Rachel E Carter, but maybe that is just because it was a recommended read based on that title. 

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

September TBR


Happy September 1st all! This month on Instagram (@lizzlibrarian) I'm participating in @silenceofthreeparts' #sotpseptemberbookchallenge15 ... day one was to create a September TBR (to be read) list. I usually don't have a plan as I move through my books, however I am making a plan, albeit a lofty one, and we will see how this month goes. 

1. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas ... I'm nearly salivating at the idea of reading this book, but I'm forcing myself to finish my current book before starting. Seriously, if I see a spoiler before I start to read I'll die.  
      Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4)

2. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo ... one of my favorite authors whose Facebook posts have me so excited for this book. If you don't follow her on Facebook ... you should.  
      Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
   
3. Winter by Marissa Meyer ... another favorite author of another favorite series. If you remember Cinder was the first book I reviewed here on the blog and I just finished Fairest which was delightfully evil. I'm so excited for this final chapter.    
      Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)

4. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi ... I'm excited to read book two in this series!
     Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2)

5. Lumberjanes #1 by Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson ... I don't typically read graphic novels, but I'm drawn to this one because of all the recommendations it's gotten. I've checked it out, looking forward to reading it!    
      Lumberjanes #1
  
6. Illusionarium by Heather Dixon ... this one has been at the top of my TBR list on GoodReads for quite awhile, looking forward to actually reading it this month.  
      Illusionarium

7. The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J Maas ... I don't typically read novellas, but I love this series and a little more back story might be fun (unless Queen of Shadows breaks my heart, then I might wait on this one).  
      The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass, #0.1-0.5)
  
8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling ... my audio book right now, spinning in my car. I've never listened to these on audio and if you follow me on Facebook you know I just rewatched all of the movies. Time to delve into the books once again.    
      Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

9. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau ... the book I started into September with, it is pretty good so far. About 50% in it reminds me of a cross between Divergent and The Giver. Be watching for the review soon!    
      The Testing (The Testing, #1)

In addition to these NINE books, I hope to get caught up on my book reviews this month. Keep checking the blog for more great books to read! You can stay more caught up with what I'm reading on GoodReads or Facebook. 

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Do you use GoodReads?


I've been using GoodReads for a few years now and it has really expanded my reading horizons. I had tried (for a long time) to make LibraryThing work for me, but I kept coming back to the same problem - the website was unattractive, not user friendly, and not easily shared on social media. I didn't realize those things were as important to me as they are (well, user friendly yes). I thought I was just going to use it to keep track of books, but I was always behind in recording and tagging ... then I found GoodReads (insert angelic music here).

Reasons I love GoodReads

1. Follow my friends - it is easy to find friends from Facebook, email addresses, and simply searching in the website. I can see what they are reading, quickly add the books they like and recommend to my reading list, and we can have discussions about books. We've tried this in different formats and they are never very successful. It is a simple way to connect with existing friends over books.

2. Find new friends - this is one of my favorite and more recent developments, finding friend with similar reading tastes. This is the best way to get recommendations to books you'll like. My "real life" friends add books to my "To Read" list that challenge me to break out of my comfort zone, and my "online" friends help me find books I know I'll love.


3. Easy keep track of "To Read" books - I read book reviews ALL THE TIME for work, I get reading recommendations daily while at the reference desk, I'm always getting emails or adds for new books and it can be hard to keep track of it all. A coworker copies the front of the book and keeps it in a file, that works for her, GoodReads works for me. Plus many websites are integrating an "Add to my To Read List" button into their reviews and lists making it even easier to use from anywhere in the internet ... I hope to do this when I figure it out.

4. The App. I love my phone for so many reasons and my GoodReads app is a BIG one of those reasons. I can add books right when I start them, scan their ISBN codes to add them (LOVE that feature), I can add quotes that I find funny and update while reading. I don't read at my computer desk and never did book updates in the past, even when I really wanted to. The app has made using GoodReads so much easier.

5. Reading Goals - as a librarian I'd love to say I read all of the time, but I don't. Life gets busy and often times I'll go weeks without picking up a book. I hate it when that happens, but it does. However, having my Reading Goal helps me make reading a priority. Plus I can easily see what books I've recently read when updating this blog or BINGO.

6. Groups - I haven't used groups very successfully, but I did just find an awesome one where Ford (the car company) gives away audio books to start book discussions called the Ford Audiobook Club Group. The first book I got is really fantastic so far and totally free.

7. Listopia is indispensable as a librarian - with so many books and kids coming in with crazy requests, I'm always pulling up lists and helping kids find great books. I'm also always finding great things to add to my own reading lists ... what a brilliant tool.

8. Shelves - I don't use this feature all of the time, but it has been great for short reading lists, creating favorites lists for easy recommendations, and I see lots of people creating different kinds of shelves, it is something I plan to explore more in the future.

So come follow me, hang out, make some recommendations and be nerdy about books, because that is really what GoodReads is all about.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Book Review: Heir of Fire


Warning, if you haven't read the first two THIS WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS! 

Also, this is the best book I've read this year

Why Did I Pick It Up: Because it FINALLY came in and I was dying after reading the first too ... 

Book Review: Shatter Me


Why Did I Pick It Up: Rachel E. Carter recommended it as a great "book boyfriend" 

Book Review: Flunked




Why Did I Pick It Up: Such a cute cover and sweet concept  

Monday, August 17, 2015

Book Review: The Black Mage: Apprentice


Why Did I Pick It Up: I had read the first after becoming friends with Rachel on GoodReads ... after reading the first you cannot help but read the second. 

