Review: The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

ISBN: 9780385736008
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Release Date: May, 2007
Series: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1
Page Count: 375 pages

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.

But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

     REVIEW:

WHAT I LIKED:

• I love myths and legends, and this book is full of them!
• Though much of the book revolves around myth, all of the characters except the teenage MCs existed at some point.
• Very detailed. I never felt like I couldn't picture a scene or something that was happening.
• A few Greek mythology characters were mentioned in the books. Some of you may know - I am a sucker for Greek mythology.
• The POVs were not only from the teenage main characters. Scott switched from the twins to Flamel, to Perenelle, to Dr. John Dee (the bad guy) to Scathach. I liked having the protagonists' and antagonist's view.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

•  The writing was a little awkward. The dialogue was unbelievable at times; however, the writing did begin to flow slightly better about a quarter of the way through the book.
• There was so much information. Lucky for me, I read a ton of mythology books, including educational ones, so I knew some of this information already. I think this is a con, though, because some... or most readers... wouldn't know a lot of that information and would have a hard time keeping track.
• Really slow until about half way through the book, and even after that point, it wasnt that exciting. I found my self struggling to stay interested.
• Most of the myths are sort of just thrown in together with the explanation that all the Gods were the same all over the world just by different names. Again, I love mythology, but this began to get confusing. 

     SUMMARY:

I did enjoy this read, however I didnt love it as much as I really, really hoped I would. I adored Percy Jackson, and I thought this would be slightly reminiscent of the same. I was a little disappointed. I love informational reads that make you think, but I also like to be kept interested with action or something happening. Things did happen, but it never felt exciting. I will eventually read the next installment because I am curious on how this continues, but I'm not exactly rushing out to get it.

     RATING: ★★★

I liked it, but I didnt love it. It was an interesting read but not exciting.

EDIT (9/10/13): After many months and many books in between, I decided not to go forward with this series. I have very little interest in it and decided to spend my time reading something I'll enjoy more.

Have any of you read this one? Do you agree or disagree with the points I've made? Love hearing from you guys!
A.

Review: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

ISBN: 9780385730587
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: September, 2001
Series: The Sisterhood, #1
Page Count: 294 pages

BOOK BLURB:
 "Once there was a pair of pants. Just an ordinary pair of jeans. But these pants, the Traveling Pants, went on to do great things. This is the story of the four friends - Lena, Tibby, Bridget and Carmen - who made it possible."

REVIEW:

What I liked:

• Very easy read. Short, well written and interesting. Easy to get into and get through.
• A very honest portrayal of the characters as human beings, as teenage girls. Often, main characters are GOOD, with a few minor blips along the way. This book showed imprefect girls (like in real life) and their mistakes and what they learned from them.
• Connected to each story, found myself crying through out some of the scenes or laughing out loud while reading in public.
• Each character was distinct, I always knew which point of view I was reading from.
• Just a great feel good, girly book. That's not always my favorite kind of book but its good to  have one every once in a while!

 What I didn't like:

• Being told from four points of view, I wish each part throughout the book was longer than a page. Sometimes it was hard to just jump from PoV to PoV from page to page.
• Carmen was just an awful character. I felt sorry for her but she was just a pain in the ass, borderline BAD kid. She was manipulative and rude and dishonest. I know this isnt a flaw of the book - this is obviously what the author intended - I just DIDNT like this character.
• The ending was sort of unexpected and anticlimactic. I expected more I guess. I was getting closer and closer to the end and started thinking - ok, when is it going to start to wrap up?

   
   SUMMARY:

It occurs to me that I was 12 years old when this book was released. And here I am, 23 1/2 years old FINALLY getting around to it. I was already fond of this story going into it, having seen the movies and having read the 4th book (I know, randomly out of place), so it was clear that I was going to like this one. I really enjoyed it, minus some minor hitches throughout, such as the sucky character Carmen that I wanted to slap and tell to grow up! At least she knew she was being a brat. Anyway, I liked this one and I'm surprised because I generally... okay, NEVER read contemporary YA, or chick lit or whatever you want to classify this. I guess I've realized that the disdain I had for contemporary was unfounded and I can definitely start giving more of it a try.

