'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' by Laini Taylor

Length: 418 pages (hardcover)
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Source: bought own copy
Overall rating: 4.5 / 5 stars

'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' had been sitting on my shelf for quite some time and I knew I wanted to get to it very soon, since the third and final book of the series comes out this spring. This YA fantasy story follows Karou, an art student who has a sketchbook full of monsters and chimera. But Karou lives a bit of a double life and all these monsters and creatures are actually real and who she calls her family.

This book is pretty hard to give a detailed synopsis of, without spoiling anything, but the story centers around a very complex fantasy world that even Karou doesn't fully understand in the beginning. I really enjoyed that the reader was able to go along with Karou in her journey, making sense of things at the same time that she does. The fact that the reader, and Karou, are left in the dark for so much of the book, was at first a bit frustrating since we didn't get a lot of answers, but by the time Taylor wraps the first book up, that frustration goes away.

My hands down favorite aspect of this novel was Laini Taylor's writing. She has an amazing poetic and lyrical style to her writing, an element that fit amazingly well with the ethereal world she has developed. She definitely has one of my favorite writing styles ever, it left me absorbed and jealous all at the same time.

In addition, the fantasy world she has created is so beautiful, that I continuously wanted more of it. There is about 100 pages in the middle of this story that did get a bit a boring for me, since there was a lot of sitting around and talking, but the end definitely made up for this. The story  is more character driven during the first book, but I hear the second is very action packed. Overall this was a great world and character building first book in a series and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

I have seen some reviews of this lately from people that haven't finished the novel and complained that they couldn't get into it and were very confused. I can completely understand that thought process, but I also highly encourage people to push through, since the last third of the story is amazing. Go into this with an open mind and just take the details and character how they are, realizing it is a fantasy world very different from our own. I definitely found it worth it in the end and cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

The Fault in Our Stars Movie Trailer!!

It is finally here! I cannot wait to see the movie this June!

~ J u n e  6 , 2 0 1 4 ~

What did you guys think of the trailer? I LOVED that a lot of my favorite quotes from

the book were in the trailer, seems like it will be a faithful adaptation!

Waiting on Wednesday [25]

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This feature highlights a future release that you are eagerly waiting to come out.

'Faking Normal'

by Courtney C. Stevens

Length: 336 pages (hardcover)

Expected Publication: February 25th 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins

An edgy, realistic, and utterly captivating novel from an exciting new voice in teen fiction.

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in "the Kool-Aid Kid," who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.

A searing, poignant book, Faking Normal is the extraordinary debut novel from an exciting new author-Courtney C. Stevens.

[Synopsis from Goodreads] 

  

I am always keeping an eye and ear out for debut authors and this is no exception. This sounds powerful, intense and very real, three things I love in a contemporary. I definitely want to give this one a go, hopefully it is good. [: Comment below on your thoughts about 'Faking Normal' and link your WoW, if you participated this week.

Top Ten Tuesday [11] : Characters I Don't Want to Switch Places With

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish so head over there if you want more information or want to participate. This week is a top ten worlds you would never want to live in or top ten characters you would never want to switch places with. I am going to go with the top six characters I would not want to switch places with.


1. Clarke from 'The 100' by Kass Morgan: Although I think being sent down to Earth for the first time would be a great adventure, the likelihood of death is a bit too high for me since these teens are sent pretty much as expendable guinea pigs.

2. Mia or Midori from '172 Hours on the Moon' by Johan Harstad: In normal circumstances a trip to the moon would be amazing, but let's just say things aren't as expected up there in this story and I would never want to be on that trip with them.

3. Ender from 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card: Ender is sent to Battle School in space, in order to train to be a military leader as Earth is under attack. Sound stressful much?

4. Rhine from 'Wither' by Lauren DeStefano: Being kidnapped and then sold as a bride, in a world where people die so young, seems like a pretty crappy way to live.

5. Risa from 'Unwind' by Neal Shusterman: Not only does Risa live in a horrible dystopian world where she is to be "unwound," she also had to grow us as a ward of the state. Girl cannot catch a break.

6. Alex from 'Ashfall' by Mike Mullin: Alex has to survive through a super volcano's eruption and then search for his family. No thanks.

I could definitely list quite a few more, especially a lot of dystopian worlds, but I am going to stop there. If you participated in this week's Top Ten Tuesday, make sure to link it below so I can stop by. Or definitely let me know of your picks below! I am sure a lot of people are putting dystopian books for this feature, but I would love to see your lists! Thanks! 

