tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21874215379817970942024-03-17T23:03:12.646-07:00The Garden of BooksLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.comBlogger600125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-3211807669946206442013-12-05T08:31:00.001-08:002013-12-05T08:31:37.075-08:00Audio Review: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2) by Cassandra Clare<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyM9ZzDL8Yo_dLZwiVS2QuZwa8t8r_Rrie1ZeMrqN-REcI-5iJHNiUbzyXCwMFyqyKDMETkpKRSVSgy0AhyphenhyphenrFLo8NeWVG9ynbPgoxD3ocaHHPffZiKWCZ7Wcec-16vpOhMDCyDlS7bGG4/s1600/CP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyM9ZzDL8Yo_dLZwiVS2QuZwa8t8r_Rrie1ZeMrqN-REcI-5iJHNiUbzyXCwMFyqyKDMETkpKRSVSgy0AhyphenhyphenrFLo8NeWVG9ynbPgoxD3ocaHHPffZiKWCZ7Wcec-16vpOhMDCyDlS7bGG4/s1600/CP.jpg" /></a>Title: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2)<br />
Author: Cassandra Clare<br />
Narrator: Ed Westwick and Heather Lind<br />
Published by: Simon & Schuster Audio<br />
Length: 15hrs., 39 mins<br />
Source: Library<br />
Format: Audio<br />
Rating: 4 stars<br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Summary from Goodreads</b>: <span id="freeText9205188971479784808">The situation at the
London Institute has never been more precarious. With Mortmain and his
clockwork army still threatening, the Council wants to strip Charlotte
of her power and hand the running of the Enclave over to the
unscrupulous and power-hungry Benedict Lightwood. In the hope of saving
Charlotte and the Institute, Will, Jem, and Tessa set out to unravel the
secrets of Mortmain’s past—and discover unsettling Shadowhunter
connections that hold the key not only to the enemy’s motivations, but
also to the secret of Tessa’s identity. Tessa, already caught between
the affections of Will and Jem, finds herself with another choice to
make when she learns how the Shadowhunters helped make her a “monster.”
Will she turn from them to her brother, Nate, who has been begging her
to join him at Mortmain’s side? Where will her loyalties—and love—lie?
Tessa alone can choose to save the Shadowhunters of London…or end them
forever.</span></span></div>
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<span id="freeText9205188971479784808"><i>Clockwork Prince</i> defies the sophomore slump and unfolds a tale of intrigue, action, and heartbreak.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText9205188971479784808">I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of <i>Clockwork Angel</i> and I didn't think I would continue TID series, however, when it was released that Ed Westwick would be reading the audio for <i>Clockwork Prince </i>how could I say no? Seriously, listen to this <a href="http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/21275423872/everything-sounds-better-when-ed-westwick-reads">demo</a>. I don't care what the story is, if Ed Westwick is the narrator I'm listening to it. </span><br />
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Besides the audio being amazing, the story itself was so much better than the first. I was enraptured by the characters, as they didn't feel as stiff or as forced as they did in the first novel. However, as bad as it sounds, I still am not a fan of Tessa. She is the kind of person that everyone wants to help and protect, and she isn't deceitful or anything, but she puts herself and others in situations that are dangerous, cruel, and complicated. As much as she tries to be strong and independent, I just see her as a weak person that unknowingly and unintentionally manipulates others. She doesn't do any of this on purpose and I'm sure she is loved by many people, she was just not my type of heroine. Then there is he love triangle between her, Jem, and Will. It really becomes more prominent in <i>Clockwork Prince</i> and only serves to become an entangled mess that makes me very scared how Cassandra Clare is going to work her way out of it.<br />
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The plot is a bit more intense in this novel and the action increases multi-fold. More secrets and mysteries are discovered leading to Mortmain's plans and the downfall of the Shadowhunters. The characters are what makes this series, but the action is an added bonus to keep you on your toes and always wondering what was going to happen next.<br />
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All-in-all, <i>Clockwork Prince</i> exceeded my expectations and while I'm a bit nauseous over the idea of how Cassandra Clare is going to work out Tessa's love life, I'm still excited to read <i>Clockwork Princess</i>. <br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-82371927976171033412013-12-04T09:55:00.001-08:002013-12-04T09:56:15.109-08:00Audio Review: Walking Disaster (Beautiful, #2) by Jamie McGuire<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrWFZXA5xuF5JFhO7dw4VHj7dZZOJJ-14Sh9fM7N4UahJ1kiTchV6JtyIig_Z3bGnvqFe0ueB37Lc_JLx96hKKnPt5IM-EdaMU0eFy-ZzSYE4-SKEClB-kLTIVnwFZj_J_GchSUikbL1n/s1600/WD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrWFZXA5xuF5JFhO7dw4VHj7dZZOJJ-14Sh9fM7N4UahJ1kiTchV6JtyIig_Z3bGnvqFe0ueB37Lc_JLx96hKKnPt5IM-EdaMU0eFy-ZzSYE4-SKEClB-kLTIVnwFZj_J_GchSUikbL1n/s1600/WD.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Title: Walking Disaster (Beautiful, #2)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Author: Jamie McGuire</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Narrator: Dan Bittner</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Published by: Simon and Schuster Audio</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Length: 11 hrs. 26 min</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Source: Publisher*</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Format: Audio</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating: 2.5 stars</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Summary from Goodreads</b>: <span id="freeText13906571092459775198">Can you love someone too much? <br /><br />Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder. <br /><br />In <i>Walking Disaster</i>,
the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and
violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy
brings him to his knees. <br /><br />Every story has two sides. In <i>Beautiful Disaster</i>, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.</span></span></span></div>
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<span id="freeText13906571092459775198" style="font-size: small;"> Explosive, sexy, and a bit unsettling.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="freeText13906571092459775198" style="font-size: small;">The whole thought of reading the same story from two different points of views is quite interesting. When you really like characters you want more of them, but the story itself may not lead to being part of a series, so instead Jamie McGuire took her story and gave us Travis's POV. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="freeText13906571092459775198" style="font-size: small;">Was <i>Walking Disaster</i> as good as <i>Beautiful Disaster</i>? It is hard to say, because the essential story is the same we just hear it from Travis's head, which I have to say can be a scary place to be. I enjoyed <i>Beautiful Disaster</i>, but I had an issue with Travis's and Abby's somewhat unhealthy relationship. <i>Walking Disaster</i> only brings that out more for me. Travis was very possessive and at times controlling. Normally I love books from male POVs, but with Dan Bittner sounding exactly like I imagined Travis would (cockiness and all) <i>Walking Disaster</i> just made me too uncomfortable.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="freeText13906571092459775198" style="font-size: small;">Besides their somewhat train-wreck of a relationship, the rest of the story was just as enjoyable as the original. Jamie McGuire sure knows how to turn up the heat. Listening to the audio at times almost felt a little uncomfortable with the scorching sex scenes. I would at times look to the person next to me at the gym and think "if they only knew what I was listening to right now?" </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="freeText13906571092459775198" style="font-size: small;">The one thing I really enjoyed about the book was the prologue and epilogue. They were intriguing and wrapped up some loose ends. I don't want to give too much away, but I love how they added to the story and enriched it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="freeText13906571092459775198" style="font-size: small;"><i>Walking Disaster</i> is sure to keep Jamie McGuire fans happy and satisfied. However, for me Travis was just too intense, but if you enjoyed<i> Beautiful Disaster</i> I think you will enjoy <i>Walking Disaster</i> as well. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">*I did receive this audio for review, but I was not compensated for this post in anyway and all opinions are my own.</span></span></span> </span></span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-6861545065034394692013-11-22T08:00:00.001-08:002013-11-22T08:00:39.624-08:00Review: Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2) by Jennifer Estep<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ok_XKU6Rz5gmip-h6m1LTyRCnpIHmSK_uIJAxx_HuWQl40onL6cXksoVQrwr3G0kkC5Q5TY4AJg-BtYm06oFk6PZX4Gfqw2WwnCDV_-NsoTwHtGje4nXqNGqpIStvG4e1KFS3O-0zaZJ/s1600/kiss+of+frost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ok_XKU6Rz5gmip-h6m1LTyRCnpIHmSK_uIJAxx_HuWQl40onL6cXksoVQrwr3G0kkC5Q5TY4AJg-BtYm06oFk6PZX4Gfqw2WwnCDV_-NsoTwHtGje4nXqNGqpIStvG4e1KFS3O-0zaZJ/s320/kiss+of+frost.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Title: Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Author: Jennifer Estep</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Published by: Kensington Books</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pages: 385</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Source: Bought</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Format: ebook</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating: 4 stars</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Summary from Goodreads</b>: I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Academy, and I have no idea how I’m going to survive the rest of the semester. One day, I’m getting schooled in swordplay by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gorgeous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in the Library of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I find out that someone at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Things are starting to heat up at Mythos Academy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm think I'm hooked on this series. First off the characters are amazing. They all have their flaws and that is what makes them real to me. Gwen is the heroine of our tale and while she is not necessarily the hard-core, kick-butt girl seen in other YA novels, she has a strength and determination all her own. In this novel her gypsy gift starts to manifest in different ways and brings a new power to Gwen. I cant wait to see just how far her gift will grow and how she will use it to save others (because we all know that she is going to end up saving the day in the end...isn't that always the predictable thing in YA lit). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Logan in this book is quite the jerk, along with Oliver. I'd like to say they have their reasons, but that feels too much like saying "Boys will be boys" and I'm not ok with that. They were jerks, plan and simple. Did they have things that haunted them and affected their behavior? Yes of course, but that doesn't excuse their actions. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the other-hand, our favorite stuck-up, snotty girl has turned over a new leaf. Daphne has become one of my favorite characters. Her and Gwen with their snark and quick tongues make great best friends. Daphne turns out to be fiercly loyal and definitely someone I'd want on my side. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Besides the characters, the plot is a little predictable, but still good. It was action-packed and the intensity was cranked up a bit in <i>Kiss of Frost</i> compared to the last novel. I loved the little twist and turns to the story and each page left me wanting more. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Kiss of Frost</i> was a great second novel and I can't wait to see where Jennifer takes Gwen and her pals next. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have you read this series? What are your opinions on Gwen not being the typical fierce, kick-butt heroine?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-1982821296083613412013-11-21T08:23:00.001-08:002013-11-21T08:23:46.586-08:00Audio Review: The Runaway Queen (The Bane Chronicles, #2) by Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Title: The Runaway Queen (The Bane Chronicles, #2)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9bibctK43EAxbogvhfgocQz4r4zbfU5zpvT0BnDycdDb1JmqrpC86iPOTmWHSB4gMlubCNPhZyNEyubZKzEMEM-I0aAcxQFGXOf_OaupiTW_YALD4e__AmQEIPSC0cniHFE01rk9PBei/s1600/the+runaway+queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9bibctK43EAxbogvhfgocQz4r4zbfU5zpvT0BnDycdDb1JmqrpC86iPOTmWHSB4gMlubCNPhZyNEyubZKzEMEM-I0aAcxQFGXOf_OaupiTW_YALD4e__AmQEIPSC0cniHFE01rk9PBei/s1600/the+runaway+queen.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Authors: Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Narrator: George Blagden</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Published by: Simon and Schuster Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Length: 1 hr., and 18 mins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Source: Publisher*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Format: Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rating: 5 stars</span><br />
