Let's Evaluate

Saturday, December 21, 2013

2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge!

I have decided to participate in the 2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge. Click here to head over to the sign up post and learn more about this challenge. It is pretty easy to guess that the main goal of this challenge is to work through reading the books that have been on your TBR pile for quite some time. There are some guidelines and levels for this challenge so make sure to go check that out, as well as link up your post!

I have challenged myself to read 17 books for this challenge (it is my lucky number) and that puts me into the 'A Friendly Hug' level for the challenge.

The list below are the books I have accomplished reading in 2014 and will be continuously updated to see my progress. You can also click the "2014 Challenges" tab above to check out my progress.

1. [Jan 2014] 'Wintergirls' by Laurie Halse Anderson

2. [Jan 2014] 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' by Laini Taylor

5.
6.
7.

Hope everyone has a good year of reading and works their way through the piles of books we all have. :) Comment below and let me know if you enjoyed any of the books and what you plan to read for the challenge.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

'172 Hours on the Moon' by Johan Harstad

Length: 355 pages (hardcover)
Publication: April 17, 2011
Publisher: Little Brown
Source: borrowed from library
Overall rating: 3.5 / 5 stars

I had been seeing this go around a lot of blogs lately and even though it isn't my typical genre, I thought the suspense and thrill of it would be worth the read. The story follows three teenagers are they are given the chance to venture to the moon, after NASA hasn't been there in years.

I really loved the concept behind this story, it was unlike anything I had read before and I knew the mystery behind what they find at the moon would chill me to the bones. About half way through the story turns into a sci-fi, horror story, that left me creeped out after finishing it around midnight.

Initially I didn't really connect with the characters and found them ungrateful for the experience they were going to have, with Midori being the only exception. Mia and Antoine never really changed through the story and I would have liked some development from them. Fortunately, the plot made up for the lack luster characters. The writing also took me a bit getting used too, but I appreciated most of images and graphics that were thrown in the novel.

I don't want to give away anything about the twist at the end because knowing it before hand would take away from the creepiness of actually reading it, but I would definitely recommend this to horror and sci-fi fans that are looking for a young adult version. This isn't too gruesome or disturbing as a lot of other horror and I think that is a big reason I enjoyed it so much.

Overall, I wasn't too impressed with or connected to the characters in the story (which I usually need to enjoy a book) but luckily the plot twists and turns were enough to make up for it, and left me overall enjoyed the story.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday [20]

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

'The Impossible Knife of Memory'
by Laurie Halse Anderson

Length: 472 pages (hardcover)

Expected Publication: January 7th 2014

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

[Synopsis from Goodreads]

Laurie Halse Anderson is definitely known for writing powerful books and this sounds like no exception. PTSD is definitely a difficult subject, but Anderson seems like the perfect writer for it. Comment below on your thoughts about 'The Impossible Knife of Memory' and link your WoW, if you participated this week.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday [9] : New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2013

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 new-to-me authors. So for me, I am going to list the top ten authors that I read a work by them for the first time this year. And since it is a top ten, these are also authors that I want to read more from. The links below connect to their author page on Goodreads. :) So here is my list:

1. Marjane Satrapi: after reading 'Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood'

2. Marie Lu: after reading 'Legend' and 'Prodigy'

3. Johan Harstad: after reading '172 Hours on the Moon

4. Marissa Meyer: after reading 'Cinder'

5. Katie McGarry: after reading 'Pushing the Limits'

6. Courtney Summers: after reading 'Fall for Anything'

7. Tahereh Mafi: after reading 'Shatter Me'

8. Cat Patrick: after reading 'Forgotten'

9. Gillian Flynn: after reading 'Gone Girl'

10. Jay Asher: after reading 'Thirteen Reasons Why'

I enjoyed being introduced to theses author's work this year and look forward to reading more from them in the coming year. High on the top of my list is 'Scarlet' by Marissa Meyer and 'Champion' by Marie Lu. Comment below if you have any recommendations of these author's work. :)

So there is my list as of now! Make sure to link your Top 10 Tuesday below, so I can stop by. Thanks! :)

Monday, December 16, 2013

Recommend A... [1] Book That Lived Up to Expectations

Recommend A... is hosted by Vy's Blog. Future Monday prompts can be found here as well as more info on this feature. And also check out last week's introduction post. All you have to do to join in is answer the week's prompt and leave a link.

This weeks prompt is: Recommend A... Book That Lived Up To Your Expectations:

'Pushing the Limits' by Katie McGarry

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with freaky scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again. [Goodreads synopsis]

Overall I gave this book 4 / 5 stars and really enjoyed reading it this past summer after hearing so much about it. Contemporary fiction is not always my favorite genre, but this didn't disappoint.

Comment below and let me know what you thought of 'Pushing the Limits' and leave a link to your Recommend A... post.

Bout of Books 9.0!

It is time to sign up for the Bout of Books 9.0 read-a-thon! This year I will be participating and I hope all of you are too! It is a low stress read-a-thon, so definitely still participate even if you aren't sure you will be able to read like crazy! :) Click here to head to the sign-up post!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal! It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01 AM on Monday January 6th and runs through Sunday January 12th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 9.0 information and updates, be sure to sure the Bout of Books blog!

Back in October 2011 I participated and hosted a challenge/giveaway on my blog for Bout of Books 2.0 and am excited to take part in it again!

It's Monday! What are you reading? [21]

'It's Monday! What are you reading?' is a meme hosted by Book Journey and consists of sharing what you have read this past week, what you hope to read this week, and whatever else fits in too. So here are my books for this week:

JUST FINISHED: 'The Cuckoo's Calling' by Robert Galbraith

READING NOW: 'A Game of Thrones' by George R.R. Martin

TO READ NEXT: 'The 100' by Kass Morgan

Friday evening I finished up reading 'The Cuckoo's Calling' and rated it 3 / 5 stars. I started 'A Game of Thrones' a week or so ago but since I am under no impression that it will be done this month, since the holidays are coming up, I plan to start 'The 100' soon, since I received it from a Goodreads giveaway in October and need to get my review of it up! :)

Comment below if you have read any of these and let me know your thoughts on them. And also make sure to link your 'It's Monday! What are you Reading?' if you are participating this week. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

2013 End of the Year Book Survey - Part 1!

As this year comes to an end, I thought I would participate in the End of the Year Book Survey 2013 hosted by The Perpetual Page-Turner. This provides the opportunity to look back on your reads for 2013 and answer some questions based on the books you read.

Click here to check out the original blog post and get all the info you need to participate, as well as to link up your post (no matter if you do it now or after the year is over).