June Wrap Up

I'm loving this hot weather we are having in Wisconsin.  It's perfect for sitting outside after work, sipping ice tea and reading.  It always makes me sad in winter when I leave for work in the dark and return home from work in the dark, so I'm trying to soak up the sun as much as I can.  I'm extremely excited for the 4th of July and all the fireworks!  I absolutely adore fireworks and try to see as many displays as I can over the summer.  In Milwaukee, the 4th of July also means Summerfest, which is the world's largest music festival.  So I'll be sure to head over there a couple of times to relax by the lake and listen to some great music. 


Books I reviewed:

 

Paper Towns by John Green--4.5 stars

 

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith--4 stars

Virals by Kathy Reichs--4 stars

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa--4 stars

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey--3.5 stars

 

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer--3 stars

 

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #6) by Ally Carter--5 stars

 

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness--4 stars

 

Progress on Challenges:

1. Debut Author Challenge - 12/12
2. Audiobook Challenge - 21/25
3. YA Contemporary Challenge - 8/15
4. TBR Pile Challenge - 11/20
5. Why Buy the Cow Challenge - 5/12

Top Ten Lists:

1. Top Ten Items Inspired by Books
2. Top Ten Books I'd Recommend as Beach Reads
3. Top Ten Books on my Summer TBR List
4. Top Ten Characters Who Remind Me Of Myself Or Someone I Know In Real Life

 

Friday Night Date Night:

 

Eat, Pray, Love

Avengers

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

 

 

All Male Review Giveaway Hop--Win a SIGNED copy of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

So I'm super excited to be participating in the All Male Review Giveaway Hop.  I love reading YA books from either male authors or from male character's POVs.  I have an awesome prize too for one lucky winner...ready...wait for it...a SIGNED copy of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green!

Giveaway Rules:

The contest runs until Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 11:59pm (CST)

You must be 13 years of age or older to enter

You must fill out this FORM!

This contest is open to participants both from the US and internationally

Once the email is sent to the winner they will have three days to respond or a new winner will be chosen

**I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items. (I haven't had any lost or damaged and I really hope that none will be)

Here are some others who are participating in the HOP!

Friday Night Date Night: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

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 just finished listening to this audio and while it wasn't one of my favorites, I still wanted to see the movie and I am happy that I did. The acting was amazing as was to be expected with veterans such as Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks, but it was actually new comer Thomas Horn who stole the show for me. He had a tough role to play and did it superbly.

From rottentomatos.com

This movie paired down much of the story as most movies do. I did, however, feel that the book was more about the connections people had, and the movie itself is more about Oskar's mission to find a hidden message from his father who died in the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers. The movie was an emotional journey and be ready with lots of Kleenex because I cried throughout the last 20 minutes of the movie.  You will feel such a connection to Oskar and his story that you can’t help but get attached. 

The one thing I felt that was lacking in the movie was the story of Oskar's grandparents. I enjoyed that section in the book, so I was sad to see that their whole story didn't make the cut.

While I did enjoy this movie, it was a hard one to watch but definitely worth it. 

Want to see more?

 

  

Review of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Title: A Discovery of Witches Author: Deborah Harkness
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda
Published by: Penguin Audio
Length: 20 sound discs (24 hr.)
Source: Library
Format: Audio
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Magical, mystical and utterly captivating. A Discovery of Witches is one novel you won't want to miss.

Both Deborah Harkness's words and Jennifer Ikeda voice are spellbinding with beauty and wonder. While this novel is set in modern day Oxford and New York, there is a sense that you are transported back in time to a different world. It may be that Matthew is a centuries old vampire and he gives the novel a timeless feel, but either way you will definitely be transported out of your current location and into this fantastic world.

Even though the title is A Discovery of Witches you will meet many different paranormal characters. Since there are so many characters there is not much character development beyond Diana, Matthew and a few others. However, the world that these characters live in is rich with detail and originality. The buildings themselves are described in great detail, especially Sarah and Em's house which has a mind of its own. The house actually builds more rooms when it knows there will be more visitors. Don't we all wish we had houses like that?

What I really loved about this novel is I felt it covered an area or genre in adult literature that was missing. Sure there are many paranormal romances, but this novel felt more like literary fiction that had paranormal elements than a paranormal book. It was intriguing to take what I normally read about in young adult literature or the fore-mentioned paranormal romances and bring it into adult fiction. I think that Deborah Harkness fill that gap wonderfully.