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<b>Summary from Goodreads</b>: <span id="freeText17596442089287991799">Magnus Bane has a royal
role in the French Revolution—if the angry mobs don’t spoil his spells.
One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles. While in France, immortal
warlock Magnus Bane finds himself attempting to rescue the royal family
from the horrors of the French Revolution—after being roped into this
mess by a most attractive count. Naturally, the daring escape calls for
invisible air balloons…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span id="freeText17596442089287991799">Another exciting adventure featuring our favorite warlock...Magnus Bane. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">This installment of <i>The Bane Chronicles</i> brings us to Paris during the French Revolution. A distraught, and very attractive young man, needs Magnus's help rescuing <span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer595492270"><span id="freeText17328259311672720341">Marie Antoinette after she has been kidnapped. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer595492270"><span id="freeText17328259311672720341">In <i>The Runaway Queen</i> we get a nice mix of serious moments and humor (which we all love Magnus for). This short story is a little more concise than the first installment and even better in my opinion. I loved how Magnus stayed creative and had to find a way to use his magic while being in disguise in the human world. The juxtaposition of magic and historical fiction was fascinating and done really well in my opinion.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer595492270"><span id="freeText17328259311672720341"><i>The Runaway Queen</i> shows us just how out-of-the-box Magnus is. His rescue attempt was perfect and quite creative. Of course there were elaborate costumes and fashion involved because we are talking about Magnus in Paris people!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer595492270"><span id="freeText17328259311672720341">Can I say again how much I enjoy these audio installments? This time we have a different narrator who did just as splendid of job as the last one. Plus at just over an hour long they make the perfect little escape that can easily be enjoyed in one sitting. Plus they are a super cheap way to stay connected to the shadowhunter world we love. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer595492270"><span id="freeText17328259311672720341">If you are a fan of TMI and TID series make sure to check out The Bane Chronicles. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">*I did receive this audio for review, but I was not compensated for this post in anyway and all opinions are my own.</span></span></span> </div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-14215742461974619792013-11-20T09:15:00.001-08:002013-11-20T09:16:32.846-08:00Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimD7saD409Zhg_9rLD-jTMl1PyfzFFDNwG6hXl0SMIgUQzY9x5WzxQjXg9Nqkw4HxRqnozNmcEIsaKVKt9NL10l8WP5S6lvoHRr7CaL2D0CLhSluRu5ejCpF7e6_ITF7BwMt7cic9BvYGw/s1600/E&P.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimD7saD409Zhg_9rLD-jTMl1PyfzFFDNwG6hXl0SMIgUQzY9x5WzxQjXg9Nqkw4HxRqnozNmcEIsaKVKt9NL10l8WP5S6lvoHRr7CaL2D0CLhSluRu5ejCpF7e6_ITF7BwMt7cic9BvYGw/s320/E&P.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Title: Eleanor & Park</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Author: Rainbow Rowell</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Published by: St. Martin's Press</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pages: 328</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Source: Library</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rating: 5 stars</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Summary from Goodreads</b>: Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Devastatingly beautiful and heartbreaking. <i>Eleanor & Park </i>will be sure to warm even the coldest of hearts and touch the lives of everyone who reads it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Why, oh why did I wait so long to read this book! Please excuse the incoherence in this review because even after finishing it couple of weeks ago I can't seem to come off the whirlwind that <i>Eleanor & Park</i> put me on. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Eleanor has led a tough life. She wears her individuality as a shield to protect herself from others harmful comments and from letting them get too close. Somehow through comic books, mix tapes, and bus rides Park slips around that shield and it starts to crack just a little. At first I wasn't really a fan of Eleanor. She was brash and stand-offish, but the more I came to know her and her situation the more I just wanted to rescue her and her siblings (who I actually was not fans of either, but that didn't stop me from caring about them). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Eleanor and Park's relationship was so cute. They had some rough patches but the best thing was that they brought out the light in each other. They were people who shouldn't hide, but instead let their individuality shine. While there were many adorable scenes between these two, this book was hard to read. It wasn't Rainbow Rowell's writing or anything like that, the subject matter was tough. I found my heart hurting and wanting to escape from the story and yet I couldn't put the book down. I had become attached to these people and their story and I couldn't leave them until the end. (Little did I know they would stick with me long after I turned the last page). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">The characters and the situations in <i>Eleanor & Park</i> were very realistic and that is what makes it the book that so many people love. It showed that sometimes life doesn't even hand you lemons, instead it takes everything and you have to somehow go on when there is nothing left. It showed that sometimes you have to grow up before you are ready and know that the horrible thief that stole your childhood would never be caught and punished. But it also showed hope and kindness -- and love. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Eleanor & Park will blow you away...seriously just go read this book. </span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-32170966800826801182013-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:002013-11-22T08:01:08.871-08:00Guest Post: Sandy Smith author of Seed Savers: Heirloom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I welcome Sandy Smith author of <i>Seed Savers: Heirloom</i> to tell us about her favorite things to grow in her garden.<br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;">My Ten Favorite Things to Grow in a Garden</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;">1. Tomatoes—They are fairly easy to grow and you can use them in a bunch </span></div>
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of ways: in salsa, on sandwiches, pasta sauce, salads. The seeds are tiny </div>
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but they produce so much! Tomatoes are pretty. The different varieties </div>
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have so many cool names like Mortgage Lifter, Cherokee Purple, Indigo </div>
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Rose … and last but not least, I like the smell on my hands after picking </div>
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the tomatoes!</div>
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2. Basil—Mmm. Pesto; need I say more?</div>
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3. Radishes—Seriously, radishes are one of the first things to plant in the </div>
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spring when we are all itching to garden. And I’ve seen them come up in </div>
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as little as THREE DAYS!!!</div>
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4. Strawberries—Again, the signal that summer is almost here—the </div>
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strawberries are ripe!!!</div>
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5. Potatoes—Who doesn’t like pawing through the dirt now and then hoping </div>
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to find a beautiful potato?</div>
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6. Lettuce—Easy, early, practical. Fresh salad for months. What’s not to love?</div>
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7. Green beans—Fun to watch emerge, produce a lot of food for many </div>
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weeks. The seeds are a fine size and shape, just don’t hold them under </div>
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your nostril and inhale.</div>
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8. Cilantro—I really like cilantro a lot and you really must grow your own. </div>
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Everyone should just grow whatever herbs they like. It’s just tastier that </div>
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9. Onions—I’m not sure why I like growing my own onions. Maybe because </div>
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I like drying them and hanging them in the kitchen corner. </div>
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10. Carrots—Challenging sometimes, but a must for the childhood </div>
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memories :).</div>
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I love the names of those tomatoes and now I'm craving some fresh strawberries...yummy.<br />
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Check out Sandy Smith's book Seed Savers: Heirloom<br />
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Summary from Amazon: <i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Seed Savers</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> isn't your typical bleak, violent dystopia. Think </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Little House on the Prairie</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> or </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Anne of Green Gables </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">meets </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Giver </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">or</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Fahrenheit 451</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">; this is why it's totally appropriate for kids as young as nine (or possibly younger). The stories take place in a not-too-distant future where gardening is illegal, corporations own the seeds, and real food is no longer available. Three children are on a quest to learn about gardening and make a change back to the old ways. One word of warning--there are some religious texts cited in the books inherent to character and plot development which have "offended" one or two people. The series in no way teaches any religion. The only teaching in the books is about gardening.</span><br />