   RATING: ★★★★

I liked this one a lot and would recommend it to anyone who likes YA, contemporary, chick lit, or just saw these movies and enjoyed them. They are cute and fun and enlightening and address difficult subjects in an easy way.

Have any of you read this or at least seen the movies? Do you agree or disagree with the point I've made? Love hearing from you guys!

A.

Review: Poison by Bridget Zinn

ISBN: 9781423139935
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Release date: March, 2013
Series: Stand alone
Page count: 288 pages

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. 

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses. 

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? 

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

REVIEW:

**I'm actually going to try a different review method to try and shorten things up so you all don't have to read my ramblings that you probably don't care about. Please let me know what style you prefer or think works better, be it the bullet points or my long (though in-depth) reviews**

     WHAT I LIKED:

• It was a cute, fun read with lots of wit and sarcasm.
• The pig thing - just adorable! I actually hated the pig idea in the beginning, but it turns out the pig, though she didn't have a huge part, ended up being on of my favorite parts/characters.
• This book didn't drag on or linger on unnecessary parts of the story. It was a short, swift read with lots of silly, quirky fun.
• There wasn't a horrible insta-love. Maybe an "insta-like", but the story didn't end with a "I've known you for a week, lets be together forever," thank GOD!
• The potioning was interesting, and though I would've liked to know more about it, it was pretty bad ass that Kyra was a "master potioner."

     WHAT I DIDNT LIKE:

• The writing was very simple. I know this is a young adult novel, but it feels like a book that was more meant for children rather than teens/young adults - you know, except for the parts that seemed borderline adult or sexual!! I'm not even going to bother elaborating, just know that some of it seemed too adult for the context the book was written in and it was almost uncomfortable. Super weird. In any event, the writing wasn't bad, don't get me wrong, but not great.
• "Major revelations" in the story came out of  nowhere and seemed out of place or not explained very well.
• The world building was sort of... non-existent. I didn't understand the Kingdom of Mohr at all, and sort of going along with the major events being out of place, it just seemed poorly put together.
• It was more silly than I found acceptable. I thought it was a little too lighthearted in spots that it should've been just a bit more serious, considering the lives of the entire kingdom were at stake!!!! I don't know - that just annoyed me immensely!
• I was almost a little bored by it at times and found myself only reading dialogue or skimming over parts that didn't seem important.
• It was supposed to be set in what seemed like a historical time of some sort, but other than the absence of cell phones and skinny jeans, it seemed a little modern... or at least not "historical" enough.

SUMMARY:

I saw a lot of 4 and 5 star ratings for this book, and I read a few of them, and the readers/reviewers liked the same things I liked, but maybe didn't dislike the same things I disliked and saw fit to give a 4/5 star rating. I initially picked this book up because of the higher ratings and (I regret to admit) because I noticed the author had passed away before her book hit the shelves and I thought it would've been nice to support her and the family even after her passing. It seemed like a cute, fun read and I liked the cover art.

I almost feel bad about the fact that I didn't really like this book. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my cup of tea. But I don't think I should say I like a book simply because the author was taken from the world too soon. I think a true artist such as herself would appreciate constructive criticism. I think I'm just trying to make myself better. So end of explanations and excuses. I simply didn't love it.

All in all, I didn't love this book, and I am pretty glad it was short, and though I liked that it was a change from what I usually read (dark, painful dystopian novels), it just wasn't for me. I didn't necessarily dislike it, but I definitely cant say I liked it either.

RATING:  ★★ 1/2
Two and a half stars, because as I stated before, I'm sort of in between not liking it, and liking it enough for a three star rating. I'm glad I got to read it and experience it for myself, but it seems like I'm a fan of the slightly more serious YA novels, and this book helped me to figure that out.

