Theft Of Swords

I LOVE this series!!!!!

I posted this on Goodreads but, of course, I have to blog about it.  I picked up a book for free on Amazon a couple years ago, right after I got my Kindle.  I always had something else to read though and never ended up reading it til about a month ago.  It's called Avempartha.  I started reading it and was hooked immediately.  When I was done, I saw that this was a series and I had actually just read #2!  So I went on a search for #1 called The Crown Consipracy.  I was having trouble finding it and all other books (there are 6 of them).  I went to the authors site and saw the words "out of print".   GERR!  Frowny face!   But THEN I saw below that when the author was picked up by a publisher, the 6 books were put into 3 volumes (two for each one).  YESSSSS!!!  So I went out to find this book - and happily all three volumes are released as well  so I don't have to wait to read them all :)

You will like this book if you like Medieval times, fantasy stories, and....The Lord of the Rings, I guess if I had to name something similar.    The books follow Hadrian and Royce through some thrilling adventures (I dare say I was quite suspensed by many of them!  Is suspensed a word?  I just made it up probably).  There is a humor, suspense (as mentioned), sword fighting, rescuing, a cool wizard, dwarves, elves, thieves, and a  Gilarabrywn.   Say what now?? What is that?  Well...you'll have to read it to find out :)

I'm super excited to get the other two volumes and get lost!

Matched

I have some serious catching up to do with my reading - so much so that I actually can't remember a lot of the books I've read recently.  One that I can remember is Matched.  

I really enjoyed this book.  I felt that it had a The Giver feel and I read that in a lot of the reviews afterward as well.  Still, I felt it was it's own story and I liked it a lot.  I will be reading the rest of the series but I'm not in a rush to do it.   As usual, there is always a love casualty that very well deserves to be the best man but somehow falls short and you feel bad for him.  The dystopian world they live in is strict, controlling and, again as usual, not all that it seems and so Cassia, the main chic, must find her brave little self and break through.  

I give it 3.5 to 4 stars.  Out of five.  And yes I just did that.

O. MYYYYYYYYY. WOOORRRD.

An actual, honest-to-goodness, real-live author of a New York Times Best Seller book actually commented on MY blog.  On my blog, people!!!!!!!!!!  If I could have had the gift of foresight and known that an actual, honest-to-goodness, real-live author would have seen my post about her book, I would have used a lot more fancier, smarter words!  Especially given the fact that she has an amazing talent with words! And if I could have the gift of time-travel...I would travel back to my post, pre-read by Beth Hoffman, and do that thing with the fancy words I was just talking about!!!  Seriously though - how cool is that!?!  Go out and read Saving CeeCee Honeycutt!! :)

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

I found this book charming and wonderful in a really sweet and funny way.  This book can make ya a little sad but not for long before you laugh, and then maybe get mad, and then laugh some more.  The southern talk of the women in this book is just a hoot and Cecilia Honeycutt is a cute little girl surrounded by women with wisdom who become her family.  It is from the vantage point of a 12 year old girl but it is not really a 12 year old's reading material.  It was wonderfully written!  Two thumbs way up :)

The Shape of Mercy

Mmmmkay.  So I wasn't supposed to read any books until I am up to date on Asher's journal.  I have the third book in the Hush, Hush series beckoning me every day from under my bed where I have hidden it from out of view.   

Friday night Paul and I went out with Paul and Teresa (for some Mid-Eastern cuisine which I loved) and we decided to find an ice cream joint around Sugarhouse afterward.  We ended up at Barnes & Noble instead because I have been craving the smell of new books and Paul and Teresa are quite familiar with their coffee-free smoothies - Win Win!!!

I needed to find our book club's latest read, The Shape of Mercy.  I heard a couple girls in the book club say that they loved every single page of this book and so I knew it would be one I would have to have on my shelves and not in my Kindle.  And I am so glad I do have it in hard copy because I, too, loved every single page of this book.

It's written by Susan Meissner and, as Publishers Weekly comment says on the front cover, "She is a stunning storyteller."  I sat down with Asher to read and I was sucked in immediately and knew I was in trouble.  

This is a story of Lauren who transcribes the 300-year-old diary of a girl named Mercy Hayworth who was convicted and sentenced of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials.  I love Lauren's story and Mercy's story and the wisdom of the words of the author.  It's a book about how 'we tend to judge people based on notions rather than on truth, and without stopping to consider if we even have the right to judge them at all.' 

I love it! You should read it! 

One For The Money

I'm so excited for this movie to come out!!  

This is based off the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich.  There are 18 novels in this series of a learning to be street-smart girl (while clueless she can be quite sharp) who ends up being a bounty hunter.  They are actually really funny books, although, I only made it to number seven.  I just grew bored of the scenarios that always seemed to be the same: Stephanie doesn't do what she should, ends up in trouble, some how it all works out but she never carries her stupid gun anywhere because she doesn't like guns but she's a bounty hunter for hell's sake and always, always, always has a million things in her bag and can never get her stun gun when she really needs it and Grandma is always tagging along & somehow she always manages to get every car she ever drives blown up.  Ugh.  Those things bug me tremendously.  

However!!!  

The first five or so books = really funny.  The first two or three were my favorites hence why I am excited about the first one, One For the Money, becoming a film.  Watch the trailer!  I think it'll be a fairly decent movie :)

Divergent

Must say this book ROCKS.