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Available: <a href="http://amzn.to/HLG7aV" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" target="_blank">http://amzn.to/HLG7aV</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"> (Heirloom paperback)</span><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1a5xRNw" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" target="_blank">http://amzn.to/1a5xRNw</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">(Heirloom kindle) </span><br />
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Don't forget to check out the<a href="http://thiskidreviewsbooks.com/"> next stop</a> of the tour<br />
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Thanks Sandy so much for joining us today. <br />
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<img src="http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p625/lkendhammer/lisasignature.png" />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-30715957597867607572013-11-14T08:31:00.002-08:002013-11-14T08:32:42.264-08:00Audio Review: What Really Happened in Peru (The Bane Chronicles, #1) by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqxPdq2GwtRJFbjuiOPybxkCPqXnTTsgQo_OtrtoKqbaWcCWTSEbszk5SeW4NRYr5rFKxzGfDb22IZTntxaOyfxZgDTG7YUQnhqYKmDRSjeCy71_oes8tTgnVyqC_8G9CAbxqW8ZJLpNv/s1600/Magnus+Bane+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqxPdq2GwtRJFbjuiOPybxkCPqXnTTsgQo_OtrtoKqbaWcCWTSEbszk5SeW4NRYr5rFKxzGfDb22IZTntxaOyfxZgDTG7YUQnhqYKmDRSjeCy71_oes8tTgnVyqC_8G9CAbxqW8ZJLpNv/s1600/Magnus+Bane+1.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: What Really Happened in Peru (The Bane Chronicles, #1)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Authors: Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Narrator: Jessie Williams</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published by: Simon and Schuster Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Length: 1 hr and 13 mins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Publisher*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rating: 5 stars</span><br />
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Summary from Goodreads</b>: There are good reasons Peru is off-limits to Magnus Bane. Follow Magnus’s Peruvian escapades as he drags his fellow warlocks Ragnor Fell and Catarina Loss into trouble, learns several instruments (which he plays shockingly), dances (which he does shockingly), and disgraces his host nation by doing something unspeakable to the Nazca Lines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to admit that I never really saw the allure of Magnus Bane in TMI series (admittedly I have only read the first 4 books so far), but it was actually in TID series where I really started to like this guy and care for him. So when I had the opportunity to review the audio version of <i>What Really Happened in Peru</i> read by Jessie Williams, I jumped at the chance. <span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">First each of these stories in the series are short but are complete stories, which I absolutely love. This audio was just over an hour so it made for the perfect little story that I could listen to in one setting. Jessie Williams is one cute mister and his voice was a pretty good, though not perfect, imitation of what I imaged Magnus to sounds like. You can hear a sample clip </span><a href="http://shadowhunters.com/TheBaneChronicles/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">here</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I'm usually not a huge fan of short stories/novellas since I don't believe they really add much to the plot, but </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">What Really Happened in Peru</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> didn't seem that way for me. I think it was because it wasn't part of the overall series, instead it was this side story of a colorful and enigmatic character which many people adore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">As for the story I loved it. I got to see a different side of Magnus and how crazy he can be. One of the best parts was that it was so funny. It was great to see him try to experience life, especially when he decides to learn a new instrument and is unbelievably horrible at it. The interaction between Magnus, Ragnor and Catarina was nice too. It was a nice contrast to see him interact with warlocks instead of shadowhunters. It was just a fun story, slightly crazy and sometimes a bit disjointed, but it made me happy and smile. That's a winner in my book (did you get the pun...I know I'm a huge nerd). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Overall, </span><i style="line-height: 19px;">What Really Happened in Peru</i><span style="line-height: 19px;">, was entertaining and so likable. It was the perfect little story to devour in one sitting. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">*I did receive this audio for review, but I was not compensated for this post in anyway and all opinions are my own.</span></span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-36492824380444686442013-11-11T09:03:00.000-08:002013-11-11T09:03:01.363-08:00Review: Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy #1) by Jennifer Estep<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRF6f4TjDV2IcXsNdtMPnBGu_SgfgE3FzJH7gCxlSgWKiwzvqsnESVHRwyv-Y4zxlJ7m2wpduU782yhaCI2bGIDyM-P_hi7-OWnRB_Krji-MaK3rNa1MiqzQgY_bMNgbSLLX28INX07LIo/s1600/Touch+of+Frost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRF6f4TjDV2IcXsNdtMPnBGu_SgfgE3FzJH7gCxlSgWKiwzvqsnESVHRwyv-Y4zxlJ7m2wpduU782yhaCI2bGIDyM-P_hi7-OWnRB_Krji-MaK3rNa1MiqzQgY_bMNgbSLLX28INX07LIo/s1600/Touch+of+Frost.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy #1)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Jennifer Estep</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published by: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Kensington Books</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Pages: 385</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Source: Bought</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Format: ebook</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Rating: 3.5 stars</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads</b>: My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and whyespecially since I should have been the one who died. . .</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I have always enjoyed stories with any sort of mythology involved so I was instantly intrigued by the Mythos Academy series. I mean what could be better than Greek gods, Gypsies, Spartans Amazons, and Native American </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">deities</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> all rolled into one series?</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Gwen is my type of main character. She's not popular or every guys dream. Heck she wears hoodies everyday and reads comic books. In fact she's kind of a nerd, but is still outspoken and quite snarky. She is not this totally fierce, kick-butt character either...actually when it comes to fighting she is kind of horrible at it. However, what she lacks in skills she makes up for in heart. Even when something horrible happens to the Academy's notorious mean-girl, she is still determined to find her justice, not matter how cruel she was. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Touch of Frost</i> was a unique story and while there were elements of familiarity, the plot twist kept the story completely original. I was actually surprised how fast I read this novel, because every time I tried to set it down I just wanted to know more. All the situations Gwen finds herself in and each conflict will hook you more until you can wait to see what will happen next and to whom. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">One thing that bothered me about <i>Touch of Frost </i>was the rich kid aspect. I feel this is a common theme in many YA novels and some of the students (ok most of them) who attend Mythos Academy were ridiculously rich. Am I the only one tired of reading about what daddy's money can buy? This led to some characters who were stuck up, snotty, and self-entitled. Understandable that this story need these types of characters, but they got on my nerves fast and didn't really change (well except a couple) by the end of the novel. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Even with the money thing and so not so </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">likable</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> characters I really enjoyed <i>Touch of Frost</i>. I can't wait to see what Jennifer Estep and the rest of the series has in store. </span></span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-78024774873030859402013-11-08T05:00:00.000-08:002013-11-11T09:10:25.232-08:00Audio Review: The Program (The Program, #1) by Suzanne Young <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTSZs7c29nH4qrI-3suOlWDB_R0ZH4o2qMlZ_HA34cpshzUtN4_FXGoXnXVMEchBdhKvBtxIk0KL8Eoj3l0_1xqBtU0O5D383d_Tu_RkWoxsfuhIO9D9A5uZGT9dv2YLylvpQxce-PZJP/s1600/The+Program.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTSZs7c29nH4qrI-3suOlWDB_R0ZH4o2qMlZ_HA34cpshzUtN4_FXGoXnXVMEchBdhKvBtxIk0KL8Eoj3l0_1xqBtU0O5D383d_Tu_RkWoxsfuhIO9D9A5uZGT9dv2YLylvpQxce-PZJP/s1600/The+Program.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: The Program (The Program, #1)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Suzanne Young</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Narrator: Joy Osmanski</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published by: Simon and Schuster Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Length: 10 hrs and 57 min</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Publisher</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rating: 4 stars</span><br />
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Summary from Goodreads</b>: Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane's parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they'll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who's been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone, but so are their memories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He's promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it's getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Emotionally stunning, and thought provoking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Oh where to start with this one. First, <i>The Program</i> deals with the issues of depression and suicide. In this dystopian-like world, if someone shows any bit of sadness or emotional instability they get sent into the program which "fixes' them so as they won't become part of the epidemic leading to teens taking their own lives. However, the program's version of help is to erase all memories of pain and much of everything else as well, removing people and parts of each persons life from their own memories. Talk about completely disorienting and horrifying. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I feel so conflicted about all of this. Of course I would love for there to be a fix all for anything, but that fix all doesn't mean taking away a person's memories. Plus the fear and isolation that these teens go through everyday trying to avoid the program is painful in itself. To not be able to grieve someone who has come out of the program and no longer knows you, or worse someone you love takes their own life and you cant shed a tear, but instead have to hide all emotion. How can you not be sad and grieve, but to have that lurking horror of being thrown into the program as well makes their whole situation terrifying. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Somehow Sloan and James seem to having been making it through. They are such a great couple and really find strength in one another. This was a highlight of the book for me. They truly were each other's rock and there were times when their joy and happiness came streaming off the pages (or through the earphone in my case). There were some other really great characters in this novel as well. I'd like to say you were able to know many of them, but that was not always true...you did however get to experience much of their pain and sadness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I fear I am making this sound like a depressing book. Yes at times it was, but it was written in a way that broke through all of that and made it beautiful. There is hope and there is happiness. In this book it seems that depression is an epidemic that is taking over everyone's lives, but that was not always true. Suzanne Young bring us this interwoven and complex situation and cast of characters that will defy the odds in some way or another...or at times give in to the pain. You never really know what's going to happen until the end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I don't want to tell you too much about what happens in <i>The Program</i> because I feel that would give away the whole novel, so you'll just have to trust me that it was a great book. However, it was slow at times, but I'm not sure if that was the writing or just that Suzanne Young was giving us time to think things over. This is definitely one of those books that have you ruminating and reflecting quite often on not only what is happening to the characters, but to the world and how you feel about it all. Also surprisingly I wasn't a fan of the narration. I usually really enjoy Joy Osmanski as a reader, but she didn't do it for me as Sloan this time. Something just felt off with her reading. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>The Program</i> was quite thought-provoking one of those books that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-74992822588202870192013-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:002013-11-07T05:00:08.281-08:00Audio Review: What the Spell? (Life's a Witch, #1) by Brittany Geragotelis<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlio0fXVKvrd-8IQ7RzxAobYZWjdkSYeDmR-g7Lrts0tm5pYNlF9gbqlmd4sGKZFaYM-f4YFz0jl37Q1hH3uInYO_o5yWxvCJw2JzEFWjpi0xldW5hgknhrwvsTeKvBy6cC0ClmoP8410/s1600/What+the+spell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlio0fXVKvrd-8IQ7RzxAobYZWjdkSYeDmR-g7Lrts0tm5pYNlF9gbqlmd4sGKZFaYM-f4YFz0jl37Q1hH3uInYO_o5yWxvCJw2JzEFWjpi0xldW5hgknhrwvsTeKvBy6cC0ClmoP8410/s1600/What+the+spell.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: What the Spell? (Life's a Witch, #1)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Brittany Geragotelis</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Narrator: Joy Osmanski</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published by: Simon and Schuster Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Length: 9hrs and 41 mins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Simon Schuster Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rating: 2 stars</span><br />
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Summary from Goodreads</b>: Almost-sixteen-year-old Brooklyn feels invisible, but she desperately wants to be pretty, to be popular, to be adored by a cute guy. Luckily for her, she’s a witch about to come of age—so she’s only a few spells away from making it all happen.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: normal;">On her milestone birthday, Brooklyn’s conservative parents finally unbind her powers, which include the ability to magically match couples with a love spell. Brooklyn uses her special skills to get a makeover, new friends, and the attention of her crush, Asher. But the popular clique Brooklyn wants to infiltrate puts her in the same precarious position as her Salem ancestors: If she’s found out, she could be vilified—and lose Asher in the process. Can she make the most of her magic, or will she be luckless and loveless? Be careful what you witch for! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><i>What the Spell?</i> is a novel about one girl's quest for popularity with a twist of magic on the side.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I have always had a thing for witches ever since I first learned about the Salem Witch trials. Everything about them fascinates me and when I can incorporate two things I love, witches and reading, I get really hopeful and excited. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">However, as much as I was looking forward to reading/listening to <i>What the Spell?</i> it fell short for me. The main character Brooklyn left much to be desired of your main character. She was a social climber and all she wanted from life was to be popular, mostly at the expense of others. As soon as she came into her magic, she instantly gave herself a magical makeover. This makeover wasn't a new hairstyle or a bit of makeup, instead she changed physical features (like her height) about herself to the point people in her school didn't recognizer her anymore. Then her parents were all like "well just remember the Salem Witch trials." What? They bind her powers for sixteen years then just let her go way out of hand with this makeover and only issue a slight warning. This just didn't make sense to me.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">Then there is The Elite. This is the popular group that Brooklyn strives to be part of because she believes that once she is one she can change the way they act towards others while still being popular. This group seemed a little atypical to me. Sure there are always rich and popular kids, but this group seemed to rule it all without any consequences. They even had a raised table in the lunch room to set them apart. At what public school is all that normal? It just seemed like too much of an exaggeration for me.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">One of the redeeming qualities of this book was Asher and his little sister. I really enjoyed both of these characters as I thought they were the most believable and true to who they were. I loved the interactions of these characters with Brooklyn and wish she would have seen how amazing they both really were compared to The Elite. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">As for the story is was cute at times and it kept my attention enough to finish listening, but I never really became a fan of Brooklyn until the very end. It didn't have anything to do with Joy Osmanski narrating though. I've listened to a couple other audios with her and I've enjoyed them all. She has a great voice. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><i>What the Spell?</i> was ok but there was a little too much drama and not enough magic for me. Will I read/listen to the next one...probably but not because of Brooklyn. I want to know more about that crazy ending with Asher. Yikes! </span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-8375860259985259362013-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:002013-11-06T06:40:18.629-08:00Review: First Frost by (Mythos Academy #0.5) by Jennifer Estep<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVuQtxge2Mj95pdmeUaH7iR5-ABb4D0c_F_lsHdiN-4xUPZRQJBWPMvJ8J6K-v8dGb5RBhlqCsmghEmQnn2e1hZH3XvrVYXFdfXkXP8Ru5xMxyLQusjEjQQLB1jAHgvdjMA4uUlF45YTR/s1600/First+Frost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVuQtxge2Mj95pdmeUaH7iR5-ABb4D0c_F_lsHdiN-4xUPZRQJBWPMvJ8J6K-v8dGb5RBhlqCsmghEmQnn2e1hZH3XvrVYXFdfXkXP8Ru5xMxyLQusjEjQQLB1jAHgvdjMA4uUlF45YTR/s320/First+Frost.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: First Frost (Mythos Academy #0.5)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Jennifer Estep</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published by: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Kensington Publishing Corporation</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Pages: 30</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Source: Bought</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Format: ebook</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Rating: 4.5 stars</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads</b>: I am Gwen Frost, and I have a Gypsy gift. It's called psychometry - that's a fancy way of saying that I see images in my head and get flashes of other people's memories off almost everything I touch, even guys.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #3d9140; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">My gift makes me kind of nosy. Okay, okay, maybe a lot nosy--to the point of obsession sometimes. I want to know everything about everyone around me. But even I don't want to know the secrets my friend Paige is hiding or the terrible loss that will send me to a new school - Mythos Academy, where the teachers aren't preparing us for the SATs, but to battle Reapers of Chaos. Now I have no friends and no idea how my gift fits in with all these warrior whiz kids. The only thing I do know is that my life is never, ever going to be the same.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a way to start a series. <i>First Frost</i> introduces the Mythos Academy series with a bang. It was packed full of emotion and instantly set the mood for the series.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often times many of us want a special gift, but we fail to realize the impact and burden that gift can be. Gwen learned that the hard way when she picks up a friends hairbrush only to experience her friend's crushing reality. This not only impacts Gwen's emotional state, but also her life in more ways than she realizes. Gwen is a strong girl, and yet her life drastically changes because of this one event. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>First Frost</i> introduces us not only to the series, but also to a couple of main characters. I love that we see bits and pieces of who Gwen is and her interaction with her Grandmother. Besides the characters, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>First Frost</i> also gives us our first glimpse at Mythos Academy and the mythology behind it. Instead of vampires and werewolves, we get Amazons, Valkyries and Spartans. It's nice to see a different side of paranormal/fantasy than the 'typical' found in many other novels.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think Jennifer L. Armentrout really nailed it with this introduction to the Mythos Academy series. <i>First Frost</i> is the type of novella you can read before you start the series or after you've already read a couple of books. It's powerful and insightful; definitely a novella you won't want to miss. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-23292819948542156742013-11-05T07:49:00.001-08:002013-11-05T07:49:41.642-08:00Review: Elixir (Covanant, #3.5) by Jennifer L.Armentrout<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1363186724l/17610101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Elixir (Covenant, #3.5)" border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1363186724l/17610101.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: Elixir (Covenant, #3.5)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published by: Spencer Hill Press</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pages: 80</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Bought</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Ebook</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rating: 3.5 stars</span><br />
