Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon Update #1

Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon Update #1

This has been a slow start for me. I blew off working out this week since I had late night reading hangovers every morning. Or maybe it was just an excuse I used to excuse myself from exercising at 6:30 AM in the morning. Regardless, I hope to do more reading and posting next week. The only problem is I also have a work exam I really need to study for so we will see how this four book goal turns out. Wish me luck!

Friday
Books currently reading: Oath of Servitude by C.E. Wilson
Total finished books: 1
Titles of finished books: Room

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles, #1) by Rick Riordan

I first read this book back in 2011 as I was impatiently waiting for the next Percy Jackson book to be released.  I have this thing about starting book series and not finishing them.  Alright, it's a little OCD and this series has been nagging at me for the last 3 years.  I started reading the second book in this series, but found that I hadn't retained much in 3 years, so I started over from the beginning.

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles, #1) by Rick Riordan
Rating: Originally 3, upgraded to a 3 1/2 wine glasses

Carter and Sadie Kane, are brother and sister who have been separated since the death of their mother.  Carter has been traveling the world with his Egyptologist father, Julius Kane, while Sadie has been raised by her grandparents in London.  It's Christmas Eve and Julius and Carter have arrived in London for their scheduled visitation with Sadie.  Julius has made arrangements to visit the museum where some very powerful Egyptian artifacts are on display.  While at the museum, Carter and Sadie witness their father unleash the Egyptian gods.  What Julius Kane has done was against the magician's law, unleashed some of the most powerful gods in history, and tossed his children right in the middle of everything.  Carter and Sadie, have been hidden from this life of gods and magic and discover how special they really are.

I am a huge Rick Riordan fan.  I love how I can learn about history of the gods in a modern way.  This book is being narrated by both Carter and Sadie.  I've discovered a secret locker and am listening to a recorded message from Carter and Sadie Kane.  Rick Riordan sure knows how to put you right in the middle of the book.  The characters are wonderful, the story is unique and full of magic and plot twists.  Most of all, I love that even though I'm reading a young adult novel, I'm having just as much fun as when I read adult novels.  The reason that I upgraded the rating from my original rating was because I read this book right after finishing one of the other Percy Jackson books.  Riding the high that I got from that book into this book skewed my perception.  Percy Jackson is hard to beat.  This time, I read this book and enjoyed it even more.

Friday's Featured Freebie: Captured by Erica Stevens

I just got home from our book club discussion about the Room by Emma Donoghue - the review will be coming shortly. This week's featured freebie is about a sexy blood sucker (you can never have enough of them to go around). Now off to bed to start a new book. I hope you all find a nice book to take home with you this weekend. Let me know if you find something good.

Captured (The Captive #1)
by Erica Stevens
Currently Free on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Blood Slave.

Captured, taken from her beloved family and woods, Aria’s biggest fear is not the imminent death facing her, but that she will be chosen as a blood slave for a member of the ruling vampire race. No matter what becomes of her though, Aria knows that she must keep her identity hidden from the monsters imprisoning her. She has already been branded a member of the rebellion, but the vampires do not know the true depth of her involvement with it, and they must never know.

Though hoping for death, Aria’s world is turned upside down when a vampire named Braith steps forward to claim her. He delays her execution, but Aria knows it’s only a matter of time before he drains her, and destroys her. Especially once she learns his true identity as a prince within the royal family; the same royal family that started the war that ultimately brought down humankind, reducing them to nothing more than servants and slaves.

Aria is determined to hate the prince, determined not to give into him in anyway, but his strange kindness, and surprising gentleness astonish her. Torn between her loyalties to the rebellion, and her growing love for her greatest enemy, Aria struggles to decide between everything she has ever known, and a love she never dreamed of finding. - Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday #6

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.  Last Tuesday The Transfer by Veronica Roth was released.  It's a short story in the Divergent series from Tobias's perspective and how he ended up as Four.  It was amazing.  I wanted to try to wait a little closer until the release date for this Waiting on Wednesday, but after reading The Transfer, I now have been bit by the Divergent bug and I feel that the only cure will be October 22nd, when the final book is released.  Allegiant by Veronica Roth is my Waiting on Wednesday for the next 5 1/2 weeks. 