'Wintergirls' by Laurie Halse Anderson

Length: 278 pages
Publication Date: March 19th, 2009
Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Source: bought own copy

Overall rating: 4 / 5 stars

'Wintergirls' tells the story of two best friends, Lia and Cassie. Both girls battle eating disorders and after Cassie dies, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's spirit. Overall this is an intimate and emotional real look at eating disorders, and the numerous lives it can affect. Like with many of Anderson's contemporary novels, this one was heart wrenching and beautifully written.

I really enjoyed the overall experience of this book, it was a roller coaster ride of emotions but in the end felt so real and raw. Anderson doesn't sugar coat eating disorders in this story, but instead shows all the highs and lows that Lia goes through.

Other than the intensity of Anderson's novels, my favorite component of this was definitely the writing. It is so beautiful and lyrical that I was sucked in from page one. A lot of her descriptions of basic things were so vivid and unique, it gave such a great insight into Lia's mindset. The reader may often not understand Lia's thought process or decision, but Anderson does a great job of making you realize that can be how eat disorders take over your whole life. She also did a great job of showing, not just telling, the constant internal battle that plagued Lia and how that affected every thought in her head.

I really enjoyed what we got to see of Lia's sister as well, but would have loved to see even more. Eating disorders affect so many aspects of a person's life and I think this could have been even more powerful if we got more of Emma, who is at a very young age and often doesn't understand why things are happening.

Overall I definitely did enjoy this story and hope to read more of her work in the future. I read 'Speak,' years ago, but for no good reason hadn't picked anything else up yet. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone, just make sure you are ready to be heartbroken and raw after reading it.

'The Cuckoo's Calling' by Robert Galbraith

Length: 455 pages (hardcover)
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Source: bought own copy
Overall rating: 3 / 5 stars 

This story follows Cormoran Strike, a private investigator. After the dead of his sister, Lula, John Bristow contacts Strike, wanting him to investigate her death because he doesn't not believe it was a suicide. This mystery/thriller centers around Strike's investigation, as he hopes to reveal the truth of the model's sudden death. Like most people, when I heard that the author of this was J.K. Rowling, I knew I had to have it. 

My favorite aspect of this novel was definitely the writing. I knew that I would enjoy reading more from Rowling, but hadn't realized how much I had missed it. The writing is beautifully descriptive, I was able to picture everything she wrote.

Although I did enjoy the overall plot of the story, I didn't necessarily feel it was very unique. There are a lot of mystery/thriller novels on the market and I didn't feel like the storyline stood out from others (except for the writing). For anyone who has read mysteries before, they will likely be able to figure out the ending of this one. I figured it out about 150 pages from the end, which left the ending not as exciting as I hoped it would be. It was nice to see the ends tied up though, since I wasn't able to see how everything fight together.

I enjoyed how this was a mystery but also a character study of those in Lula's life. The reader got to see great characterization and depth to the characters as Strike continued to investigate. Unfortunately, with a lot dialogue heavy books, like this, it can get a bit boring at times and not as action packed as I hoped it would be. Strike's conversations with Lula's friends/family often started to feel repetitive, sometimes not revealing much at all about Lula or her relationships.

Overall I thought this novel was just okay for a mystery/thriller. It felt a bit boring at times for me, but I am definitely glad I read it. For those of us that love Rowling though, I definitely think it is worth the read.

Waiting on Wednesday [24]

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This feature highlights a future release that you are eagerly waiting to come out.

'Isla and the Happily Ever After'
by Stephanie Perkins
Length: 352 pages (hardcover)
Expected Publication: May 15th 2014
Publisher: Dutton

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

[Synopsis from Goodreads] 

  
I really enjoyed reading both 'Anna and the French Kiss' and 'Lola and the Boy Next Door' that I, along with many of you I am sure, cannot wait for this to come out. It sounds just as adorable as the other two. [: Comment below on your thoughts about 'Isla and the Happily Ever After' and link your WoW, if you participated this week.

Recommend A... [4] Book With All The Feels

Recommend A... is hosted by Vy's Blog. Future Monday prompts can be found here as well as more information on this feature. All you have to do to join in is answer the week's prompt and add your link through Vy's current post.

This week's prompt is: Recommend A... Book That Made You Feel ALL The Feels. And for this I am going to recommend a book I read years ago, but was so emotional that I still think about it to this day.