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Summary from Goodreads</b>: Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex. Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for. Even if it means making war against the gods.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahh the drama. To be young, in love, fighting to keep the ones you love themselves, and defying the gods...that is really the life.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This is everything a novella should be. It was a complete story in itself, yet highly depended on understanding what was currently happening in the series. I felt like <i>Elixir</i> really had something to add to the Covenant series instead of just telling us a back story. It had conflict and resolution and I think was a powerful addition to the series. However if you are not familiar with the series you could not read this novella as a stand alone. It is highly connected to the series and therefore to truly grasp what is happening one needs to read the previous books before reading this novella.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In <i>Elixir</i> you get to interact on a different level than usual with the characters and understand more of Aiden's perspective. I love that you see him lose control a bit. Usually he is so put together and stoic and in <i>Elixir</i> you can see his struggle and raw emotion. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You hear bits and pieces about the Elixir that is given to Half Bloods previously in the series, but in this novella it hits a bit closer to home. This is something that Alex (and many other Half Bloods have feared) and yet it may be the only way to not start a war with the gods that will affect everyone. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">One thing I think was done really well was to understand how difficult a decision is. Sometimes decisions about other peoples lives are portrayed as simple and yet <i>Elixir</i> really shows us the positives and negatives of a decision and how hard they are to make for another person. Just because it is the easy way (or at times the harder way) is it the right way? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Who would have thought a short 80 page novella could bring such a heavy topic to life? <i>Elixir</i> did that and so much more. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">What are your views on novellas? Do you love them or not really care for them? How much do they add to a series?</span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-63609338028641903312013-11-04T06:00:00.000-08:002013-11-04T11:24:13.975-08:00Audio Review of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmJE38ljKgjCfwDq0y5UlBl3Jdj8LYQVB0UQ7Jy-_LFiykM2nBChkbRQtG4TZvU_czmeT8n0G6FcSUB5uCQr_ZaDoOJt3sHZYU5rT39sXopqRzhl-85Flhz_8uhA_6Q8XoggUQj7SdabN/s1600/Ender's+Game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmJE38ljKgjCfwDq0y5UlBl3Jdj8LYQVB0UQ7Jy-_LFiykM2nBChkbRQtG4TZvU_czmeT8n0G6FcSUB5uCQr_ZaDoOJt3sHZYU5rT39sXopqRzhl-85Flhz_8uhA_6Q8XoggUQj7SdabN/s200/Ender's+Game.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: Ender's Game</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Orson Scott Card</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Narrators: <span itemprop="name">Stefan Rudnicki</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">, </span><span itemprop="name">Harlan Ellison</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">, </span><span itemprop="name">Amanda Karr</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">, </span><span itemprop="name">Scott Brick, and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span itemprop="name">John Rubinstein</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Published by: Macmillan Audio</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Length: 11 hrs, 12 min</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Source: Library</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Format: Audio</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Rating: 4 stars</span></span><br />
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Summary from Goodreads</b>: The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost a</span>s long. Enter Andrew "Ender" Wiggin, the result of decades of genetic experimentation. </span><br />
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Is Ender the general Earth so desperately needs? The only way to find out is to throw him into ever-harsher training at Battle School, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when his training begins. He will grow up fast. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: normal;">But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. His two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Among the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know, I know....How could I have not read this book until now? For being a teen in the late 90s/early 2000s there were not a lot of young adult books for me to read. I was an avid reader (no surprise there) and somehow around 3rd or 4th grade switched immediately to adult books. <span style="color: #181818; line-height: 18px;">I remember getting in trouble in middle school for reading a Mary Higgins Clark book during class. I was such a rebel. It was sad though because there</span><span style="color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"> was not really a market for young adult books (maybe Sweet Valley High, and R.L. Stine books, I guess). Anyway this long, but not pointless, rant was to say that somehow I missed this priceless gem while growing up.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><i style="line-height: 18px;">Ender's Game, </i><span style="line-height: 18px;">while it was a brilliant novel, started out slow for me. When I picked out the audio from the library, I wasn't really sure what it was about as I didn't read any reviews (or the back of the audio either); I knew I just wanted to read it before the movie came out. However, the narrators voices were so engaging that I couldn't help but get sucked into the story. I found myself completely enthralled with this book and would often not want to get out of my car when I arrived at my destination just to listen to a little more.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">All of the characters in this novel were so complex. They are multi-layered and you easily find yourself wanting to know more about them. Not only what type of people they were, but what their thoughts, opinions, and motives were as well. Ender is what I would consider a battle strategist prodigy. He was sought out at a young age for his skills, but his passion and drive are what really made him excel far beyond what anyone imagined. There was a lot of self-reflecting on Ender's part and that is what made me realize this wasn't just a sci-fiction novel, it was much deeper than that. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The world that Orson Scott Card created is surreal. The planet is getting attached by alien-type beings called Buggers, but the battle school and later the training facilities are what amazed me the most. I could vividly imagine both of these places and let me tell you they are not places I'd like to be. At first I kind of imagined a boarding school type environment, but instead battle school was more of a boot-camp that not only tested you physically, but also psychologically as well. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I haven't read the other novels in this series and I don't think I will. I liked the way this novel ended and I feel like it was a complete journey for me. I know there are four other books in the saga and maybe after seeing the movie I'll want to read more. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Has anyone read the entire saga? What did you think of the later books?</span></span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-13801548033930801622013-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:002013-11-01T06:00:07.309-07:00Friday Night Date Night: Life of Pi<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friday Night Date Night is a feature on my blog that showcases movie reviews (mostly movies that were adapted from books). Hopefully some of these reviews will help you decide what to watch on your date night or a night of relaxing at home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I read this novel a bit ago and absolutely loved it. They ending was perfectly complex and left me wondering for days (who am I kidding I still wonder about it). It was the perfect little mystery at the end of a very captivating book. One of my friends and I read this at the same time so we decided to watch the movie together. I don't think she really wanted to but I kinda made her.</span></div>
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" 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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never realized (apparently she did and that is why she was apprehensive about watching the movie) how graphic some of the scenes were going to be. For some reason they didn't seem that way in the book, but the fact that I was able to see Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger (both real and computer-generated), and how vicious he could be. I must admit I watched a lot of the movie with my hands over my eyes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That being said, the graphics and images were truly amazing. I never once thought that the animals or the ocean looked fake or generated. I was absolutely astonished by how real everything looked. I was also glad that the movie stuck mostly to the novel (at least from what I remembered).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plus the movie score and soundtrack are ridiculously good. Seriously go check them out! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are up for a great (but a little intense) movie, I highly suggest Life of Pi. I really enjoyed it. </span></div>
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<a href="http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p625/lkendhammer/lisasignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p625/lkendhammer/lisasignature.png" /></a></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-34843789873387704262013-10-30T07:53:00.000-07:002013-10-30T07:53:24.541-07:00Audio Review of Scarlet by Marissa Meyer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjl0LETXcs4rcS2ZscIZpZbAQTSYeVNI91oJrth8T6g8WLLVuHHT4YWnubO_oxBcA72dPB6YZaF1fYX1QcfNnM9zsH6_H7Vr7hClyfDRfApvIDgWuVFdMNuqAaKe7UusYhBRsvf6nHBtl/s1600/Scarlet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjl0LETXcs4rcS2ZscIZpZbAQTSYeVNI91oJrth8T6g8WLLVuHHT4YWnubO_oxBcA72dPB6YZaF1fYX1QcfNnM9zsH6_H7Vr7hClyfDRfApvIDgWuVFdMNuqAaKe7UusYhBRsvf6nHBtl/s320/Scarlet.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles, #2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: Marissa Meyer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Narrator: Rebecca Soler</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published by: Macmillan Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Length: 11hr., 20min.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Library</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rating: 4 stars</span><br />
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Summary from Goodreads</b>: Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: normal;">Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: normal;">As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First Cinderella, now Little Red Riding Hood. Marissa Meyers captivates us with her unique twist in the retellings of our favorite classics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course after finishing <i>Cinder</i> I wanted more of Cinder and Kai's story. How dare this new person intrude! But soon Scarlet's story took over and I couldn't decide which story I wanted more of. I'm glad they switched back and forth because it gave me time to appreciate each of the story lines and eventually how they intersect. I thought this may be confusing to listen to in the audio version, but it was done really well. Rebecca Soler was a pleasant reader and I didn't have an issue keeping the stories straight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along with Scarlet, the new characters were a fun addition. They were entertaining, especially Wolf, and at times humorous. Don't get me wrong, I loved reconnecting with the characters from <i>Cinder</i>, but it's always fun to meet new people. Scarlet is definitely my sort of girl. She's determined, head-strong, and a bit wild. I connected with her more than I did Cinder and that made her story more interesting for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing that Marissa Meyer does well is cliffhangers. As soon as we get into the action and the conflict...BAM...we would change chapters. This drove me insane (in a good way) and kept the pace of the book fast. However, one thing I felt was lacking was the world building. We have this new setting which is unlike any I've seen. At times I felt lost trying to understand some of the background, and while bits and pieces were revealed there is still more mystery...not only with the chapters, but how the world around them came to be and how it works. Cinder and Scarlet are so original and have this amazing setting and I just wish I knew more about the world they live in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, I think I may have enjoyed Scarlet more than Cinder. *Gasp* I know, crazy right? How did you feel Scarlet compared to Cinder? Are there any "sophomore" novels that you have enjoyed more than the first in the series?</span><br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-90011103573154172672013-10-23T03:00:00.000-07:002013-10-23T03:00:01.071-07:00Audio Review of This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPt-7zmsziw-2yn2Pt3_-jIweauk8gN7mwnXV-8HZ0rsqHaGleLUQyb6jtCbcK78Ip1SDiRdOzTY-oLtTWlLh3kVIXTrwrX29AWebvgLQVj99UVarSDMpHdXwmLyn0Z-njR7ZR6tqqT46R/s1600/World+we+live+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPt-7zmsziw-2yn2Pt3_-jIweauk8gN7mwnXV-8HZ0rsqHaGleLUQyb6jtCbcK78Ip1SDiRdOzTY-oLtTWlLh3kVIXTrwrX29AWebvgLQVj99UVarSDMpHdXwmLyn0Z-njR7ZR6tqqT46R/s320/World+we+live+in.jpg" width="276" /></a>Title: This World We Live In (Last Survivors, #3)<br />