I'd recommend this to anyone who might enjoy a fantasy book that is more geared toward adolescents and enjoys silly, fun storylines with not much death and doom involved.

Have any of you read this? I'm expecting an onslaught of criticism for my almost-dislike of the book. Go ahead, tell me what you really think, I'm open! Am I being too harsh, or do you agree with me?

A.

P.S. I know I tried to shorten up my review but it doesn't seem like I did, haha. Maybe just simplified my ramblings by adding bullet points? Well anyhow, what do you think as compared to my last review? Please be honest!
 

Feature and Follow Friday

Its F&F Friday again, hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Visit their blogs to find out how to participate!

This week's featured blog is: Jelly's Insider - make sure you pay a visit!

Parajunkee wants to to know:

We always talk about books that WE want. Let’s turn it on its head. What books have you given other people lately?
 

I dont give a lot of books, as gifts or for lending but the most recent gift I gave was to my loving boyfriend for Christmas and I gave him The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga. This is havent read but my boyfriend doesnt read much but he loves the Walking Dead show and I desperately want him to read more, so I gave it a shot. He's had it for months and has maybe read a few chapters -___-

My cousin has been reading all of the books in the Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare, and has been loving them. These I have read, and enjoyed thoroughly, and cant wait for the movie!!

What books have you given lately?

A.
 

Top Ten Tuesday - Favorite Characters in My Favorite Genres

Whew, feels like I've been gone forever. I've been sick since the end of last week - and I still am, but I couldnt stay away!!

Its Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's top ten list is your top ten favorite characters from a particular genre.

I decided to stick with an extremely broad genre so that I may include all my favorite books (I'm such a cheater lol): Young adult fiction (some on the list might actually be considered middle grade, but I dont care! They are young adults too, haha)

My Top Ten Six

6. Clary Fray from The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. I like Clary for the most part. She was stubborn and kind of weak, which isnt my thing, but she doesnt take no for an answer! - most of the time. I feel bad for her in the first few books....and the last few. Boy she's really got it rough, huh? She doesnt give up though. She knows what she wants and she's going to have it.

5. Jacob from The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. Okay, I'm not saying I love Twilight. Like many others, I've since fallen off of the Twilight band wagon, but you cant regret something you once enjoyed. I mean the books arent bad. Meyer isnt a bad writer. I actually loved her sci-fi novel, The Host. Bella sucked, and Edward sort of sucked too. But the books were good. And in Breaking Dawn when Jacob got to narrate part of the book, I fell in love. I didnt like him in the first three books at all. Then BD came along and here we are: Team Jacob!

4. Katniss and Gale from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I've heard people complain about them too, but considering the world they lived in, I think they werent half bad. Frankly, Katniss is BAD ASS and Gale - movie AND book Gale is HOT.

3. Percy from The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan. I've heard that a lot of people don't like Percy because he's annoying, immature, etc. but I kind of love him. He's hysterical for starters. But he loves his friends and family, and though he does stupid things - often - he always manages to come through in the end!

2. Jonas from The Giver by Lois Lowry. I liked Jonas a lot, mostly because of the bravery he shows at the end of the book. The Giver is one of my favorite books, period, so its not just Jonas that I love. Its the whole book!

1. Obviously, my very favorite character from my very favorite book(s): Hermione Granger from The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. How can you not love her? She's so intelligent and hungry for knowledge. She loves her friends but she knows how to stand up for herself, too.


What characters made your lists?

A.

For the love of books

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly feature hosted by a blog of the same name. Visit BTT to find out how to participate.

This week's topic is: you guessed it - LOVE! In honor of Valentine's Day, BTT has asked:

"Not the kind of “love” question you’re expecting for Valentine’s Day. No, what I want to know is:
What do you love most about reading?"
 

This is a pretty easy one for me. I love being absolutely immersed in the story, the characters, the world. Even in a book I didnt love, I find myself missing the characters and the world they come from when I am done reading.