The audio of this novel was amazing. I had a hard time turning it off and would sit for hours at night just listening to it. It was engaging and the cadence of Jennifer Ikeda voice was perfect. While I did really enjoy this audio it was a long one at 20 cds so make sure you set aside some time or you'll find the dishes not being done and the laundry piling up just get in one more chapter.

   

Review of Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter

Title: Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #6)
Author: Ally Carter
Narrator: Renée Raudman
Published by: Brilliance Audio
Length: 7 sound discs (7 hr., 47 min.)
Source: Library
Rating: 5 stars

Summary of Goodreads: The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan—an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an Alpine convent and discovers that months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie's summer vacation are the bruises on her body and dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Seriously, how do you get into Gallagher Academy? I want to go to spy school.

Out of Sight, Out of Time was a great addition to an already wonderful series. I tend to get into a slump on the middle of most long series, but not with this one. It was packed with action and adventure, twists and turns, and of course sweet romance. The novel was more serious than the previous books. This time people are not only trying to capture Cammie, they are trying to kill her and anyone who stands in their way.

Cammie doesn't remember anything from the previous summer and often has these lapses of time where she's not sure where she was or what she was doing. If I was Cammie, I think I would have been very frustrated. She was, but I think I probably would have demanded some type of treatment to get my memory back. I believe she should have been more fiery, but that is not really her personality it’s just me projecting myself onto her. The best thing about these books is the relationship that Cammie and her friends have. They are always there for each other, to the point of dying for one another. I love how they always know what each other are thinking and can often communicate with just looks. That’s what best friends are about.

I have listened to all the books in this series and they are probably some of my favorite audios. The narrator is great and the books work really well on audio. They are so gripping that you want to drive around in the car just so you can listen to one more chapter. If you are thinking about trying out audio books or just looking for some new ones this a great series to listen to.

Top Ten Tuesday

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

Top Ten Four Characters Who Remind Me Of Myself Or Someone I Know In Real Life

1.  D. J. from The Dairy Queen Series by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.  I have a very tomboyish friend that when I first read these books and met D.J. made me automatically think of her.

2. Willa from Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig.  I went to high school with a girl who reminds me so much of Willa.  She always kind of kept to herself until she met a new crowd and then started wearing the "cool" clothes and way overspending then she got in big trouble with her parents.  

3. Marley from Marley & Me by John Grogan.  We had a very lovable but very mischievous dog who always seemed to be getting into trouble of some kind. 

4. Cara from Populazzi by Elise Allen.  I knew many people in high school who tried too hard to be popular and move up that social ladder.  

That's all I got.  Either I'm really bad at matching real life people with characters from books, or I just have some very unique friends. 

Review of Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Title: Why We Broke Up
Author: Daniel Handler
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Published by: Hachette Audio
Length: 6 hours, 32 minutes
Source: Own
Format: Audio
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

Original and completely fun.

Why We Broke Up was definitely one of my favorite reads this year.  The concept of the story being a letter from Min as she explains each item she is giving back to Ed was phenomenal. We are reliving their relationship and the reasons they broke up through Min's memories and get to see both the high points and the low points.  I have not read any book like this before and it's originality and creativity were a wonderful change.  The writing was captivating and I had a hard time turning off this audio.  The narrator was excellent and I really felt as if I was listening to Min as she was pouring out her heart in this letter. 

Min is one of those characters that you can't help but like.  She's creative and individualistic.  Of course when the "artsy" girl gets the popular guy you can't help but cheer, but their relationship is not as it always seems.  The one thing I wasn't found of with Min is that she tends to forget all about her friends when she starts seeing Ed.  I don't think she was actually a very good friend.  I also felt she was a bit naive, but I forgive her for both of these because it was the first time she feel in love.   

I, however, wish I got to know more of the characters in this novel.  I think the author could have had more character development in the supporting characters.  You will come to know Ed and Min personally, but there were so many other characters that I wish would have received more depth. 

I did listen to this audio, but I also own the book.  While I do recommend this audio, I also think you should look at the book or the pdf that comes with the audio book because the illustrations are amazing.  I love that you get to see an illustration of every item that is in the box of stuff that Min is giving back to Ed.  The illustrator, Maira Kalman, did a fantastic job.