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer<br />
Narrator: Emily Bauer<br />
Published by: Listening Library<br />
Length: 6hr., 53min.<br />
Source: Library<br />
Format: Audio<br />
Rating: 4 stars<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Summary from Goodreads</b>: It’s been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth’s climate. Miranda and her two brothers spend their days scavenging for food and household items, while their mother stays at home and desperately tries to hold on to the ordinary activities of their previous life. But they all know that nothing is truly normal in this surreal new world they live in.</span></span><br />
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The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda’s father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda’s complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.</div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Dystopian at its best. <i> This World We Live In</i> makes you question your morals and ethics when there are few left in the world to keep you accountable.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Ahhh...the ending. I promise I won't give anything away, but I still don't know what I think about this ending. I cannot imagine being one of the last survivors on earth, so I don't know what I'd do when it came to trying not only to keep myself alive, but also others. You read about who each of these characters turn into and the things they do to to survive, but if you were in their situations would you do any differently? </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Miranda has grown up a bit since the first novel; I guess the situation she's in will do that to you. I still, for some reason, was not a fan of her. I felt that she was irrational, selfish, and immature. Then I have to look at the situation she was in and reassess. Does that ever happen to you? I feel like she should have handled things differently, but then I have to check myself and ask what would I do if I was that age and in that situation. Sometimes the two just don't mesh together for me. Am I alone here or does anyone else have this issue as well?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">The best thing about <i>This World We Live In</i> was how it tied the whole series together. In the first novel we meet Miranda and her family and in the second novel we meet Alex Morales and his family. The last one brings everyone together and while you may think isn't that a nice way to wrap it all up, it was still a bit unsettling. It may be because of their hardship and struggles or that for this series a fairy tale ending does not fit with the flow of the story. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Susan Beth Pfeffer did an amazing job at making this novel seem real. There are no knights with shining armor, or secret government holdings to protect these common people. They have to steal, pillage, starve and lie to survive. They watch everyone around them die and yet they need a will to survive and keep living day to day. There was so much interwoven in <i>This World We Live In</i> that it will stick with you long after you read it. It is the kind of novel that will constantly make you self reflect and wonder, but at the same time it is an enjoyable read. Plus the narrator is really good. Emily Bauer not only read the first book in this series, but has narrated many novels I have read including novels by Meg Cabott, Anna Godbersen, Tera Lynn Childs, and Ann Aguirre. If you haven't listened to something read by Emily Bauer you should. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><i>This World We Live In</i> ended the series in a way that left you wondering about the future and what it will hold for these characters. While the ending was a bit frustrating, it was also realistic making me appreciate the novel that much more. </span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-54667954743311619742013-10-22T03:00:00.000-07:002013-10-22T03:00:06.583-07:00Top Ten Tuesday: Character Names I Love<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #56a01d; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #7e7e7e;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Broke and the Bookish</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Top Ten Character Names I Love</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Calla from Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. I have loved this name since I first open this novel. I think it is so pretty. I also like the nickname of Lily for Calla even though it is totally corny. </span></span></div>
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<img alt="Nightshade (Nightshade, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333400218l/7402393.jpg" width="132" /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Aria from Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. I literally feel like the name Aria is sung instead of spoken. It instantly brings to mind gorgeous flowing melodies.</span></span></div>
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<img alt="Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1337289697l/10756656.jpg" width="132" /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Ginevra from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I do like both Ginevra and Ginny both, but Ginevra sounds more regal. </span></span></div>
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<img alt="Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361572757l/3.jpg" width="133" />. </div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Scarlett from Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Such a gorgeous name.</span></span></div>
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<img alt="Gone with the Wind" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328025229l/18405.jpg" width="125" /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. </span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. I don't know if this is her name in the original story, but I have liked this name since I was little and first saw the movie.</span></span></div>
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<img alt="Disney Princess Sleeping Beauty " height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1187481320l/1728744.jpg" width="146" /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Guinevere from The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Tennyson. Yes this is very similar to Ginevra but I do adore them both. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">7. Lancelot from The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Tennyson. Maybe it's just Camelot but I'm loving all their names...well maybe not Merlin. </span></span></div>
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<img alt="The Lady Of Shalott" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1177651624l/724371.jpg" width="144" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">8. Lyra from The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Not sure why I like this one, I just do.</span></span></div>
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<img alt="The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333617993l/119322.jpg" width="134" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">9. Holden from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I think the name Holden is unique and masculine yet not overly masculine. </span></span></div>
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<img alt="The Catcher in the Rye" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1349928703l/5107.jpg" width="123" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">10. Sebastian from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Another name that I've always been drawn to + I think the Urban Dictionary definition of <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Sabastian">Sebastian</a> is hilarious. Here is a little peak of it</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"> "</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 21px;">Sabastian a perfect specimen of a man. Well manicured, clothes pressed, whitest teeth ever. A passionate lover, friend, and art fanatic. Publishes poetry and woes all the girls. Danger keep away your women because he is the smoothest of all operators"</span></div>
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<img alt="City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3)" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1369452339l/3777732.jpg" width="131" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are some names from literature that you like or that you have always been drawn to?</span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-13691545336171622762013-10-18T03:00:00.000-07:002013-10-18T03:00:03.098-07:00Friday Night Date Night: Beautiful Creatures<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friday Night Date Night is a feature on my blog that showcases movie reviews (mostly movies that were adapted from books). Hopefully some of these reviews will help you decide what to watch on your date night or a night of relaxing at home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long ago when I heard that <i>Beautiful Creatures</i> was going to be made into a movie I was excited and scared. We all know the movie never lives up the books and the world that Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl created was beautiful and complex. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did I think that the movie nailed the book? No, far from it but I went into the movie differently than I have before. I didn't reread the book before I watched the movie...GRASP. I know completely crazy right? Anyway I found I didn't remember every little detail and I could just enjoy the movie for what it was, a loose interpretation for the novel. I cannot say for sure how well the movie aligned with the novel, because honestly I don't remember as much about the novel as I should have. However, I had a feeling while I was watching it that the story was slightly off than what I was used to, especially the ending. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for the characters I did enjoy <span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan and I loved </span><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">Emmy Rossum as Ridley, but I wasn't feeling </span><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">Alice Englert as Lena. I cannot say exactly what is was about her or the acting, but that was not the Lena I imagined in my head and I could not reconcile the difference. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">The setting, however, was just as I imagined Gatlin County to be like. It was haunted and gorgeous.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">While there were some issues I had with the movie, overall I did enjoy it + it made me want to go back and reread the novel. Always a good thing in my book! </span></span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-45209787438394710622013-10-16T03:00:00.000-07:002013-10-16T03:00:06.314-07:00Review: Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1332096867l/11337089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="11337089" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1332096867l/11337089.jpg" /></a>Title: Slice of Cherry<br />
Author: Dia Reeves<br />
Published by: Simon Pulse<br />
Pages: 505<br />
Source: Bought<br />
Format: Paperback<br />
Rating: 1.5<br />
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Summary from Goodreads</b>: Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.