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

 
BONUS!  I just discovered that on September 24th, 2013 The World of Divergent: The Path to Allegiant will be released.  

 
Fascinated by the world of the Divergent series? This fifty-page bonus, previously only available in the Divergent Series Box Set, includes faction manifestos, a faction quiz, Q&A with #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth, book playlists, discussion questions, series inspirations, and much more! It also contains ten enticing teasers from Allegiant, the final book in the Divergent series

What books are you waiting on?

Top Ten Books We Would Love to See As A Movie/TV Show

This is this week's Top Ten Tuesday, which is hosted by The Broke & the Bookish.

This week's topic: Top Ten Books We Would Love To See As A Movie/TV Show (set in a perfect world...in which movies don't butcher the books we love) - These are not in any particular order.

1. Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts. A group of kids opens up a portal and releases a demon which causing the residents of a town to commit unspeakable acts. M. Night Shyamalan should direct this.

2. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. This would be like Groundhog Day or Life or Something Like It, but better. I can picture the car crashing in slow motion, the music being muffled while the actress who plays Samantha Kingston does a voice over and says one of the many profound quotes from the book.

3. Matthew Swift Series by Kate Griffin. I would love to see all the different magical factions and art come to life.

4. Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. A beautiful Cinderella cyborg brought to life by Hollywood? Hells ya.

5. Ancients of Light by Heather Fleener. That scene where Lorcan is torturing Kat with his vampire bites in front of Laverock's gate while it is lighting and storming. Yum.

6. Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. A young woman's hidden affair with a talented painter while her hand is given to an older, wealthier man. Set in 15th Century Florence.

7. Mindjack Trilogy by Susan Kaye Quinn. Telepathic abilities are hard to portray on the big screen but if done right this would be amazing.

8. The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot. Suze sees dead people and Jesse happens to be a sexy ghost who haunts her bedroom. Enough with the vampire flicks, it is time for a sexy ghost on the big screen.

9. Thorn in My Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs. Two sisters fighting over the same man's heart. This is a retelling of biblical story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel set in Scotland in 1788. Imagine the beautiful scenery, music and wardrobes.

10. Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. I would love to see a Stephen King movie that doesn't give me the creeps. 

What other books do you want to be seen made into a movie?

Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 3 Wine Glasses

After taking a step back and a couple weeks of reflection, I am downgrading my initial rating of City of Bones from a 4 to a 3. I enjoyed the world Cassandra Clare has built, however I have found myself not as invested in the world or the characters as I would have liked to been by the time the book ended. For example, Clary’s mother is kidnapped at the beginning of the novel, yet I seem to forget about her for the majority of the novel. While the author is giving the reader a 50/50 mix of vital background and pointless details (do I really need to know how big Isabelle’s necklace is?), the book is absent of what I need most – the desire to care about what happens to these people. This was put on the back burner for the bulk of the novel.  

While reading, I continuously stopped and wondered why something seemed so familiar and I would remember some similar experience/situation in Harry Potter, Star Wars, Percy Jackson, ect. That déjà vu ruined the book’s flow and creativity points. I wasn’t a fan of the ending. The what I like to refer to as the “OMG” moment, completely blindsided me. It could have been the author’s ode to Star Wars, but this twist was unnecessary among other things. I was also shocked how lightly sex is referred to when Clary is only 15 years old, going on 16.

I admit that I have a tiny crush on Jace. He is the perfect image of a fixer-up boyfriend - a damaged bad boy with a sarcastic mouth to match and sarcasm just happens to be my personal love language.  The garden scene was my favorite book kissing scene so far this year.

I have book two, City of Ashes at my disposal but I haven’t had an overwhelming urge to start it so maybe I try to see where the story goes at a later date.

Favorite quote: There might be a God, Clary, and there might not. Either way we’re on our own.

My Soundtrack for City of Bones: Demons by Imagine Dragons

Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon Goals

I am participating in my first read-a-thon. This was probably not the most ideal time to sign up for one of these because I just started exercising again and I am still working overtime at my job, but when I first saw the entry for Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon, hosted  by Colorimetry and Tressa’s Wishful Endings,  I thought it seemed like the perfect read-a-thon for me since my to-read list has recently overtaken my read list in size.