'The Kite Runner' by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner of Khaled Hosseini's deeply moving fiction debut is an illiterate Afghan boy with an uncanny instinct for predicting exactly where a downed kite will land.

Growing up in the city of Kabul in the early 1970s, Hassan was narrator Amir's closest friend even though the loyal 11-year-old with "a face like a Chinese doll" was the son of Amir's father's servant and a member of Afghanistan's despised Hazara minority.

But in 1975, on the day of Kabul's annual kite-fighting tournament, something unspeakable happened between the two boys. [Synopsis from Goodreads]

I really hope to read more of Khaled Hosseini's books in the future, since I have only heard good things about his others. 'The Kite Runner' is told through the perspective of a young child and I think that is huge factor that makes it so emotional, leaving the reader wanting to protect the innocence of children. If you haven't picked this one up, I would highly recommend it, but prepare for a whirlwind of emotions.

Comment below and let me know what you thought of 'The Kite Runner,' or if you hope to read it soon. Also leave a link to your Recommend A... post, if you participated this week.

'The Edge of Never' by J.A. Redmerski

Length: 426 pages (paperback)
Publication Date: November 15, 2012
Source: bought own copy
Overall rating: 2.5 / 5 stars

This book follows the story of 20 year old Camryn Bennett who wants to get far away from her life after an unexpected night out with her best friend. Camryn decides to broad a Greyhound bus, with no destination in mind, in hope of finding herself. Along the way, Camryn encounters a lot of people, including a guy named Andrew, with a mysterious background himself. 

I really enjoyed the road trip aspect of this story and how Andrew and Camryn's paths crossed, as they both are not trying to get back home soon. One of my favorite aspects of books that involve traveling is the setting and imagery that an author has the chance to work with and when done well can really paint a vivid picture for the reader. At times I felt J.A. Redmerski did this well, but I would have loved to see it more consistently, rather than just flashes of it. They travel through a lot of states that I didn't feel were captured very well.

I also enjoyed the character development and depth we were able to see, it really made Camryn seem real and help the reader understand where her insecurities came from. Camryn was far from a perfect person and her struggles through the book were mostly handled realistically.

Unfortunately I did find the story to be quite predictable and stereotypical of a romance, which made the first half of the book often boring for me. There weren't a lot of unique plot points in my opinion and even the ending revelation, which is supposed to be a big reveal, felt very predictable and like taking the easy way out in explaining Andrew's behavior.

In addition, I did not appreciate how aggressive and controlling behavior came off as a redeeming quality. Initially it seems that Andrew just wants Camryn to trust him, but later on it feel controlling to me when she had to do anything he told her to do. I am also not personally a fan of constant, repetitive use of 'baby' and 'babe' especially when the main characters have only known each other for a week or two. This may not bug most people, but it just stuck out to me all the time and felt like it was in every other line Andrew said.

Overall I think this would appeal to readers looking for a New Adult romance to read, but unfortunately wasn't my cup of tea. I plan to try some more New Adult in the future though, so hopefully I will find something a bit more my taste.

Waiting on Wednesday [23]

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This feature highlights a future release that you are eagerly waiting to come out.

'A Mad, Wicked Folly'
by Sharon Biggs Waller

Length: 448 pages (hardcover)

Expected Publication: January 23rd 2014

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
      
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

[Synopsis from Goodreads] 

  

First off I love the cover of this. Secondly, I love the title for some reason. And thirdly, it sounds like it has all the makings for a historical fiction romance, + London. I definitely want to give this one a go, hopefully it is good. [: Comment below on your thoughts about 'A Mad, Wicked Folly' and link your WoW, if you participated this week.

'Cinder' by Marissa Meyer

Length: 387 pages
Publication Date: January 3rd, 2012

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Source: bought own copy

Overall rating: 4 / 5 stars

Once I heard that this story was a retelling of Cinderella, but in a dystopian/sci-fi future, I knew this book was for me. The storyline follows Cinder, a cyborg that lives in New Beijing, as her society is threatened and the truths she learns along the way. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of Meyer's story and loved how strong of a character Cinder was throughout the book, as well as the almost steampunk feel it had to it. 

I really enjoyed the overall experience of this book, it was written in a way that was descriptive enough to get the reader absorbed in the story, but also developed the main character, Cinder, very well. At times I did feel that Prince Kai could have used more development and depth, so I hope we get more of the the next books. He didn't really feel very unique of a character to me, but luckily Cinder stood out enough for me that it didn't lessened my enjoyment of the story.

