First Stacking the Shelves!

So normally I wait until the end of the month and do a little post called Book Haul. Well a friend of mine on twitter talked me into doing a new one, Stacking the Shelves. 

And here we are, the very first edition of...Stacking the Shelves 

Without anything else to add lets get to it, I have quite a few books to list! (Which never happens!)

These are the few I have bought. Sometimes a girl has to splurge, right? Another reason I love my local Libraries. 

1. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson

2 & 3. Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing, Libba Bray

4. Game of Thrones (book 1-4) George R. R. Martin

What's better than getting roses from the boyfriend? Getting a book shopping spree!! Here is my little bouquet! 

5. Seraphina, Rachel Hartman

6 & 7.  Siege and Storm & Ruin and Rising, Leigh Bardugo

8 & 9. Scarlet & Cress, Marissa Meyer

10 & 11. House of Hades & Blood of Olympus, Rick Riordan

12. Dreams of Gods & Monsters, Laini Taylor

And this last book I won in a giveaway! 

13. The Girl from the Well, Rin Chupeco

Well, that's it for now. As you can tell I have a good amount of books to read. My shelves are finally growing!! The best part?? Christmas is coming which will mean I might get more!!!! 

Have you read any of these?

If you have what did you think of them? 

Any suggestions on which one I should read first?

Doll Bones

        Zack, Poppy, and Alice have been friends forever. And for almost as long, they've been playing one continuos, ever-changing game- a game that takes place in a world populated with pirates and thieves, mermaids and warriors. Ruling over them all is the Great Queen, a bone-china doll imprisoned in a cabinet, cursing those who displease her.
       But the three friends are in middle school now, and Zach's father is pushing him to give up make-believe for basketball. When his father gives him no choice, Zach quits the game and lies about the reason. It seems like their friendship might be over, until Poppy declares she's been having dreams about the Queen- and the ghost of a girl who will not rest until the bone-china doll is buried in her empty grave.
      And so Zach and Alice and Poppy set off on one last adventure to lay the Queen's ghost to rest. But nothing goes according to plan, and as their adventure turns into an epic journey, creepy things begin to happen. Is the doll just a doll, or is there something more sinister at work? Has Poppy been telling the truth, or is she tricking them into playing a new game? And if there really is a ghost, will it let them go now that it has them in its clutches? 

Author: Holly Black
Page Count: 244
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror, Adventure
Series? No

**This was originally planned to be out during Halloween, life got in the way so that is why it's a bit late.**

I may be a 20-something- year-old, but that doesn't mean I can't sit down and enjoy a "Middle Grade" book. I have heard great things about the author Holly Black, but I had yet to read any of her work. Halloween was upon us, so I decided it was time to find something creepy to read. Thankfully this beauty was sitting on display right inside the door of the local library. Nothing like offering creepy and scary books to young children... not a bad idea at all. *Watches mothers cringe at the thought of late night calls because of bad dreams*

Going in with the expectations of it being for younger children, the bar was set kinda low. Most middle grade books are great reads, but they have that certain element that can hinder older children or adults from enjoying them. Thankfully, this was not the case for this book.

The cover alone had me hooked, mainly because china dolls creep me out. (Thanks to my older sister who loved to taunt me about the dolls that kill you.) So here is a story about a china doll, made out of a girl's bones, that posses one of the children. Yep, sounded creepy enough for me.

Beginning from page one, I enjoyed this story. It didn't have some of the older situations you would find in Young Adult or New Adult books, but there was a bit of drama woven into the story. The good part about the problems in this book, excluding the haunted doll and going on an adventure, most of it was something most people go through. The problems of figuring out when to grow up.

The main reason I liked this story, besides the beautiful writing, was the fact that the story centered around these 3 children's imagination. They had their own story, acting it out with action figures and dolls, a never ending story...or one they hoped wouldn't end. Why did I like this part so much? It was something I did during my childhood. I had dolls and stuffed toys and made up stories with them, it was the fun part of being a child. Reading this made me have a nice dose of nostalgia.  

Having parents thinking you need to move away from the story you are creating, or that fear of having friends or peers finding out you still play games like that, is something most children face. Having the characters go through this and finding a solution was what helped make this story a great read. Especially since the large audience for this book would be children around the same age as the characters with the same problems. (Again, excluding the haunted doll. If there is a haunted doll in the mix...they need to do more than read this book.)

I can't say this was the best read of the year, but it was definitely one of the books that made the lists of a must read. Especially for those who enjoy a good adventure book with a little ghostly activity. It wasn't as scary as I hoped it would be, but that was not a surprise considering the age the book was written for. However, I do give it a good 4 out 5 stars for me! Looking forward to reading more books from Holly Black, but maybe next time I'll make sure it's a Young Adult book.