Book Review: Unspoken

Why Did I Pick It Up: I don't remember, except the cover reminds me of the show The Gates that was only on for one season ... that may have been why I picked it up.

Book Review: The Sin Eater's Daughter

Why Did I Pick It Up: Um, it has a really fantastic cover 

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Book Review: Dorothy Must Die


Tweet Synopsis: Sweet and innocent Dorothy Gale has caused some problems in Oz #dictator #problemchild #dorothymustdie 

Book Review: Crown of Midnight



Why Did I Pick It Up: Because book one was so fantastic

Book Review: Inhuman


Tweet Synopsis: This is the ultimate city girl into wilds story - manimals are everywhere, Lane can't trust them, especially Rafe #badboy #savefather

Book Review: First Year


Tweet Synopsis: Rhiya knows mage school will be hard, but she starts behind then it gets worse #snobs #hotprince #hazing #exhaustion

Friday, July 24, 2015

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses


Tweet Synopsis: Fayre hates the faeries, then she has to either go live with one or be put to death #awkward #unexpectedlove

Why Did I Pick It Up: After reading Sarah Maas’ other series, I was excited to get to devour this one!

Book Review: Throne of Glass


Tweet Synopsis: Celaena isn't just a pretty face. She isn't just strong willed. You should watch your back. #freedom #survival #murder


Book Review: Enclave


Tweet Synopsis: Deuce isn't a heroine, but she is writing her own story, no matter what anyone thinks. 

Book Review: The Cure for Dreaming


Tweet Synopsis: Being yourself is even harder when you're a budding suffragette, your father is a traditionalist, and there is a hypnotist waiting to erase it all. 

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

New Shadowhunters Show

Here are my thoughts:

1. I'm totally excited, I really love TV ... I know, it is probably rotting my brain, but a great television show can be almost as good as a delightful book. The thing about television is that it makes you drag the story out. When I read a story I want to get to the end, yes I savor it, but I move quickly. The story in its entirety is what excites me. However, when I'm watching a show I only get about 40 minutes at a time. Slow moving and detailed. It is lovely

2. With shows that The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, and Pretty Little Liars - the show is better than the book. It is terrible, but everything is there, live and in color. It expands the story to make it richer and more complex. I'm really looking forward to it.

3. Here is a concern, you saw the movie, right? Well, I'm worried they may totally butcher the storyline again. I'm not saying the parts about jobs and Clary is an art student, I'm saying totally change the storyline, change the ending, change who knows what ... the whole thing. From that perspective the movie was a total disappointment (although, I'll admit, I own it).

These pictures are all from TVLine.com and you can check out that page for more information on the actors.


Here is our friend Clary Fray television vs movie version. The television version looks so much more like I pictured Clary (plus she doesn't have Lily's eyebrows). I'm looking forward to this casting because she has the looks down - but will she pull off Clary? I hope so.
Jace, oh Jace. I liked Jace in the movie, he was a bit of a raw nerve, an edge that you were always on the verge of cutting yourself on. This is very much Jace to me. However, the Jace in the movie was so slight, thin, dare I say frail? Jace in the books is described as being pretty built so I think this new casting will be better for the overall look. Can I get past the two color eyes though? 

Movie Alec was always wrong to me. I pictured Alec as insecure and thinner. This Alec was short, stocky, and had too much hair. I know the fangirls really wanted Kevin (who plays movie Alec) to play television Jace, which would have also been a bad call. I guess I don't feel like he is that stellar of an actor. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the new Alec and I hope he can pull off a little more insecurity and be less ferocious. 


Isabelle in the movie was a little too insecure for me. I liked what a strong character Isabelle is in the books and our new Isabelle just looks tougher - it is in her eyes. I'm looking forward to her being fierce!


Jocelyn in the movie spends most of her time not in the film. I really liked the movie casting and I feel like the television casting falls a little flat. I feel like the TV version of Jocelyn is a little too old and not as mysterious as the movie version. But she hasn't done any acting for the show yet and might prove me wrong. 

I love the bold changes they took with Luke. He will be a police officer which gives him more sustainability in the show's storyline and instead of a sweaty, hairy guy, they made him this hot black dude. In a society that whitewashes characters all the time (remember how upset people were when they cast Rue because no one knew she was black?) I'm glad that this show is upping the represented ethnicities. 

Magnus, perhaps my favorite casting. I always pictured Harry as Magnus - maybe subconsciously, but I think he has the smooth charm needed to play this role. Oh, I'm so excited. Magnus is my favorite. 

Simon isn't my favorite character, but I'm glad they moved him up in the world from silly little boy to semi-dopey best friend status. I'm glad he will be a student rather than a wanna-be rocker. I never felt like that fit him well and maybe this will make me like him more as a character. 

Valentine's casting is perfect. He is dark, angry, and perfectly how I pictured him. Jonathan Rhys Meyers was too weak looking and never really made me believe he could be evil - I was always disappointed in his casting. I'm so looking forward to seeing Alan Van Sprang bring this character to life. 

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Kindle, eBooks, iPad ...


I love books. As a little girl I spent many hours with books. I grew up listening to them, loving them, watching them float in toilets (true story), reading them, memorizing stories, befriending librarians, paying overdue fines, making Wish Lists full of books I couldn't live without, counting down to new release dates, yelling at authors, slamming books closed, crying when characters make me mad, flinging books across the room only to run after them again, getting only two hours sleep because I stayed up to finish the book, going in to the library on my day off to get the next book, checking out my limit, not to be trusted in the bookstore with a credit card ... grown up book lover.