Let's take Hogwarts for example. AN ENTIRE WORLD, people! Sometimes I even miss #4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey!! How can you not? Honestly, if I'm having a rough day, I either pop out an HP book or pop in an HP movie (depending on my level of upset-ness) and dive right in. Its a place that can always make me feel at home when I feel like I dont belong in my own world.

Let's not pretend that bloggers aren't real people. We all have our problems, our issues, because as much as we blog, real life never goes away. For me, and I'm sure many other people, sometimes a book is also a getaway. Whether you need a trip to another state, country, planet, or alternate universe, a good book is always there to lend a hand. Hell, sometimes a bad book is there to lend a hand, too.

 That's usually why I have a hard time not finishing a series. If I didnt love a book, I usually miss it anyway when I'm finished, and find myself going back for more of the characters I somehow came to love despite the lack of a good story or whatever was wrong with the book.

What do you guys love about reading?

A.

W.W.W. Wednesday

W.W.W. is a weekly feature hosted by Should Be Reading. Visit their site to see how to participate... or just see below because its pretty self-explanatory. I usually do Waiting on Wednesday, but I feel like I'm running out of things to be waiting on so I'm skipping this week until I do some more book-searching.

• What have you just finished reading?

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
I enjoyed this book alot - I posted a review on it recently - check it out, and let me know what you thought (or if you havent read it, if you're thinking about reading it).

• What are you currently reading?

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Enjoying it aso far but I'm only about 50 pages in. This is much shorter than Beautiful Creatures so hopefully I'll move through it a little faster.

• What do you plan on reading next?

Well last week I was determined to read City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare, but when it came down to it, I picked up Pandemonium. So I'm not making any promises but I think I am either going to read Fever by Lauren DeStefano (especially so I can go pick up Sever) or Cinder by Marissa Meyer because the amazing reviews this book is getting are starting to get to me. Oh the pressure!!!

 

 

 

So what reads are on your list this week? Have any of you read my picks? What did you think - I'd love to hear from you!

 

Happy Reading :)

 

A.

 

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

ISBN-13: 9780316042673
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 2009
Page Count: 563
My Rating: ★★★


Synopsis:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

 In-Depth Review:

I have mixed feelings about this book. Let me start by saying overall - I liked it a lot, and cant wait to read the next one. There were some low points to the book, but not enough that it took away from the story. When I was reading the review before I read this book, I saw some people nit-picking on the writing style. I'll address this by saying: WHAT?! Garcia and Stohl's writing styles are magnificent. I didnt have a single problem with their writing, detail, grammar - the editing was perfectly fine. I did have a few issues with some of the dialogue but this is something that I feel happens in every book, and doesnt bother me much.

When I started this book I decided to take notes, which ended up looking like one big run on sentence in one big running commentary. The first thing I wrote down when I started this book was why I couldnt figure out how Ethan and Lena went from passing eachother in the hall to Ethan running after her in a storm, taking her home and hanging out on the border of Ravenwood. Someone please tell me how this happens? I know they "feel like they know eachother" or whatever, but then further into the story, things get awkward and they act like they DONT know eachother that well. That was something that left me feeling a little weird while reading the story. A couple of things like this bothered me throughout, but I dont want their to be any spoilers, so I wont specify. But what I'm getting at is that I felt like they just jumped into a relationship, a story, a "we're in this together" with barely any time to get to know eachother.

I had a problem with the fact that Ethan seemed almost completely unafraid and eager to find things out, meanwhile Lena was sulking in her room and causing monsoons. What the hell Lena!? Grow up!

I didnt hate the book though, I actually enjoyed it very much. I thought it was really interesting finding out about Wate and Duchannes family trees and taking a few well described trips back to the Civil War. I flew through this book at first actually. It ended up taking me about a week and a half to read it but that was because of my schedule, not because of the slow pace of the book.