The Assassin's Curse & The Pirate's Wish

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to another pirate clan. But that only prompts the scorned clan to send an assassin after her. when Ananna faces him down one night, armed with magic she doesn't really know how to use, she accidentally activates a curse binding them together. 

Th break the spell, Ananna and the assassin must complete three impossible tasks-all while grappling with evil wizards, floating islands, haughty manticores, runaway nobility, strange magic...and the growing romantic tension between them. 

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Page Count: 320
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance
Series? Yes. (Book 1: The Assassin's Curse)

After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach.

Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Najir and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies - and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction. 

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Page Count: 336
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance
Series? Yes. (Book 2: The Assassin's Curse)




First off, can I just note how beautiful these covers are! Amazing art work!!

  How can someone not be interested in a swashbuckling tale of an adventurous pirate and a cursed assassin? A tale spun about the results of one pirates actions and the magic that binds the assassin to her. Not to mention a unique world not known to a normal human. This is one of those stories that has the makings of a pretty good read.

  Thankfully, that is what this story was! I have never heard of this series until I read a review for The Assassin's Curse. It's not a brand new book, but not as popular as say The Hunger Games. I would consider it a hidden treasure personally.

  Ananna, the pirate of our story, encounters problems when she decides to ditch her own family so she wouldn't have to get married. Not a marriage of love but of politics, Ananna runs to start her life in the hopes of getting her own ship. However, when Naji comes after her with the orders to kill her, that is when the story truly begins. Because of a curse Naji has placed on him from a separate world called The Mist, Ananna and he are now stuck together.

  Thankfully, for both Ananna and Naji, the curse can be broken, with one spall problem...it's impossible. The only way to undo the curse is to complete Three Impossible Tasks. Kinda dampens the mood a bit, not to mention it's hard to complete anything on an enchanted island.

The story itself was entertaining. The magic system the book used was not entirely unique, but not the same old system every other book uses. I liked the concept of each magic user having something to do with elements. For example, Ananna's mother uses the sea to help with her magic, while Naji uses his own blood. The information given about the world and magic was well done so thankfully there was not a huge confusing info dump on the reader. The way everything was explained flowed quite nicely.

  I enjoyed the romance part to this book. There were a few couples we get to see along the journey, but nothing was rushed. This was not a boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love at first sight, The End, kind of story. Each character had to figure out the relationship and how to deal with it in their own way, and I liked that nothing felt forced or  had the instant love moment.

  The only complaint I probably had about the writing, or story in general, would be the way the author wrote. The descriptions were beautifully done, and the writing was not bad, but she made it sound like the pirate was actually talking. A few times my grammar correction mode wanted to correct a few things, but it didn't take long to block that out. I got used to it quickly, and it did help add character to the story and also made the reader feel more connected to Ananna.

  The way the first book ended and the start of the second book had a easy flow to it. We didn't start months or years later, we picked up right where the first book left off. It almost felt like this was just one book all together, and to be honest, it could have easily been made into one book. I can't say I liked one over the other, because to me they were both equally great.

I have to give both of these books a 5 out of 5 stars. If you want a fun quick adventure to read, these are a great choice! Glad I had a chance to find these gems!

LIBESTER Award Tag

My lovely friend, Brittnee, tagged me a few weeks ago to do a fun tag for new bloggers. Sadly, it has taken me forever to get this done, but without further delay, here it is! 

 

You can go here to see Brittnee's questions and answers if you would like. I would suggest you take a look, they are fun to read! 

Like with most tags, there are a few rules to follow, here they are:

1. Link the ones that nominate you. (Not sure why you wouldn't do this, but ok.)

2. Answer the 11 questions given to you. 

3. Nominate 11 people's blogs with less than 200 followers and ask them 11 questions.

4. Inform the bloggers of the nomination! 

Well, now that the rules have been covered...LET THE FUN BEGIN! 

1. Who is your ultimate book crush? OTP?

Ok, this one is pretty easy for me. I would have to say my main book crush (for now anyway) would have to be Percy Jackson. Which, also leads to my OTP...PercyBeth! Reading their story makes my heart melt! 

2. Which book will you not pick up because someone spoiled it for you?

I don't really have one I haven't read because of this, but I took forever to read Mockingjay because someone spoiled pretty much the entire book for me. I knew everything that was gonna happen....if you read the book you know what I'm talking about. 

3. Favorite Author? 

Any author that has written a book. I have too many writers I love for different reasons. Either writing styles or story/character forming. But, if I had to pick one.....Nope, I just couldn't do it. 

