The Most Read Books in the World---Which ones have you read?

I saw this graphic on pinterest and I thought I'd share it with you. 

From flavorwire.com

 I've read 6 of these books/series and parts of the bible.  What about you?

May Monthly Wrap-Up

May is a great month!  Why you may ask?  The school semester is over.  I still have to do research, but no more teaching.  It is a wonderful feeling to get a break after a tough semester.  Hopefully it also means that instead of grading at night I get to read!  What else happened in May?

From Goodreads.com

Books I reviewed:

Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward--3 stars
Eve by Anna Carey--2 stars

Where it Began by Ann Redisch Stample--3 stars 

Father Mine: Zsadist and Bella's Story by J.R. Ward--3 stars 

The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone--3.5 stars 

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin--4 stars 

Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig--2.5 stars

Bluegrass State of Mind by Kathleen Brook--4 stars 

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins--3.5 stars

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong--3.5 stars 

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer-- 4 stars

Progress on Challenges:

1. Debut Author Challenge - 12/12
2. Audiobook Challenge - 15/25
3. YA Contemporary Challenge - 7/15
4. TBR Pile Challenge - 10/20
5. Why Buy the Cow Challenge - 4/12 

Top Ten Lists:

1. Top Ten Books I'd like to see Made into a Movie
2. Top Ten Favorite Quotes from Books 
3. Top Seven Ten Authors I'd like to see on a Reality Show
4. Top Ten Blogs/Sites you Read that ARN'T about Books
5. Top Ten Books Written in the Past Ten Years that I Hope People are Still Reading in 30 Years

From geekscape.net

Friday Night Date Night:

X-Men: First Class
The Other Woman
The Fighter

Friday Night Date Night

Friday Night Date Night is a feature on my blog that showcases movie review (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.

From goodreads.com

 I have dragged my feet about watching this movie.  I was never really interested in reading this book just for the fact it seems a little unlikely for someone to drop everything and move abroad for a year to find themselves.  Don't get me wrong, I'd love to do that, but it isn't possible. 

From imdb.com

 I was pleasantly surprised by the movie though.  I again wasn't to sure about the reality of this jorney being likely but it was a fun to imagine we could all do this someday.  I haven't seen Julia Roberts in a movie for a while and I forgot how much I enjoy her as an actor.  I think she is very versatile and really makes each part her own.  Plus isn't her beauty timeless.   

From allmoviephotos.com

 The scenes throughout the movie were gorgeous.  Just watching parts of this movie left me feeling serene and calm.  Bali was amazingly beautiful and I wouldn't mind finding the love of my life there either.  Plus the food in Italy had me drooling.  Yum!  Maybe I'll add eating my way through Italy to my bucket list. 

From allmoviephotos.com

I love when a movie you are not sure about turns out wonderful.  It makes me so happy!

Want to see more?

Review of The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: The Dead and the Gone (Last Survivors #2)
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Narrator: Robertson Dean
Published by: Listening Library         
Length: 7 sound discs (8 hr., 51 min.)
Source: Library
Format: Audio
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.

With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful new novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities.

What's the key to surviving an apocalypse?  Luck and smart thinking!

I definitely think luck was on the Morales family side though I'm sure some would disagree with me.  Alex had to work hard to keep his family alive.  He made tough decisions and often sacrificed bits of himself just to provide for himself and his sisters.  While he didn't seem to plan anything, things would work out some of the time, but not always.  At times throughout the story Alex lost his head.  It would be incredibly hard going from a 17 year old boy that's having fun to now being head of the family and having to take care of his sisters.  I was hoping for a little more planning from him, but instead I got strength and an uncanny will to survive.

This story was so powerful in it's realism.  I feel like Susan Beth Pfeffer has an inner-eye that shows her exactly what would happen to New York should a meteor someday hit the moon.  This novel dealt with all aspects of this tragedy and how each person dealt with it differently.  It's not a light, candy-coated story, but it hits on both the good and the bad areas of human behavior.  There are tremendous losses and heartbreak, but sometimes the rays of hope would shine down.   

I had a hard time reading this novel as is.  I kept comparing it to the first book in the series and how organized Miranda's family was.  I think I would have enjoyed this story more if I had read it before Life as We Knew It (Last Survivors #1).  Where the first novel I was amazed by the survival skills and the planning, this novel took by storm the emotions and the tragedy.  Though both novels are both written about the same event they are completely different novels in the situations and the people. 

These books will not only captivate you while you read them, but also long after you've put them down.  They'll have you analyzing your thoughts and actions and trying to decide what you would have done. 