I very much enjoyed having this book written from Ethan's point of view. Some reader's didnt love this aspect because it was different. On the contrary, I liked this aspect a lot because it was refreshing, nice to have a different point of view, especially because I dont think I could have dealt with bratty Lena as the narrator. She was too busy being mad about not being a normal kid to grow and be a dynamic character. She was annoying, point blank. A few things were left unexplained that again I wont mention specifically, but I'm really hoping the next book goes more in depth.

I also loved that Lena writes all the time - on her hand, in her notebook, on her ceiling - as a writer, it was something I could relate to.

The last thing I have to address is the ending. I think that the ending could have been way worse and honestly leading up to the very last page, I thought it was going to be. I was expecting it to be anticlimactic, and trust me, it didnt end the way I expected it to and it confused me a lot, but I was pleased with the ending and anxious for what happens next. I just cant imagine being in Lena's shoes and being able to get through it.... I wont elaborate, but for those of you who have read it - I'm sure you agree.

Final thoughts....

Like I said, there were some low points in the book for me, but the authors made me feel Ethan and Lena's inner turmoil, I felt like I was IN the story. The plot and characters were so original and unique and they kept me wanting more every time I had to put the book down.

Rating: ★★★

This one gets four stars (*see edit below) from me. I enjoyed it and cant wait to read the next one, and encourage fans of YA and supernatural novels to pick it up too!

Have any of you read this? What did you think? Do you agree or disagree? I'd love to hear what you think!

A.

EDIT:  After careful consideration of this book after reading this book, I've decided to drop the rating from a four-star to a three-star rating. I did enjoy the book, but shortly after moving on to another book, I realized I had little desire to continue on to the next book and was actually confused and annoyed about some aspects of this book. I did still enjoy the book, as my three star rating shows, but I didnt love it.

Ultimate Book Tag

Found this little baby on In Love With Words, and thought it would be fun to try. I tag all of you go do it too! Leave your links in the comments section, I cant wait to see what your answers are!


Questions:
1. Do you get sick while reading in the car?Oh God, yes, and it's awful. A boring car ride and all I'd like to do is kick back and read a good book. But noooo. Five minutes in and I'm nauseas and ready for a nap.
2. Which author's writing style is completely unique to you and why?
Nora Roberts - always has been and always will be. She could re-write the telephone book and I'd read it. Her imagery and detail is unmatched in my opinion, along with her humor and knack for leading several stories at once in one novel.

3. Harry Potter Series or the Twilight Saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer.Harry Potter, hands down. I am a fan of Twilight, but (1) Harry Potter is something that has followed me through childhood - I loved it them and I love it now, (2) the characters in HP are strong, adventurous and noble, not depressed, mopey and vulnerable (Bella just isnt my cup of tea), (3) and Rowling creates another WORLD to be a part of, another LIFE with all new friends, places to visit, evil to fight. I mean reallyyy. Its Harry Potter for God sakes.

4. Do you carry a book bag? If so, what is it in (besides books...)?
Umm... well I'm not in school anymore, but when I was in highschool I did. With the obvious notebooks, pens, pencils, textbooks. College I had a bag but no bookbag, and in my purse besides my wallet and cell phone, you'll find the book I'm currently reading and occasionally a notebook if I feel like writing.

5. Do you smell your books?
Lol, sometimes. Not all that often, unless I inadvertently get a wiff and notice how pleasant it smells.

6. Books with or without little illustrations?
Well, I can do without the illustrations unless it is a map or a family tree. Otherwise, I can honestly say I hardly pay attention to them.

7. What book did you love while reading but discovered later it wasn't quality writing? (Ex. I read Twilight before I read HP and thought the writing was amazing but read HP and now think Twilight is a little bit of a joke.)
Well I agree with the question actually to an extent. I read HP a long long time ago, and read Twilight more recently. I was blown away by Twilight, then decided to read HP again after many years and wondered why I even bothered with Twilight.