4. Are there any books you absolutely just won't read? Why?

I can't say I have a specific book I just won't read, but I usually won't pick up and read anything dealing with evil spirit possession. I love me a good horror book, and I don't even mind reading ones about ghosts, but when it's something about the person being possessed, I usually stay away. That stuff creeps me out too much to enjoy it. 

5. Who would your book parents be?

This question has really no answer. Any book I have read, usually has the parents as small mentionable characters or they are dead. So I have no parents to pick from. Unless I use dead parents...which means I wouldn't have any. So yeah....

6. What book made you cry the most?

I have had a few books make me cry. Most are pretty much all on the same level when it comes to the crying meter, but I'll just pick the book most recently heartbreaking for me. It's a tie between Mockingjay or The Fault in our Stars. Both were great reads for me, but both heartbreaking at the same time.

7. What Hogwarts House would you be sorted into? 

I am proud to admit I have been sorted into Gryfindor! This is not because I want to be (which I do!), but the house given to me on Pottermore. If you have an account, look for me! 

8. Which book do you wish you could rewrite?

I wouldn't mind rewriting Allegiant. I like the story well enough, but I had a few problems with the way a few parts were written. It seemed rushed and not as well done in my opinion as the other 2 in the series. 

9. What character would be your best friend?

Let us gravitate back to Harry Potter shall we... Oh look! There is Hermione Granger, you know, My Best Friend! *crosses fingers and wishes hopefully to be true*

10. What book is your absolute least favorite book of all time? 

Ok, so I hope no one who loves this book will hate me for saying this, but 1984 by George Orwell. I had to read this one for school, and I have to say I didn't enjoy it as much as others seemed to. To each their own I guess. 

11. Favorite book of all time? 

I'll have to go along with my answer for favorite author on this one. I have so many books I have read and fell in love with I couldn't possibly choose just one. But here are a few I would say off the top of my head:

1. Harry Potter series

2. Percy Jackson series

3. The Hunger Games

4. The Rock Harbor series

5. The Assassin's Curse duology  

Now here comes my turn to nominate 11 bloggers..only problem is, I don't know any. All the people I know that would qualify for this tag have already been nominated and I would hate to tag them again. So here is my proposal, if you want to use me as the person who tagged you, just let me know! I'll make up 11 questions for you to answer! 

I hope you enjoyed reading my answers, and if you would like to answer any, just leave your reply in the comments below! 

A small update!

Hello my wonderful bloggers!

I just wanted to make a quick post to let you know I haven't completely abandoned ship here. Being absent for a few days or a week may not seem long, but for blogging....well that is a whole different thing!

I am currently trying to get the dreaded routine of homework down. I recently stared back to college classes and homework has now slowly begun to take over my life. For all those in school, college or high school, I'm sure you can understand. On top of that, I have been slightly busy helping get ready for my brother's wedding. So much to do, and we only have 3 weeks before the big day!

  Just because classes have started back up does not mean I have lost my desire to read or do other hobbies I enjoy! I need something to help me procrastinate. ;)  With that being said, I do have a couple of books I am reading/going to be reading. Those are:

* The Pirate's Wish, by Cassandra Rose Clarke
* City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare
* Sway, by Kat Spears

  A couple of reviews will be posted soon!

*The Assassin's Curse/ The Pirate's Wish, by Cassandra Rose Clarke 
           Since this is a duology, I have decided to make a combined review that will cover the entire story.  This will be posted as soon as I am done reading The Pirate's Wish.

* Sway, by Kat Spears
            This is an ARC I received. I was hoping to get this posted before the release date, but time slipped away so I didn't make that deadline, but a review will be up shortly.


Along with reviews, I have a fun tag to do! My nice blogger friend, Brittnee over at Brittnee Bryan, tagged me to do the Liebester Award tag. I was thrilled to know she tagged me, but unfortunately I have not had the time to post my reply! Look forward to seeing this post soon!

   I hope everyone is doing well and hope to talk again with everyone soon!

Let me know if you have read any of the books mentioned, I would love to know your thoughts on them!!!

What do you have planned to read this week?

So long for now! Time to go get lost between the pages. :)

The Giver

Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community.

  When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now it's time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back. 

Author: Lois Lowry
Page Count: 180
Genre: Dystopian, Young Adult.
Series? Yes (Book 1)

* BOOK and MOVIE review! *

We all know the saying, "never judge a book by the cover." Sad to say,  I didn't listen to this piece of advice when I was younger. I had the option many times in school to actually read, The Giver; but I would pick up the book and just sit it back down. I never tried to read the summary or held any interest in choosing this particular book. How could a book with an old man on the front be interesting?