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<span style="font-size: normal;">It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities…</span></div>
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<i>Slice of Cherry</i> is definitely not like anything you've ever read before. Dia Reeves puts her own twist on a coming of age, horror story with a touch of fantasy.</div>
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I have to admit that the cover and then the synopsis is what drew me to this book. I do not typically read this type of novel, but I wanted to give it a try. For me it was a little too realistic to be fantasy, and little too light to be horror. I'm not really sure what I would classify it as, but this novel wasn't for me.</div>
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The characters were well developed, though it was often difficult to determine what type of people they were. At times I felt I could really like them and understand them and then they tortured and killed someone without remorse and it became a game to them. Maybe I'm too sensitive or I just read <i>Slice of Cherry</i> at a time when there were too many stories in the news of teens killing people "because they were bored," but I didn't understand the torture and killing from these girls. </div>
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There were some redeeming parts to <i>Slice of Cherry </i>as well, like the parts featureing the siblings fighting, the coming of age of Fancy, and the towns dynamics (what we saw of it) I enjoyed. They are what kept me reading from page to page. Though, I'm still really confused about the monsters...not the human ones, but the ones living in the woods. Can anyone explain them to me? I felt like I didn't understand this world or that it wasn't developed enough for it to add to the story. </div>
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One thing that is remarkable is the originality of <i>Slice of Cherry</i>. I have never come across another plot or story-line quite like this one. While I didn't understand the girls, I think if the world and some of the smaller details of the book would have been explored further I could have ended up liking this story more.</div>
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It is not a bad story and if you think you may be interested, I would say you should read it. However, this story was not for me.</div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-27210620247125353212013-10-15T03:00:00.000-07:002013-10-15T03:00:02.535-07:00Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Was "Forced" To Read<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by </span><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #56a01d; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #7e7e7e;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Broke and the Bookish</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Top Ten Books I Was "Forced" to Read</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"Forced" by the (school) District</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Beowulf by Unknown. I am sad to say but I did not like this book one bit. For me it was grotesque and a bit violent from what I remember. The semester after I had to read this, one of my classmates's parents complained about this book and after that there was an option between this book and 1984 by George Orwell. I am still upset (ok not really, but I was at the time) that I had to read Beowulf and did not get the option to read another book. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Animal Farm by George Orwell. Again this book was not one of my favorites. I do not think I was really mature enough or worldly enough at the age I read this to truly enjoy it. I have thought about rereading it to see if my opinion changes, but the first experience was not pleasant and I am not sure I can get over that. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. We read this book in eighth grade and I absolutely loved it. I felt like I was in a game of clue and had to figure out who did it. This one brings back such happy memories for me that I wish I could go back and thank whomever decided this was required reading.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. This novel I actually read while I was on vacation in Florida during my freshman year of high school. I sat by the pool, soaking up the sun and Dickens, imagining this is what college would be like (ha...I was sorely mistaken). While I did enjoy this novel, there was a bit of a communication error where I though my teacher said we were reading the entire book during the 2 weeks I was gone and instead the class barely read two chapters. Needless to say I was quite bored in lit class the rest of the semester. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><b>"Forced" to read in College Lit</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">5. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. I read this novel for my African American lit class, which happened to be full of the baseball team because they heard it was an easy A (which I have to admit it was). However, while I did read this novel I'm pretty sure I was only 1 of 3 people who did out of a class of 30. I quite resented the rest of the class for just restating what the 3 of us talked about during discussion or saying they either couldn't think of anything or that they didn't have anything to say (hello...what a cop out!). Anyway because of that experience I have a bad connotation with the book. Horrible I know, but that's life. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">6. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Another book for African American lit, but this one I loved. It brought me to a place that I had never been and opened my eyes in a way I will forever be grateful for. It was a beautiful novel and it makes me sad that I didn't get a meaningful discussion in my class for this novel. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><b>"Forced" to Read for Book clubs</b> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;">7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. My bestie and I were in the same book club when this book was "assigned" and while she hated it and did not finish it, I fell in love. Seriously, I know many people do not like this book, but I could not (and still cannot) get enough of it. The crazy, messed up love that </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Catherine and Heathcliff had breaks my heart and gives me hope at the same time. Were they certifiably insane? Maybe, but the love they had for each other was all-consuming, fierce, and unlike anything I've seen before. </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This may come as a surprise to many of you, but I did not read this beloved YA favorite until I had to for my young adult book club. The first time I read it I did not enjoy it. I appreciated all the underlying themes, but I could not get passed the part about the government forcing children to kill children for sport. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. The Life You Longed For by Maribeth Fischer. This novel was amazing. I cannot describe to you how wonderful I thought this book was. Then on top of it she came to our book club discussion. Essentially this book is about the choices we make and how we have to live with the consequences. Here is a little blurb from Goodreads: </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> "</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Grace's son Jack is a miracle. At three years old, he's fighting a mysterious, deadly disease that his doctors predicted would kill him as a baby. To the world, Grace's fierce dedication is the sole reason for her son's survival. But someone suspects that perhaps Jack's disease is not what it seems. </span><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">When an allegation of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is leveled against Grace, she begins to live in constant suspicion of everyone -- from the doctors and nurses surrounding her son in the hospital to her own husband. Who could possibly think that she has been purposely making her son ill to gain attention for herself?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so happy that I was introduced to this novel because I don't think I would have read it otherwise. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. This novel started my love affair with Melina Marchetta and I couldn't be happier. This is one of those untouchable books for me and one that holds a special place in my heart. It reached me in a way not many books do and introduced me to the notion of characters being beautifully flawed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What about you? Were you forced to read any of these novels? If so, what did you think of them?</span></span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-68934600041438129712013-10-14T03:00:00.000-07:002013-10-14T03:00:08.725-07:00Audio Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1367101063l/17837641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="17837641" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1367101063l/17837641.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Title: Ten Tiny Breaths</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Author: K.A. Tucker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Narrator: Elizabeth Louise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Published by: Simon and Schuster Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Length: 8 hr and 58 min</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: Review copy from Simon and Schuster Audio*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Format: Audio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rating: 4 stars</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Summary from Goodreads: </b>Four years ago Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, holding her boyfriend’s lifeless hand and listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. They’re struggling to make ends meet at first, but Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes, deep dimples, and perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and Trent is determined to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means revealing an explosive secret that could shatter both of their worlds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Ten Tiny Breaths</i> was an emotional, heartbreaking story that was quite complex yet beautiful. This story has it all.</span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I am not really sure where to start with this novel. There were so many layers to <i>Ten Tiny Breaths</i> and I can't believe how well K.A. Tucker weaved them together. The first thing I want to discuss is the title. <i>Ten Tiny Breaths</i> happens to be a coping mechanism that Kacey's mom taught her and let me tell you it definitely came in handy in this novel for Kacey during difficult times (and for me listening to them). I loved how this was incorporated throughout the story and really connected Kacey to her past. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Kacey herself was an emotional mess. However, no matter what happened in her life she protected her sister. Everything she did was for Livie and to keep her safe and happy. I loved the relationship between these sisters and how they helped each other heal. K.A. Tucker wrote the relationships between the women/girls in this story so well. It is often difficult to write female relationships that are real and appropriate for different age groups and yet K.A. Tucker nailed it. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Besides the female relationships, the interactions between Trent and Kacey left me frustrated and sometime breathless. The tension between these two was ridiculous . And I do not mean like it was silly ridiculous I meant it as I do not know how other people could be in the same room as them and not feel suffocated or that they were witnessing something that was about to get inappropriate for an audience. On another note, I am happy though that their relationship started slow </span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">(much to the disappointment</span><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> of some readers and that tension that was swirling around) </span><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">and progressed in a natural way </span><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">. Call me old fashion, but I did love how Trent came to the rescue all the time. It was sweet.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I do not think you can discuss this novel without talking about the secrets and twists. They are everywhere and take you by surprise. At times I had to reread (re-listen) to parts just because I could not believe that just happened. However I must admit that there were instances I felt like I had heard this story before. It is not that I did not enjoy it, but it had many similar elements to other books out there. </span></span></span><br />