Review of Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Narrator: Aasne Vigesaa
Published by: Brilliance Corporation
Length: 11 Compact Discs / 13 hours
Source: Library
Format: Audio
Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Young, beautiful, and successful, Elena Michaels seems to have it all. Her happy, organized life follows a predictable pattern: filing stories for her job as a journalist, working out at the gym, living with her architect boyfriend, and lunching with her girlfriends from the office. And once a week, in the dead of night, she streaks through a downtown ravine, naked and furred, tearing at the throats of her animal prey.

Elena Michaels is a werewolf.

The man who made her one has been left behind, but his dark legacy has not. And though Elena struggles to maintain the normal life she's worked so hard to create, she cannot resist the call of the elite pack of werewolves from her past. Her feral instincts will lead her back to them and into a desperate war for survival that will test her own understanding of who, and what, she is.

I must admit that it took my a while to get into this book.  I think part of the reason was Elena.  While I admired her strength and spunk, I wasn't a huge fan of her need to pretend to be someone she's not.  I felt like she was putting on an act for her boyfriend and his family.  She was portraying herself as a person she knew he wanted her to be.  If you can't be yourself in a relationship than I don't think that is a real relationship.  She was so much more fun when she was smart-mouthed and feisty with her pack.   

The pack itself was quite interesting.  I really enjoyed hearing about each member and their relationship to Elena.  I fell for Clay hard, but then after hearing what he did, I held a little grudge.  If I was Elena I don't know if this would be something I could get over.  I don't want to give anything away but it was really interesting pulling pieces of Elena's history out and seeing how I would have reacted or handled the situation differently.  She led a difficult life and that definitely contributed to her choices. 

The plot kind of confused me a little.  I'm guessing this has to do with listening to the audio though.  I liked Aasne Vigesaa and thought she had a beautiful voice, I just think that I messed up the characters a lot because of how many there were.  I was confused on who was who and what each person wanted.  I don't think this would have happened if I read it, but the audio itself was really well done.  For me, there was just too many people and too much going on for me to keep it straight while listening to the story.

I am intrigued by this series now and I can't wait to find out what happens next and who I will meet. 

Top Ten Tuesday

Today I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books Written In The Past 10 Years That I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years

 

1. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling.  I will continue to read this series even after 30 years. 

2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  This was such a wonderful book and hope generations to come will like it as much as I did. 

3.  Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.  This novel was powerful and heartbreaking.  I could see it becoming required reading in school districts in the future.

4. The Thirteenth Tale by Diana Setterfield.  This novel is modern day classic with a twist of the original classics added in.  A wonderful read. 

5. The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins.  I think this book will stick around, catching each generation by storm.  I don't see it's popularity dwindling anytime soon.

6.  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.  This book was talked about in many of my classes in graduate school and I think it is one people will continue to read and talk about with especially concerning ethical studies. 

7.  Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.  Even if no one else is reading this book in 30 years, I will continue to read it.  Maybe I'll even make my children (whenever I have them) read this novel as well. 

8.  Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.  This novel took me a while to get into but once I did, I fell in love with it.  It is a stunning story and the writing is beautiful. 

9.  Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead.  The reason I picked this is because it is not only a gripping series but it is also very popular so I think it will have some staying power. 

10.  The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R. Ward.  For me this series has its ups and downs but again it is a very popular series so that gives it longevity. 

Friday Night Date Night

Friday Night Date Night is a feature on my blog that showcases movie review (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.

From Goodreads

I've never been a huge boxing fan but I've always thought boxing movies were pretty inspirational, once you got past the fighting, blood, brain trauma and all that.  Ok, I'm lying.  I am not a fan of violence so even when it suppose to be inspirational I am usually cringing and peeking through my hands for half of the movie.  I don't know why I subject myself to them, but once again I did.

From moviesuggestions.net

The Fighter follows the career of Micky Ward and his struggles to make it to the top.  Micky has a lot of family issues which drove me nuts.  I wasn't a fan of his family, with the exception of his dad.  I thought they were crazy and not very supportive.  Mark Wahlberg did a great job playing Micky.  He brought to life the struggle of wanting to make it big, but having to deal with a certifiable family at the same time. 

There was a lot of swearing in this movie and it was quite vulgar.  I know the movie was based on Micky Ward's life and I guess I never knew just how messed up it was.  While I did think the movie was well done, this is not my kind of movie.  I know this is just my preference in movies, and if you like grittier, edgier, real life movies this one may be for you. 

Wanna see more?