  Needless to say, I was wrong. Like many people, I decided to finally read this book knowing a movie was going to be coming out based on it. My plans were to read the book then go watch the movie; however, that didn't actually happen. I ended up watching the movie first. Enjoying the movie only made me want to read this story more. For the first time in years of seeing this book around, my interest for this story was piqued.

  Dystopian books and movies seem to be taking the prime spot in today's culture. While there are some really good stories out there, sometimes it just gets tiring reading this genre. It was nice to see where some of these stories may have started. The Giver was probably one of the first dystopian books to be made popular before most people even knew what that genre of story was.  This gave The Giver a unique quality that I really enjoyed.

  I really enjoyed the aspect of the people being controlled, but not in a sinister way. There was truly no single person, or group, that wanted to control how the people of the community acted and felt. To make a better life for everyone, simple pleasures and pain humans feel were taken away. This allowed generations of people to live "happy" lives. No war. No pain. No emotional hurt. On the negative side of this concept, people couldn't feel love, true happiness, creativeness, desire, ambitions.  Even the simple joy of seeing colors and hearing music was stripped from the lives of people. Although this was a Utopia for the people, what true joy was there? Even a person's spouse and children were chosen for them by the Elders.

   On a completely different note, it was nice to see the struggle between The Giver and the receiver. Not only were they responsible for keeping the memories of all the world, they couldn't express any thoughts or feelings with their fellow citizens. How would you like to be the only person to feel love? How could you describe colors to someone who has no understanding of such a thing? Imagine not being able to read stories of magic and adventures. To live life only with what was considered practical and safe.

  Taking a look on the other side of things, the movie was a pretty good interpretation of the book. My favorite part of watching the movie was being able to see the black and white movie slowly add colors. As Jonas began seeing colors, so did the viewers. I think this was a great way to help the audience understand and connect with the characters.

  The casts of actors were a great choice, and I don't have any complaints about any of them. However, like most from book to movie adaptations, there were some differences between them. Here are a few major differences between the book and movie:
 
*Book                                                                      *Movie
- Jonas was 11, eventually turning 12.                    - Jonas and friends were 16.
- No love relationship.                                            - Jonas and Fiona have a relationship.
- Fiona and Asher were not always together          - Jonas, Fiona, Asher always together.
- Giver never shares the memory of music.            - Jonas gets the memory of music early on.
- The Chief Elder is hardly a character.                  - The Chief Elder is a major character.

  There are a few more differences between the book and movie, but the core of the story remained the same. The overall plot never changed, just a few of the details. Even though the book goes into deeper details about a few things, the movie has a nice was of showing the city and city life. The addition of Fiona and The Chief Elder's roles to the story really made the movie a bit more interesting.

  Overall, I enjoyed them both and would recommend fans of the book to see the movie. It was actually pretty good and worth a watch. If you haven't read the book, I would recommend this one to you. I would rate this a 4 out of 5 stars. Great story and it's a short, easy read.

What are your thoughts on the book or movie?

The Girl and the Clockwork Cat

Feisty teenage thief Maeko and her maybe-more-than-friend Chaff have scraped out an existence in Victorian London’s gritty streets, but after a near-disastrous heist leads her to a mysterious clockwork cat and two dead bodies, she’s thrust into a murder mystery that may cost her everything she holds dear.

Her only allies are Chaff, the cat, and Ash, the son of the only murder suspect, who offers her enough money to finally get off the streets if she’ll help him find the real killer. 

What starts as a simple search ultimately reveals a conspiracy stretching across the entire city. And as Maeko and Chaff discover feelings for each other neither was prepared to admit, she’s forced to choose whether she’ll stay with him or finally escape the life of a street rat. But with danger closing in around them, the only way any of them will get out of this alive is if all of them work together.

Author: Nikki McCormack
Page Count: 224 pages.
Genre: YA, Steampunk, Adventure.
Series? No.



* I received this as an eARC for review from Entangled Publishing *

  When the email came in that informed me that I was getting a chance to read this for review, I have to admit, I was pretty excited. The cover caught my eye right off! Can you blame me? there is a cat on the front! But, that was not the only reason I was excited. The three reasons I was pretty excited:

1. First accepted request for a book review by a publisher! 
2. First ARC to review before the release date.
3. First Steampunk novel to read! 

As you can tell, quite a few firsts there! So with that being said, let me get on with the actual book review...

  Being my first Steampunk novel, I wasn't too sure how the world was going to be set up. I know a little about the steampunk genre, but never actual read a story based on it. I was relieved to find out it wasn't something too crazy or unrealistic. Don't take me wrong, I love a good fantasy novel, but knowing this was supposed to take place in Victorian London, I was wanting something more believable. That is exactly what I got! The writing style used my McCormack made everything clear and the descriptions she used allowed me to picture everything in my head. I could almost see this as clear as a movie.