8. Do you have any funny stories involving books from your childhood? Please share!
No, I unfortunately dont... or I cant remember any, haha.

9. What is the thinnest book on your shelf?
Lord of the Flies by William Golding

10. What is the thickest book on your shelf?
Definitely Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

11. Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?
I love writing, and one of my biggest dreams is being a published author. Not necessarily like JK Rowling living just off of my writing. But published, with readers and fans and the whole 9 yards. I have never completed anything to send to a publisher though. One day I will.

12. When did you get into reading?
I always loved reading as a child and my favorite place to go was the bookstore. In high school it wasnt as cool to read so I didnt read much at all. It was right after I graduated and moved to Pennsylvania, around age 18 that my obsession came back full-force and hasnt stopped since. :)

13. What is your favorite classic book?
Is it sad that I've only read a few, and the only one that sticks with me is Jane Eyre which I honestly didnt love? Ugh, I feel like a failure in the classic books department.

14. In school was your best subject Language Arts/English?
Haha yes it was. I didnt always get straight A's because I did get a bit lazy in high school but I always did very well and enjoyed my English classes more than any others.

15. If you were given a book as a present that you had read before and hated...what would you do?
Pray to God there was a gift receipt...

16. What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter or the Hunger Games?There are no books like Harry Potter. I'm sorry. I've been searching high and low for something similar that I can get into and the closest thing that I've liked even half as much was the Percy Jackson series and the spin off series, which mind you, I love very much. As for Hunger Games,  I dont think anything is too similar to that either. Most dystopian YA books have a similar society and an uprising, but nothing crazy like the Games themselves included.

17. What is a bad habit you always do (besides rambling) while blogging?
Post without proofreading. Bad, bad, bad!

18. What is your favorite word?
Ah... I dont know what I have one. Is that weird coming from someone who loves reading and writing so much? I really just dont, haha.

19. Are you a nerd, dork, or dweeb? Or all of the above?
Most definitely a Nerd. Hence - Nerd is the Word. :))

20. Vampires or Fairies? Why?
Eh, well I'm more comfortable with vampires with all the books coming out over the last few years with them. Fairies... not so much. Unless you mean fairies like in Nora Robert's Irish books, which really just means ghosts, which I can deal with.

21. Shapeshifters or Angels? Why?
Uh, well I liked the angels or part angels or whatever in the Mortal Instruments series, so.... why dont we go with that!

22. Spirits or Werewolves? Why?
Definitely werewolves. Way cooler!

23. Zombies or Vampires?
Ugh please no zombies. They are so played out already. Not that vampires arent but with the formerly-impending zombie apocalypse, I've had enough.

24. Love Triangle or Forbidden Love
Forbidden love. I dont like it too much when one person strings two along, even inadvertently.

25. AND FINALLY: Full on romance books or action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in?
Once upon a time I would have preferred full on romance to anything else, but I have since grown and evolved and would prefer something with an alternate storyline with some romance in it.


Cant wait to see your answers!

Manda C.

Teaser Tuesday and Top Ten Tuesday - 2013 Debuts I'm Looking Forward To

Hey hey, its TTT again, a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!
This week's topic is: Top Ten 2013 Debuts I'm Looking Forward To.

This is a really tough one for me since I've been out of the loop for so long, and I dont really know any debut authors. So instead of participating, I'm asking, what books are you really excited for and what do you think I should read as someone who hasnt been very much in the reading/blogging world lately?

 

 

 

It's also Teaser Tuesday, hosted by Should Be Reading! Here's how to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

I'm currently finishing up The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts, and here's a juicy teaser from that book:

" 'She's just using you.' But there were tears in Sheridan's eyes now, and the quaver of them in her voie. "She's using you and trying to wreck my marriage. You're the one who'll be sorry when she tosses you away for a bigger catch."

 

This one is a really good read, so if you want to see who is wrecking who's marriage, you might want to pick it up. I am hoping to be done with this book today, and hopefully a review up in the next day or two. What's your teaser this week?