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Elizabeth Louise was a great narrator. Her edge to her voice fit Kacey perfectly and made me imagine the tough, protective, and broken character she was. The audio help me with some of the pacing issues and also from stopping myself from skimming parts because I wanted to get to the "good stuff." Sometimes I get too caught up in a story line and want to skip all the minutiae and only read the stuff relevant to the situation at hand. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are looking for something that is beautiful but in a broken way, Ten Tiny Breaths is for you. </span><br />
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<i>*I did receive a copy of this audio book for review, but all opinions are my own.</i></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-74711959210508248412013-10-10T04:00:00.000-07:002013-10-10T04:00:10.599-07:00Review Post: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377579834l/17286849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="17286849" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377579834l/17286849.jpg" /></a>Title: Fangirl<br />
Author: Rainbow Rowell<br />
Published by: <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">St. Martin's Griffin</span> </span><br />
Pages: 434<br />
Format: Hardcover<br />
Source: Purchased<br />
Rating: 4.5 stars<br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Summary from Goodreads: </b>In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, 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.</span></span><br />
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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 fan fiction 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.<br />
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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?</div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We as book lovers get attached to characters, worlds, plots, authors, and essentially every other aspect of a book. These people and places become a comfort to us and a part of our lives just like their non-fiction entities. Who didn't hope for their very own letter to Hogwarts, to be able to shoot an arrow like our favorite fearless heroine, or dare I say it...want a sparkling boyfriend of our own at one time or another? We get completely immersed in the story and it becomes part of who we are. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The same is true for Cath. She is not only a Simon Snow fan, but she is THE fan. You know the one who has fans of their own. Not only does she live for the books, movies, world, and characters but she is also one of the most famous fanfiction writers out there with a massive following of her own. She's a bit obsessed to say the least and it is taking over her life. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I really loved Cath as a character. She was a bit naive and sheltered but she also didn't bend to peoples will or change who she is. However, Cath was just one of the outstanding characters in this novel. Wren was </span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">eccentric</span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> and a bit wild. She knew what she wanted from life and went after it. Levi was completely and utterly adorable. Where was he when I went to college? And my favorite character had to be Reagan. I loved her and her surly attitude. I thought she was a riot. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">College is a tough transition and I think that Rainbow Rowell did an amazing job at capturing two of the different ends of the spectrum with Cath and her sister. Both of these girls were going through some traumatic experiences and tough times, then on top of that they move away to college. They handled things very differently, though truth be told also very typically. Looking back on my undergrad days I can </span></span><span style="line-height: 19px;">definitely</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> see myself in both of these girls and their actions (is that a good thing?)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Fangirl was a different take on YA/New Adult and I think I quite liked it. For me at least, it seems a bit more </span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">relate-able</span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> than other NA books, yet it still had most of the elements + it was hilarious. There were so many times I laughed out loud when reading this novel. (side note: This novel seems to bridge both YA and NA, though in an <a href="http://www.xojane.com/entertainment/author-interview-rainbow-rowell-of-fangirl">interview</a> Rainbow Rowell states she feels it is more YA.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Fangirl is </span></span><span style="line-height: 19px;">definitely</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> worth the hype. I think I'm going to stock up on a couple of these books, as they will make great graduation gifts. </span></span></span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-76713119895677036812013-10-08T04:00:00.000-07:002013-10-08T04:00:04.477-07:00That awkward post...I was reading a<a href="http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/2013/10/september-favorites.html"> beauty/hair/style blog post</a> from Kate of <a href="http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/">The Small Things</a> blog the other day and she mentioned that everyone has that awkward first post and/or the awkward coming back post. Well, here is mine...<br />
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I was one of those people who would always take a couple of days off blogging for vacation or something, but I never thought about taking a longer break. In all honesty I didn't understand the need for a long break. When I started my blog I was a Ph.D student and even though I was busy I still found time to read and blog. At times when things got crazy or the days long, I would listen to audio books instead because that was something I could do while analyzing data. Starting last winter everything changed though...I was finishing up my projects and it came time to write my dissertation. Well I soon found out that listening to audio books was no longer possible (since I'm not talented enough to listen to one thing and type another), and working 80-100 hour weeks left me too tired to read. The little free time I had I wanted to spend with my family. Hence the decision to stop blogging for a while. <br />
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Then came summer. I had finished my dissertation, passed my defense, and thought I would get finally get back to blogging, but I got offered a new position across the country and while I was reading and listening to more audio books, I still didn't have the time (or to be completely truthful, the desire) to blog. <br />
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Now that I'm settle in my new town and new position came the debate of whether to return or to just hang up my blogging hat. It is not like I have a big blog or anything, but it took me awhile to remembered why I started blogging. It was for me personally to record my thoughts and opinions about books and to talk to others who shared this passion. That is what I started this blog for and that is what made my decision to return. I don't think I'm going to post everyday (more like 3-4 times a week) as I want to try and find a balance that works for me. Hopefully things will work out, but my goal is to remember the joy of blogging and why I started. <br />
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Here ends the awkward blog post.... <br />
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<img src="http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p625/lkendhammer/lisasignature.png" />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-60589660710714593202013-08-26T13:47:00.000-07:002013-08-26T13:47:30.355-07:00Books to Movies Giveaway HopHey all! I know I have been gone for a while, but I have finished my dissertations and I'm back. What a better way to return than with a giveaway. I'm participating in the Books to Movies Giveaway Hop hosted by Bookhounds and I am a Reader, Not a Writer.<br />
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<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=53b16f0137&view=att&th=140b2136d0d53baf&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Books to movies August (2)[1]" border="0" class="GH" height="374" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=53b16f0137&view=att&th=140b2136d0d53baf&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Books to movies August (2)[1]" width="494" /></a></div>
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So what am I giving away....any book and movie combination (as long as I can find them through Amazon, Book Depository, etc.). It is your choice which book and dvd you would like. For some ideas here is a really organized and helpful <a href="http://www.mymcpl.org/cfapps/botb/movie.cfm">list</a>, but if your combination is not on the list no worries. <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Giveaway rules:<br />You need to be at least 13 years old to enter<br />The giveaway is only open to International readers<br />
The winner will have 3 days to respond before a new
winner is chosen<br />I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items.</span></span><br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f5d0f48/" id="rc-f5d0f48" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Who else is participating in this HOP?<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com140tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187421537981797094.post-64135637345129600132013-07-10T15:11:00.000-07:002013-07-10T15:11:48.990-07:00Diva (Flappers, #3) by Jillian Larkin hits the shelves!If there was one era that I could go back to it would be the 1920s. I've always thought I would make a great flapper! Well now I can experience it all like I was actually there through Jillian Larkin's Flapper series.<br />
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This is one series you don't want to miss and lucky for you the third book in the series, Diva, was just released! Go check it out, then stop back and tell me if you would have loved living it this era as much as I would have.<br />
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<img src="http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p625/lkendhammer/lisasignature.png" />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16539839965528274907noreply@blogger.com0