   Along with the beautiful settings, I really enjoyed the characters. Maeko was a great character to follow along with, and the way she handled the situations she was dealing with was well thought out and written. I fell in love with her pretty much right away, but she wasn't the only lovable character. Chaff, the protective, dependable mentor was also a pretty good character. Strong and loyal friend, Chaff made sure to protect those he viewed as family, and that included Maeko. Then we have Ash, the son of pirates and new found friend for Maeko. Each character is unique and has specific characteristics that end up making you enjoy them even more. Not sure if he counts but we can't for get Macak..the cat! 

   I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles, but I think this one works out pretty well. The underlining tone of romance is weaved into the story, but it's not the most dominate factor. Maeko has feelings for both boys, Ash and Chaff, and the reader will soon see they have feelings for her. I personally can't decide which one I would rather Maeko end up with. Each could be good for her on different aspects, which makes picking quite hard. Guess you'll have to read and decide for yourself. ;)

  Suspense and mystery is a personal favorite genre I enjoy, and this story had a great deal of both. When someone has been murdered and a group of teens have to figure out who did it and why, you know you are going to be in for a ride. I really enjoyed the mystery and loved how it kept you intrigued throughout the story. Each success led to another question, and new complications. It was a fast-paced story and hardly gave you a moment to put the book down. 

   While reading this story set in Victorian London with a group of teens on the trail of a mystery, I couldn't help but think of Sherlock Holmes. A younger, steampunk version that is. I enjoy a good mystery and I guess that is why I really enjoyed reading The Girl and the Clockwork Cat. I would give this book a 4 our 5 stars. Definitely one I recommend reading if you like a good suspense, mystery, steampunk novel. While any age would enjoy this, I have a feeling Young Adults would be the best age group for this book. 

The book went on sale September 2, so be sure to find you a copy! 

Have you read this book? Do you want to? Leave a comment below to let me know! 

Top Ten Tuesday #3

Top

Ten

Tuesday!

This is hosted by the lovely, The Broke and the Bookish.  Couldn't do this weekly post without them, so be sure to check out the other links on their page!

This week's Top Ten is:

Top Ten Book Characters That Would Be Sitting At My Lunch Table!

Since school is getting back in session, it seems only right that this week's Top Ten would feature a school related theme.

To be honest, I kinda like the way this is phrased. Maybe it will be just me that takes it this way, but to me this question is not asking who I would want at my table, but rather, who would actually be more likely at my table. So I have no problem admitting I'm not the coolest person out there, so some of your major "cool" characters...probably NOT at my table. They would wish they were, but hey..we can't all be awesome, right?

So let's get down to listing who I would be striking up a conversation with over a slice of school lunch..

1. Cath Avery (Fangirl) 
Cath is a quiet, introvert type of person. She loves to read Simon Snow, and even writes award winning fanfiction for it. Even though I'm not quite as sociably shy as Cath, we are a lot alike. We both have a great love for the characters in a story, the only difference...I have never written a story with those said characters. Imagined them? Of course, but never actually written them down. However, her writing advice could come in handy to someone like me.

2. Leo Valdez (Heroes of Olympus) 
He may be an awesome demigod on an adventure to save the world..but poor Leo is just a lovable klutz of a guy. His humor would bring a great amount of joy to the table, and not to mention we would have some pretty good stories.

3. Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson & Heroes of Olympus) 
A book loving, strategy planning, architecture obsessed demigod. I don't have a specific reason as to why she would be at my table, just seemed like a good fit.

4. Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson & Heroes of Olympus) 
The only reason Percy is included is for the fact he wouldn't be anywhere without Annabeth.

5. Luna Lovegood ( Harry Potter)
Do I really need to say more than Luna?

6. Neville Longbottom (Harry Potter)
Sweet, loyal Neville. He would definitely find a place at our table!

7. Piper McClain (Heroes of Olympus)
Piper is a daughter of Aphrodite, yet she doesn't care for fashion, nor being the center of attention. Sounds like she could fit right into our little table.

8. Jason Grace ( Heroes of Olympus) 
Same reason as Percy on this one. He will be wherever Piper is.

9. Matilda Wormwood (Matilda)
Another book loving girl. With the rest of us book lovers, I'm sure she will feel right at home.

10. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)  *Add Ron too, just because they're married!
Cares about getting expelled more than dying, can find any answers you need from a library, and has all the teachers questions answered before class...Yep, she fits perfectly at this table!

So there are the 10 characters I would be eating with. Not a bad selection if I say so. I personally would love to have eaten lunch with them. Definitely the makings of a great group.