 

Happy reading!

Manda C.

 

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by a blog of the same name, Booking Through Thursday! The idea is simple:

 

"Copy the questions, paste them into your blog and answer them.

When you're done, come back here and post a quick comment or trackback letting everyone know so we can read your responses. Be sure to leave a link to your actual post! (Just type in the web-address--Wordpress will automatically turn it into a link for you.)"

 

So this week's topic is:

"I’m usually torn. I love giving and sharing books, but it can be hard. The giftee can be difficult to please, or you don’t know what they’ve read (or what they thought of books they have read). Even people who love to read and love to get books can be hard to gift books to … so, does that make you pause and reach for the neckties or DVDs or sweaters … anything BUT a book at gift-giving time? How do you feel about getting books yourself? Are you picky or easy?"

 

I LOVE giving books as gifts, haha. Most of my family and friends do not like to read as much as I do.... or at all. I bought my boyfriend a book for Christmas - The Walking Dead, Rise of the Governor. Sounds nice, right? Uh.. well we've been together for almost six years and I've seen him reads maybe a total of four books in the last six years. Why did it buy it? because I cant help myself!

 

My sister just had a baby 2 1/2 months ago and I told her I'm going to buy my niece books for every holiday and that I am going to read with her all the time. I bought my 2 months old niece a book for Christmas. I mean it was a squeaky Elmo book that she could chew on, but still.

 

As for me, if I could get ONLY books for holidays, I'd be set. However, I don't like just any book. A couple of times, I gave my mom or boyfriend lists of books I wanted so they could buy them for me - or just asked for gift cards to the local bookstore. I got gift cards for Christmas and the next day went to the bookstore to load up... they then tell me their system is down and they cant take gift cards at that time. What did I do? Went home and ordered four books online - express shipping, thank you very much!!

 

So yes, I am a book/reading girl through and through. Become my friend, I'll be gifting you a book and you're GOING TO LIKE IT! :))

 

What about you? How do you feel about giving/receiving books as gifts?

 

Happy Readings!

Manda C. :)

Waiting on Wednesday & WWW Wednesday

 

It's Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Breaking the Spine!

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted [at Breaking the Spine], that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating."

This week's upcoming release is Sever by Lauren DeStefano!

Release date: February 12, 2013

 

From B&N:

Time is running out for Rhine in this conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Chemical Garden Trilogy.

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

 

I cant wait for this one! I havent read Fever yet but it's sitting on my shelf calling to me. It'll be one of the next I read I'm sure.

 

Whats your waiting on pick!?

Top Ten Tuesday - 2013 Bookish Goals

Hey hey!

It's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke & The Bookish!

This week's topic is top ten reading goals/bookish resolutions for 2013!
Funny, my some of my goals are the same or very similar to Paula's and a few other's I've seen who are linked on her page. Well here are my top 10 bookish goals:

1. Read 100 books this year;
2. Read three (3) books at a time from my shelf before I buy more - in other words, one purchase (not one book) per three books read. (Paula has five and that is ambitious but it hurts me to commit to that);
3. Read at least five (5) classics this year;
4. Read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy in its entirety.
5. Review every book I read this year (oh, God that one is going to be rough);
6. Read at least five (5) books by "new" authors (new to me);
7. Read two (2) non-fiction books;
8. Finish all of the books that are currently TBR on my book shelf by the end of the year, so that all of the books on my shelf next year are TBR from this year,haha;
9. Finish up all series that I'm in the middle of, at least up to the latest release, if the final book hasnt been released yet;
10. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Give away/sell some of the books I know I wont read again (not including Jodi Picoult or Nora Roberts books. I just cant do it).

Whew. Making commitments like that has me sweating over here. Okay, it helps to call them goals, not promises or commitments or resolutions. Just goals.