I am not going to set too lofty of goals. I want to give myself a fighting chance to actually achieve them with everything else going on. Here are my goals:

1. Read at least 1 hour everyday.
2. Finish 4 books.
3. Keep up with my memes while this is going on.
4. Visit all the participants' blogs at least once.

Here are some of the potential books I might try to crank out in the next two weeks:

What are your goals for the read-a-thon?

Showcase Sunday #6

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea where you show what books you've purchased, borrowed, checked out from the library, received from giveaway, etc.

It's been a busy weekend for me.  The family and I went to the Iowa Hawkeye Football game on Saturday morning, GO HAWKS!  It wasn't the prettiest win, but we'll take it.  The boys had a blast, even though it was 95 degrees out.  I had all great intentions to post my earlier review upon arriving home, but had extreme difficulty ignoring the pull of my bed, so I gave in and took a quick nap.  Last night we went out to eat to celebrate two birthdays and a retirement with the extended family and I really just couldn't get in the mood to write anything last night.  I've also been slacking on my reading.  After finishing all three of my books that were released on August 27th.  I've been in a slump.  I'm planning on getting back on track, I better get going on my book club book!  It's really hard to keep going with the book club book, when; 1) It's not your book pick and 2) I have picked up these amazing books this week!


My freebie download this week was Insight by Jamie Magee, you can check it out at the Friday's Featured Freebie post.  The Transfer by Veronica Roth was downloaded to my nook first thing on Tuesday since I pre-ordered that awhile ago.  A short story from Four's perspective.  I loved it!  It was amazing reading about Four's story.   As much as I love free books, I also give myself a $10.00 budge each week so I can keep up with my series or books that I just have to have.  So, this week's purchase was Spark (Sky Chasers, #2) by Amy Kathleen Ryan.  Rachel's working on her to-read list for a read-a-thon and picked up Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick from the library.  Go Rachel!


What awesome books did you pick up this week?

Review: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale Series by Chanda Hahn

I came across the first book in this series as I was perusing the free books on my nook, which has become more of an addiction for me.   What can I say, there could be worse things I could be doing.  Therefore it's justified- spoken like a true addict.  I read the first book back in May and upon discovering the third book release date was soon arriving I had to read the second book so I was prepared for the next one.  I'm going to try something a little different with this review.  I'm going to give you a review of all three of these books.  Just to warn you, this story is not yet complete and with the third book just released last week, we might have to wait a little more.  Not to fear!  I will make sure that I continue to read the remaining books and review them as well.  No really, it's the least that I can do for you.

 UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn
Rating: 3 wine glasses

Fairest by Chanda Hahn
Rating: 3 wine glasses

Fable by Chanda Hahn
Rating: 4 wine glasses

Mina Grime is the one girl who thinks she is invisible.  The girl with very few close friends, the quite one, a little clumsy, the diamond in the rough.  A very relatable character.  In the first book Mina discovers that she is a descendant of the Brothers Grimm.  A very powerful family line that comes with a curse.  To break the curse Mina must play out all of the fairy tales while going to school and being a typical teenager, however, the Story has taken on a life of it's own.  It has the power to manipulate the world and bend it to the story.  In the second book, Mina is getting tired of playing the Story's games and is forced into the story without her realizing it.  Snow White's story.  Learning her lesson from the Snow White story, Mina is determined in the third book, not to give in to the power.  Ignoring her destiny, the Story again has to take drastic measures to force Mina to play.  Charlie is missing.  Should Mina make a deal with a Stiltskin so save her brother?

If you like a modern day twist to the good old classic fairy tales, then these books are for you.  In the first couple of books, I felt the dialog was a bit childish and I needed to remind my-self that these are young adult books.  The third book is written much better.  You can't help but fall in love with Mina and her little brother Charlie.  Her best friend Nan and her two possible love interests, Brody and Jared are just as wonderful.  With these books I feel that I can just sit back, relax and let the book take me away.  I enjoy reading these and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.