**Sorry for all the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson people. (Guess being my favorites it was bound to happen.)

Would you want to eat with any of these 10?
Leave me a link to your Top Ten and I'll be sure to check it out!!

Weekend Update!

So sitting here on a rainy day, I have decided to do a little update!

First off, lets cover a few of the books I have read and plan to read this coming week.

Compared to normal weeks I guess I would call this week a pretty productive week for blogging and reading.

I have read the following books this week:

* The Fog of Forgetting, by G.A. Morgan. I just finished this one and have just recently posted a review for it. Feel free to check it out!




*The Giver, by Louis Lowry.  I finished this one up the other night, and am currently in the process of writing a review. I enjoyed both, book and movie, and look forward to posting my review.





Now, that covers the books I have read, now let me get to the ones I plan on reading, or currently reading!

To Be Read:
* Sway, by Kat Spears. This is an ARC for a book coming out in September, so a review for this one will be done closer to the release date.

* The Assassin's Curse, by Cassandra Rose Clarke. I recently checked this one out from my local library, so I definitely need to get to reading it soon! I have heard good things about this book and I look forward to reading it. The only hold up was that I had been accepted for an ARC review for a book that comes out September 2nd.

...that book would be the one I am currently reading:



The Girl and the Clockwork Cat, by Nikki McCormack. 
This is an eARC I received. I have to admit, I wasn't sure how I would like this book, but so far I have found myself unable to stop reading!






That is all the Reading type of updates I have for now, but on the other note, I just recently added my blog to BlogLovin. I would love for anyone who would like to take the time to check it out.

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12727047/?claim=cxgygchueu5">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

I guess that is all I have for now, I hope everyone is having a great weekend! Hope to post more soon!

What are you reading?
Any good blog post lately you would like to share?

The Fog of Forgetting

Move over, Narnia. the journey to Ayda has begun. 

Sneaking out for a quick boat ride on a summer day, the five children at the center of The Foge of Forgetting soon find themselves in unfamiliar waters. Engulfed in a curtain of dense fog, they come ashore on the lost island of Ayda and encounter Seaborne, a machete-toting wayfarer of few words. BY nightfall, the children are caught up in a centuries-old battle between Dankar, the ruler of Exor, and three mysterious siblings who rule the other realms of Ayda. At stake are four stones of power and the elusive Fifth Stone, the most important of them all. WHen 9-year-old Frankie is kidnapped by Dankar, her older sister Evelyn (13) and the three Thomposon brothers - Chase (13), Knox (12), and Teddy (6), must learn to harness the power of the daylights, the elemental forces of creation, and navigate their way through the perilous realms of Ayda to rescue her - a journey from which they may not return. 

Author: G. A. Morgan
Page Count; 303
Genre: Middle Grade/ Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure
Series: Yes (Book 1) The Five Stones Trilogy


**THIS WAS AN ARC REVIEW! **

   "Move over, Narnia, the journey to Ayda has begun." I have to admit, this statement had me a bit worried at the start. The Fog of Forgetting is a book directed toward fans of the Chronicle of Narnia and the Harry Potter series. I'm not going to lie, this means I had high expectations for this book. Harry Potter is one of my ALL time favorite book series, and Narnia is a beloved book from my childhood. (I just read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for the BookTubeAThon this summer.)

   Although, this story is more toward the Middle Grade age group, I can see how this can me enjoyed by many of all age groups. The relationship between the characters is a cute, believable telling between siblings and friends. Although the story starts with the two sets of siblings being strangers, a bond eventually forms pretty early on. The arrival on the mysterious island covered and shrouded with fog, was an interesting setting and it was enjoyable learning about the unique land and it's inhabitants along with the main characters. Unlike some stories that just dump loads of already known knowledge to the characters onto the reader, The Fog of Forgetting had a nice way of explaining everything little by little as the characters continued to learn the new information. This allowed the newness of this world to take a special quality.

   The magic was simple and nothing extraordinary, but it did have it's unique moments. The Stones and the relations ship with the Keepers and the elements added a nice quality to this magical world, and the story was well written to add them. The addition of the term "daylights' was also a nice element.

    If a reader wanted more than just adventure, then this is a story that has it. The Fog was one of the most mysterious part of the book so far. Something beautiful and eerie about the fog, yet it kept a thought in the back of the reader's mind about what it was and what it could be. Not to mention the ever pending question of, will the children ever get home? What was keeping them there?  And what will happen to them?