I like the idea of having book related goals this year. I didnt really make a New Year's Resolution until I decided to make a blogging related one, and that was to get back on the blogging bandwagon in general. The only non-book/blog related resolution I made this year was to be more positive. I tend to get bogged down in my every day life with so much going on, and I let myself stray toward the negative. It's rather unfortunate for all parties involved, and I resolve to be more positive, blog a whole lot more, and try really, really hard to complete the ten goals I listed above!

What are your Top Ten Bookish Goals for 2013?!

Happy Reading
Manda C. :)

See.. I told you!

Haha, here I am two+ months later, and I’ve yet to review anything.

I have a confession… I’ve barely been reading. Not for lack of trying anyway, but for lack of time and because I’ve been draaaggginnnggg through the Hobbit for the last MONTH!

I couldnt take it, honestly. It wasnt a bad book at all. Actually, when I started reading it, I flew through the first half. Then it started to slow down, and I started ordering books with my birthday and Christmas money and I had all these new books begging to be read and that can really get distracting and…
Well you get the point. Really though, I’m not going to do a review on the Hobbit because I struggled so much getting through the second half and when I finally finished it I felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders, and I really dont want to go back into that right now. I’m postponing the plans I had to read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy because as many wonderful things as I’ve heard about it, if they are like the Hobbit, I will need A LOT of time and patience and dedication to get through THREE of them. Ugh.
However, I did hear marvelous things about the movie and I have plans to see it soon. I never like to see movies before I read the book, no matter what it is, so now that I’m done, I may go. I’ll let you know!

I havent yet figured out what to read next. My next confession is that I have way too many books to read. I just keep buying and buying faster than I can read them. I need help, I know. But you can see how hard it would going to be for me to pick ONE to read right now. I’m torn between Fever by Lauren DeStefano, The Last Hope by Nora Roberts, or picking up the Giver by Lois Lowry again to read the entire series ending with her bran new book, Son, which is the one I’m totally pumped about. However, I’m not quite ready to go into a four book series, so I think I’m going to go with a different one for now until I get out of this reading funk I’ve got going.

I did make a New Year’s resolution to blog more. I know that that is probably a bad idea. I mean who keeps New Year’s resolutions? I hardly ever do. But it’s 2013, a new year, and new me… maybe? I hope.

What is your New Year's resolution? Anything to do with books or blogging?

Happy Reading!

Manda C

*This post was previously published on 1/7/13 then moved to this new blog site.

Back to blogging!

Hey there!

I’m giving myself a warm welcome back to the blogging world, if you couldnt guess.

For those of you who never followed me, I have had a blog previously, and have since deleted it, for several reasons. That blog was called Happy Readings Reviews. It was on WordPress and Blogger. I’d had it for a while, maybe a year or so, and I sort of fell off the wagon and hadn’t posted anything since May of this year. – YIKES!

Needless to say, I wanted to get back on the wagon, but I’m still iffy as to how it will work out. I am so strapped for time that my posts could be daily or monthly (at best). But I’ve missed everyone so much, and missed having an informal method of creative outlet that I just had to come back.

So why did I create a new blog, you ask? Wouldnt it behoove me to keep and continue with my old one, you say? Well, sure, except I felt like I’d tarnished my reputation a good honest and blogger and become the blogger who couldnt get it together, who made promises to post things and didnt come through. Well that blogger is long gone! I just wont promise things anymore! Haha, no – I kid.

In all seriousness, I’m not planning for frequency, I’m planning for consistency. I will make one promise: to give honest reviews! My goal is for my fellow readers and bloggers to read a brief review, written by yours truly, and to have a solid idea on whether a book is worth reading. (My reader/writer’s heart tells me that every book is worth reading, but you know what I mean!)
So tune in, for my first review on my new blog will be coming shortly. I’m currently reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth, the second in a trilogy, second to Divergent, by the same author, and I’ll be letting you all know what I think.

Happy Readings!

Manda C.

*This post was previously published on 10/31/12, then moved to this new blog site.