I think one of the strongest elements of the book was the world that Meyer created. As I read it, it didn't necessary stand out as amazing to me, but looking back I really appreciate the history she pulled in. Elements like the plague and history rulers really helped me understand how things get to be where they were.

I did feel as though the overall story was pretty predictable though. With it being a retelling of Cinderella, certain elements are going to be easy to predict, which at times made me not as surprised with plot turns. The cyborgs, robots, and other sic-fi elements were a nice twist on the story though. I felt the ending of the book was very strong though and left me wanting more.

Overall I definitely did enjoy this story and plan to continue on with the series. 'Cinder' wasn't the most action packed book ever, but I feel it is a great world building first book in a series, leaving me with high expectations for book two, 'Scarlet.'

Recommend A... [3] Book With A Musically Talented Character

Recommend A... is hosted by Vy's Blog. Future Monday prompts can be found here as well as more information on this feature. All you have to do to join in is answer the week's prompt and add your link through Vy's current post.

This week's prompt is: Recommend A... Book With a Musically Talented Character. I am going to recommend a book by author that I have really enjoyed the last few years, Lisa Schroeder.

'Far From You' by Lisa Schroeder

Lost and alone...down the rabbit hole.

Years have passed since Alice lost her mother to cancer, but time hasn't quite healed the wound. Alice copes the best she can by writing her music, losing herself in her love for her boyfriend, and distancing herself from her father and his new wife.

But when a deadly snowstorm traps Alice with her stepmother and newborn half sister, she'll face issues she's been avoiding for too long. As Alice looks to the heavens for guidance, she discovers something wonderful.

Perhaps she's not so alone after all.... [Synopsis from Goodreads]

I have really enjoyed all of Lisa Schroeder's books that I have read and this was no exception. I loved that it was written in verse, an element that made it very powerful. This story follows Alice, who composes music for her church group as an outlet, through some struggles in her life.

Comment below and let me know what you thought of 'Far From You,' or if you hope to read it soon. Also leave a link to your Recommend A... post, if you participated this week.

Stacking the Shelves 1/12/2014

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews that consists of highlighting the books, and book related items, that you have recently picked up and are adding to your shelves! This week will highlight NetGalley.com approvals and ARCycling books that came in the mail this week. :)

NetGalley ARCs for Review:

'Insanity' by Susan Vaught

'The Truth Against the World' by Sarah Jamila Stevenson

ARCs from ARCycling:

'Hourglass' by Myra McEntire

'All These Things I've Done' by Gabrielle Zevin

I plan to read and review both 'Insanity' and 'Hourglass' in February, so keep an eye out for that! Comment below and let me know if you have read any of these books and what you thought of them. Make sure to also link your Stacking the Shelves, IMM or holiday posts below, so I can stop by and check it out! :)

Books 'n' Bloggers Swap!!

Just wanted to post quickly to let you know that I will be participating in the Books 'n' Bloggers Swap that is run over at Chaotic Goddess Swaps. This is my first swap ever so I am excited to jump in! Here are the details:

Send your partner THREE books:
1.  A book you love
2.  A book you haven't read but are interested in
3.  A book from your partner's wish list

Rules:
-  Packages must contain three books that fit the criteria above.
-  Send books that fit your partner's genre preferences.
-  You must respond to emails from the swap hosts within a timely fashion.
-  Books MUST be mailed on or before February 1st, set to arrive by February 5th.
-  You must send a tracking number for your package to your partner and the swap hosts.
-  You MUST post and link up your swap reveal post. This is non-negotiable.

Sounds like fun, right? The hosts we be assigning partners once the sign-up is closed, it is a great way to make more blogging friends. Head on over to the sign-up post to get more information! You can sign up through January 13th!

'The 100' by Kass Morgan

Length: 277 pages

Publication Date: September 3rd, 2013

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Source: ARC, Goodreads First Reads

Overall rating: 2 / 5 stars

The set up for this story is in a future where the Earth has become uninhabitable and therefore societies are now living in spaceships above Earth, with hopes of one day returning. This story centers around 100 teenagers that are "juvenile delinquents" being sent back to Earth, since they are seen as expendable, to see if it is now safe. I was initially really intrigued by the premise, sounding like a space / science fiction story with a lot of potential. Unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations and wasn't as unique as it could have been.