  All-in-all, I have to say this was a pretty interesting book. It was good for a light read if you are looking for something easy with a bit of fantasy. Did I consider this the next Narnia or Harry Potter? It was good, but not quite that good in my opinion. But, then again, that is asking me to compare this book to two of my favorite series...might be a bit biased on that point. Being only Book 1 in a series, I'll most likely pick up the other books to read. I look forward to see where this series goes and what becomes of the characters! (Especially after that ending!)  Definitely one that would be good for younger readers to enjoy, I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday #2

So today is Tuesday, you know what that means!!

Top

Ten

Tuesday!

This is hosted by the lovely, The Broke and the Bookish.  Couldn't do this weekly post without them, so be sure to check out the other links on their page!

This week's Top Ten is:

Top ten books I really want to read but don't own yet.

Considering I have a small library at the moment, this one is not really that hard to choose ten books. I'm gonna bend the rules just a bit...some of these are not going to be just one, but a series.

1. Mortal Instrument series, by Cassandra Clare

2. Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes

3. The Legend series, Marie Lu

4. The Archived, by Victoria Schwab

5. Me, and Earl, and the Dying Girl, by Jesse Andrews

6. Another Little Piece, by Kate Karyus Quinn

7. Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, by Ransom Riggs

8. Prince of Thorns, by Mark Lawrence

9. The Kiss of Deception, by Mary E. Pearson

10. Mistborn series, by Brandon Sanderson

This is only 10 I have picked off my LONG list of books I wish to read or own. I can be glad to give you more if you want me to, but I'm sure you don't have time to read such a long list.

Do you have an opinion on which one I should try to get first?
Are any of these on your list?
Have you read any of these? If so did you like them or hate them?

Leave a link to your Top Ten and I'll be glad to check it out!!

Have a great day and don't forget to take the time to get lost between the pages!!

Seven Deadly Sins Tag

     I was tagged by the lovely Christy of Christy's Book Addiction to do the Seven Deadly Sins tag. This is the first time I've been tagged to do something, so I am having a little more fun with it than I probably should.

  Even in the reading world, we encounter the 7 Deadly Sins. Here is my answers to each one:

1. Greed. What is your most inexpensive book?
         To be honest, most on my shelf. I don't have much money to spend on books at the moment, so most of mine were bought at the local library for .25-$1.00. Gotta love when you can catch a bargain! Most recent one, however, would be Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I received this one as a gift, so it was FREE!!!!

2. Wrath. What author do you have a love/hate relationship with?
          This one I really don't have an answer for. I either hate an author or love them. So far I don't have one that I fell in the middle with. So, I'm gonna switch this one up a bit. I'm gonna say Veronica Roth. I loved the series, but hated some of the way it was written. If that makes sense...

3. Gluttony. What book books have you devoured over and over again with no shame?
            And we have a tie!!! I may be in my twenties, but that does not keep me away from the children's books. Two series I have read over, and over and will read many more times are...
                     Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
                     Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan
Love diving back into these worlds over and over. Magic and Greek/Roman Mythology, how can you not love it!

4. Sloth. What book have you neglected due to laziness?
         Not because of the length of the book, but because of how it is written. Lord of the Rings series. I tried years back when I was younger to read these, and at the time I didn't quite follow it. It confused me a bit and I didn't like thinking that hard on a book. I plan on reading this series, but just haven't tried all that hard yet.

5. Pride. What book do you talk most about to sound like an intellectual reader?
        I don't tend to use books to sound intellectual mainly because the ones that help do that, I didn't read. All those school books we were required to read? yeah I skimmed them and used what my friends told me about the books to pass test. I probably will have to pick The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Only because I actually read that one.

6. Lust. What attributes do you find attractive in a male/female character?
        If I find any character attractive, it will be a male. I like the misfits that tend to not be popular and perfect. Characters with flaws and mistakes are the ones that catch my eye. Even if it's a fantasy novel, these characters seem more human and lovable. Especially if they have a sense of loyalty, and humor. Dark hair and blue eyes don't hurt either.

7. Envy. What book would you most like to receive as a gift?
        Once again, I have a problem on narrowing this down to just one book! (I'm envious, remember!)
If I could get any book or books for a gift...at the current moment I would say:
                         Anything by Rainbow Rowell ...or...
                something my Sarah J. Maas. (except Throne of Glass)
I recently started reading Rainbow Rowell and fell in love with her writing. Especially Fangirl. Sarah J. Maas is one I want to start reading, but I want a few more in her series before I get into them. So far I only have the first book.


So, that is my answers for the 7 Deadly Sins tag! I hope you enjoyed reading them. :)

I don't currently have anyone to tag, so I'm just gonna say whoever would like to do this tag, feel free to use my name!

I would love to know what you have to say so leave me a comment below! IF you did this tag, leave a link and I'll check it out!

A New Weekly Post

 I am hoping to add a new weekly post to my blog!

 Weekend Reads!

I know this is not an original blogging idea, but it is something new for my little blog. I'm hoping this post will help me knock out some books on my To Be Read (TBR) list. I have a large number of books I want, or need, to read but always seem to let the time slip away from me before reading. The list is ever growing, and hopefully making a post will help me actually make time to knock a few titles off!!

So the first time picks for my weekend reads will be...

*Drum roll, please*

1. The Fog of Forgetting, G. A. Morgan (ARC)
2. The Queen of the Tearling, Erica Johansen (ARC)
3. The Giver, Lois Lowry

The Fog of Forgetting and The Queen of the Tearling are both ARCs I received to review. I have been running low on time the last couple of weeks, so I'm a little behind on getting around to reviewing them.

The Giver is one most people have read in school. I'm a little behind on this one! This will be my first time reading this book, and I plan on watching the movie when I finish. I've heard great reviews for both the book and the movie, so I'm really looking forward to this one.

If you would like to share your weekend reads feel free to send me a link and I'll add it on here! This can be a fun way to see what others plan to read during the weekend.

Have you read any on my list? If you have what did you think??

Leave a comment below, and I will talk to you all later! Time to go get lost between the pages...

Fangirl

            A coming of-age-tale of fanfiction, 

                    family, and first love

    CATH IS A SIMON SNOW FAN.

Ok the whole world is a Simon Snow fan.... But for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

    Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. 

    Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to. 

   Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone. 

   For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind? 

Author: Rainbow Rowell
Page Count: 433
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Coming-of-age.
Series: No

   Writing this review has come to be quite hard for me. Not because this book was awful or not worth mentioning, but because this was a book I fell in love with the moment I started reading.

Starting college is hard. I can say this from personal experience because I am currently in college. It's a time where a person breaks away from the comfortable life of High School and enter into the unknown adventures of college. Old life styles are put on a shelf far out of reach as new friends and interests start to take lead. It's a time for new beginnings and opportunities to make memories that last a life time.

  As I began to read Fangirl, Cath's life grabbed me by the hand and led me everywhere with her. I was there as she met her new roommate and the always-there boyfriend. I sat beside her the first time she picked a seat in her writing class. I read beside her as she worked with Nick, her classmate, on a story. I stayed by her side as she argued with Wren. Through it all, reading Fangirl gave me a moment to live in Cath's shoes.

  I think that is what I loved most about this story. This story had no plot line that consisted of a normal girl learning of some magical world, no love triangle that involved creatures of another species, or a dystopian world in the far future. This story has a different magic to it. The spell Rowell cast on her readers does not come from a wand, but from a pen.

  Fangirl, is the type of book that reminds a reader like me, that normally goes for the fantasy or science fiction genre, that contemporary books can sweep you off your feet too. This was one of those stories I hated to put down. I felt like every time I closed this book, I was leaving a friend behind.

  It didn't take me long to fall in love with Cath and her awkward social skills and love of fanfiction. Her passion for reading and writing are similar to mine, so it was not very difficult to feel a connection to Cath. Then we meet Levi. The charming farm boy that you can't help but like. Charming and playful. Even before finishing the first few chapters with him, I already knew I had found a lovable character.

  The passion Cath has for a book series called Simon Snow, greatly mirrored my love for another magical series, Harry Potter. It didn't take long to make a slight connection between Simon Snow and Harry Potter, and after reading a few reviews posted by other people, I'm not alone. This concept added another level to this story. Not only did we get to see Cath's love and devotion for a book and it's characters, we also get a sense of why she loves them. The little snippets of Simon Snow stories and fanfiction at the beginning of each chapter was a great addition and a pleasure to read. To be quite honest, I would LOVE to read the Simon Snow books too! (To bad they aren't real)

  Wrapping this all up in a quick summary, I would say this has to be the most enjoyable coming-of-age tale I have read in a very long time. The characters are the type that are lovable, and easy to get attached to. The setting and details are so well done, it's not hard to imagine being with Cath and her friends at college. Plus the entire story line is entertaining, never once slowing to a spot you would want to step away from.

  If I had to recommend a book to anyone right now, this would be the one I would scream out to them. Such an amazing story like this is one that should be shared. I definitley give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

  This is going to be a book I will add to my shelf as soon as I get enough money to buy it! Any other works by Rainbow Rowell will be added to my shelf automatically now that I know how magical her writing can be! It's safe to say, she will now be listed with my favorite authors.

Have you read Fangirl yet?
If you have, did you like it? Why or why not?
Do you want to read this story?

Feel free to fangirl with me about Fangirl! I hope to hear from you soon!!