First off, I wasn't a big fan of the main characters in the story, I found them to be annoying and unrealistic. I found myself constantly frustrated with Wells, since his only motivation seems to be wanting to be with Clarke. For most of the characters I wanted them to be more concerned with the situation they were in, rather than their love lives. I felt the same with Glass, since she felt like her love life was more important than her safety and the ones she loved. Bellamy did have some redeeming qualities and I did enjoy the connection he had to his sister.

I also wasn't a fan of the four alternating perspectives. Any time I got into the storyline of the character, the chapter ended and the storyline was halted until three chapters later. Four perspectives seemed to be a bit much for this story, especially since three of the four are on Earth in the same situation, often observing the same things.

I also would have liked to see a bit more world building once they got on Earth. Early on I enjoyed the development of the government in space but once they got to Earth it seemed to stop. There was a lot of descriptive passages about the landscape and scenery, but I felt not enough on bigger picture things. There is one scene where the teens run across an animal that appears to be mutated, something I would have loved to learn more about. 

Overall, I was left disappointed with this read. It is advertised as a survival story, but instead is more of a romance. If I had liked any of the characters, other than Clarke at times, I think it may have worked as a romance, but needed to be more laid out as one. There were fleeting scenes that showed promise, but then would cut to a romance storyline and leave me unsatisfied. I was hoping for action, suspense, and sci-fi elements, but overall they were very undeveloped.

[An ARC copy of this book was provided by Goodreads First Reads in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions, and overall review. I received no compensation for this review.]

Waiting on Wednesday [22]

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This feature highlights a future release that you are eagerly waiting to come out.

'Avalon' (Avalon #1)
by Mindee Arnett

Length: 432 pages (hardcover)

Expected Publication: January 21st 2014

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

[Synopsis from Goodreads] 

  

Based off the synopsis, this sounds like a really intriguing new series. Cannot wait to get my hands on it since sci-fi is one of favorite YA genres. Comment below on your thoughts about 'Avalon' and link your WoW, if you participated this week.

Bout of Books 9.0 -Goals & Updates-

Below are my goals for the Bout of Books 9.0 read-a-thon that I will be participating in from Monday January 6th through Sunday January 12th. If you want any more information on this read-a-thon, head over to the Bout of Books blog that is set up and dedicated solely to info on the read-a-thon. This is also the post that will host my updates during the read-a-thon and will continuously be updated through the week!

Time Devoted to Reading:
I hope to be able to up my reading everyday of the read-a-thon but I may miss a day if I have other things going on.

My Goals:
Read at least 4 books!
Read 100 more pages of 'A Game of Thrones.'
Read at least two hours a day.
Catch up on reviews during reading breaks.

Books to Read:
'Ghost World' by Daniel Clowes ( 80 / 80 pages )
'A Monster Calls' by Patrick Ness ( 215 / 215 pages )
'The Walking Dead vol. 3, Safety Behind Bars' by Kirkman ( 136 / 136 pages )
'The Ocean at the End of the Lane' by Neil Gaiman ( 181 / 181 pages )
'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell ( 180 / 433 pages)
'The Darkest Minds' by Alexandra Bracken ( 0 / 488 pages )
'Beautiful Music for Ugly Children' by Kirstin Cronn-Mills ( 0 / 262 pages )
'A Game of Thrones' by George R.R. Martin ( 106 / 100 more pages during the week)


Monday, January 6th
- Number of books finished today: 1 [Ghost World]
- Number of books read total: 1 [Ghost World]
- Currently reading: A Monster Calls

Challenge #1: Imagine if you will: you've just received some FANTASTIC news! You have won a $100 book buying spree! Now comes the hard part though: what books will you buy?! For this challenge, you'll be creating your book buying spree wish list, and sharing it. Hosted by Bookish Comforts!

Challenge #2: Hosted by Cheap Thrills!
1. Character name: 'Cinder' by Marissa Meyer
2. Adjective1: 'Amy and Roger's Epic Detour' by Morgan Mattson
3. Adjective2: 'Hollow City' by Random Riggs
4. An Item: 'The Girl in the Steel Corset' by Kady Cross
5. Occupation: 'The Iron King' by Julie Kagawa
6. Act of Violence: 'Fight Club' by Chuck Palahniuk
7. Adjective3: 'Pretty Girl-13' by Liz Coley
8. Noun1: 'Anya's Ghost' by Vera Brosgol
9. Noun2: 'On the Fence' by Kasie West

I just read the greatest book!

This girl Cinder ends up in the middle of an epic conspiracy. Turns out her ancestors were pirates, and she might be the key to finding the hollow corset. It's a mythic artifact that disappeared centuries ago, and now a shadowy group of kings are looking for it. No one knows what uncovering it might do, but these guys are willing to fight for it.

I won't say anything else. But believe me, if you like pretty stories with ghosts and fences, you have to read this one.

<Ghost World wasn't be favorite graphic novel ever, but it was enjoyable. Going to start A Monster Calls tonight!>


Tuesday, January 7th
- Number of books finished today: 1 [A Monster Calls]
- Number of books read total: 2 [Ghost World][A Monster Calls]
- Currently reading: The Walking Dead Vol 3

Challenge: How do you fit in as much reading as possible during Bout of Books? How do you squeeze in those extra pages? Hosted by Sarah Says Read!

To fit in more time for reading during the Bout of Books read-a-thon I have been doing a lot of reading in the mornings. Usually I am one to only read at night but I have made time so far this week, and hopefully through the week, to read in the mornings. I also have been taking a book with me almost anywhere I go, in case there is some down time.

<Really loved A Monster Calls and would highly recommend picking it up! Going to finish up The Walking Dead and then head to bed. :)>


Wednesday, January 8th
- Number of books finished today: 1 [The Walking Dead Vol. 3]
- Number of books read total: 3 [Ghost World][A Monster Calls][The Walking Dead Vol. 3]
- Currently reading: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Challenge: For this challenge, pick a book or a few books that you think would make a great introduction to your genre of choice. Hosted by Doing Dewey!

My two favorite genres are fantasy and science fiction. So I think for science fiction I would recommend 'Across the Universe' by Beth Revis to YA readers. I finished reading the series a few months ago and really enjoyed the whole series and I think it would be a great transition series for readers that want to test out the genre.


Thursday, January 9th
- Number of books finished today: 0
- Number of books read total: 3 [Ghost World][A Monster Calls][The Walking Dead Vol. 3]
- Currently reading: A Game of Thrones

<Wasn't enjoying The Ocean at the End of the Lane as much as I thought I would, so for the rest of the day I am going to take a break from it and read some more of A Game of Thrones. I plan on finishing the last 50 pages of The Ocean at the End of the Lane tomorrow evening.>


Friday, January 10th
- Number of books finished today: 1 [The Ocean at the End of the Lane]
- Number of books read total: 4 [Ghost World][A Monster Calls][The Walking Dead Vol. 3]
                                                            [The Ocean at the End of the Lane]
- Currently reading: A Game of Thrones

Challenge: Open your current book to the last page you read. Using the last word of every line, create a poem or story. Hosted by Never Too Fond of Books!

Page 130 of The Ocean at the End of the Lane: Go, anything, before, us, now, keep, off, clean, home, and, grass, on, quickly, the, get, anything, not, I, on, you, fine, it's, grass, can, me, rhododendron, gone

My poem:
the fine grass before me and you;
on anything I can get clean, it's home now;
keep off the grass, rhododendron;
not anything on us;
go quickly, gone


Saturday, January 11th
- Number of books finished today: 0

- Number of books read total: 4 [Ghost World][A Monster Calls][The Walking Dead Vol. 3]

                                                            [The Ocean at the End of the Lane]

- Currently reading: Fangirl


Sunday, January 12th
- Number of books finished today: 0

- Number of books read total: 4 [Ghost World][A Monster Calls][The Walking Dead Vol. 3]

                                                            [The Ocean at the End of the Lane]

- Currently reading: Fangirl

Challenge: The Bookish Wedding Tag. Hosted by Harley Bear Book Blog!

1. Which fictional character would you marry? Jace Wayland from the Mortal Instruments (sorry Clary)!
2. Who would be your maid of honor? Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door.
3. Which fictional world would you want to get married in? at Hogwarts please. :)
4. Who would you want to play music at your wedding? Roger from Amy and Roger's Epic Detour would be the DJ.
5. Who would be your photographer? Clare from The Time Traveler's Wife (I have only seen the movie, but she was the only one I could come up with).
6. Who would sit at the singles table (and hope they'd fall in love)? Clay from Thirteen Reasons Why and Amber from The Day Before.
7. Who would be your flower girl? Emma from Wintergirls.
8. Who would you want to plan the bachelorette party? Reagan from Fangirl.
9. At the wedding, who would be the first on the dance floor? Adrian from the Vampire Academy series.
10. Who would give a speech or toast? Etienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss.
11. Who would catch the bouquet? Camryn from The Edge of Never.