It's the first book of the book club for the year twenty12.  I thought maybe I'd just check it out at the library.  It's checked out EVERYWHERE with 166 holds.   Hmmmmmm, me thinks.    Must be pretty darn good then. So I buy it.  Glad I did.  Cuz it ROCKS. 

It felt like a cross between The Hunger Games (only due the separation of different Districts and a time in the future where everything is different) and  The Uglies.  At the same time, it was something all it's own and it was so well written, so smart and so captivating.  

I loved it!!!!

Twenties Girl

This book is the latest read from my Book Club.  Sophie Kinsella is such a funny author with great stories that she is quite addicting.  

This book will make you laugh a lot as the main character goes about trying to help her Great Aunt's ghost...yes, a ghost! It's a great story...highly recommend the read ;)

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

So here's one that I finally got around to reading.   I bought this book on my Kindle ages and ages ago because  it was on a Daily Deal....however, I read a chapter and just could not get into it at the time.  I meant to get back to it a lot sooner than I did but I was burned out with reading and didn't have the time anyway.

I didn't know what to expect with this book because I had purposely stayed away from it because I don't like spoilers.  It's a more mature read for sure... definitely not something for the Young Adult genre but despite that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so fascinating once you got into the story line and it was almost like there were two stories in one.  It was a good mystery discovering a bad person and their horrendous deeds (the book was originally titled Men Who Hate Women so let your imagination run with that if you choose).

I am super excited for the movie.  Daniel Craig will be in it and he's a fantastic actor.  The trailer seems promising and even Paul thinks it's gonna be an interesting movie and I didn't tell him one single bit about the book.  

Where She Went

Eeeeeek!!! The sequel to If I Stay!! It was released on Wednesday - FINALLY!! I re-read If I Stay on Tuesday, bought the new release on Wednesday and read it that day. I loved it!! Reading from Adam's perspective was quite a ride, since he is heart-broken and bitter and all that. What a rocker-stud though. :) Great book!

The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is, in a word, brilliant. I just wrote that and then realized it's also on the front cover of my copy. I guess it must be true then.

Until I bought my copy, I thought this book might be about some guy who's a thief for a living or what not. Not so at all. This book is a story told by Death and his story is about the story of a little German girl named Liesel Meminger during World War II.

The Book Thief does not center around the Jews in concentration camps or soldiers in War, but of course they are mentioned and are important to the story because of certain characters. The focus is on this little girl and how she came to be where she was & how she learned the power of words.

The writing is different than anything else I have ever read and I loved every minute of it. I loved the peculiarness and the choice of words and the way this story was told. It's the best fictional book based around true events that I ever remember reading and it's at the top of my list for the best books that I've ever read. I find it a real treat to find books that are written by talented authors who have a serious gift with words and telling stories. It's refreshing from the hundreds of authors who have an idea like everyone else's and somehow get published for works that are less than stellar.

You should read this. It's super duper worth the time.

Spells

Yay!!! I just finished Spells by Aprilynne Pike. Do you remember Wings? Well this sequel is really good. Aprilynne is one of the better YA writers, in my opinion. After I read Wings I decided to wait until Spells was released in paperback to buy it and read it. But then time passed and I think I lost my desire to read it. But my mom picked it up from the library because she really wanted to finish it and so of course, I stole it and I'm glad I did.

'Member how very sick I am of all the YA books that have these impossible love triangles?? I still am very sick of them but this one does have a pretty decent triangle. Usually I can easily pick the one I'm rooting for. Not so much this time. Both David and Tamani are swoon-worthy hotties and neither seem to have their bad points. Oh what to do? What to do?

I thought this was going to be a trilogy but there will be four books and lucky for me I don't have to wait long for number 3, Illusions, to get released this May! Yay! Also getting released this next month....Where She Went, the sequel to If I Stay. CAN'T. WAIT.

The Maze Runner

I thought I blogged about this book, too, but I must have some serious pregnant brain going on. Boo hoo.

Okay, so this book happens to be yet another trilogy. Which would be fantastic if it was any good. It starts out really good, capturing your attention, making you think, etc. But, seriously, it spends way too much time on things that nobody cares about, frustrates you entirely the entire time and then at the end, everything just happens really fast, too fast, and when it's all said and done you think: " What was the point of any of that?" Oh it's a fantastic idea for a story line but it needed a better reason behind it all.

The jist: Teenage boys one day find themselves in The Maze, their memories completely wiped out. They are added one by one and all have a role in keeping order in their little community while The Runners go out everyday, facing dangers and trying to find a way out of The Maze so they can all find The Creators and kill em for what they've done.

I usually like to finish trilogies, but I am pretty sure this one is going on the burner. Most of the Best Book Club Ever had a similar feeling. Apparently there is a movie being made from it, directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Lords of Dogtown) and I have to wonder if it will be any good at all for two reasons: The book (if they follow it, it will most likely bomb) and the director (she's good, but she blew Twilight hardcore and I have a hard time disassociating her with that)

Catherine has also directed Red Riding Hood, which hopefully won't be lame. If it is I will probably steer clear of anything she ever directs. Possibly even One For the Money: which is a shame because I love those books and Katherine Heigl is set to play Stephanie Plum.

The Thirteenth Tale

I really thought I already blogged about this book. I checked and I can't find it anywhere on my blog so I guess I didn't. Weird.

This book is pretty dang good. It's full of twists and turns and really makes you put your thinking cap on when you are trying to figure out how it all ends. It's written so well, too. It's refreshing to read a book written so well cuz I feel that so many books I read have potential to be great and the writing makes it blow. When reading this book you almost feel like you're in some quaint little village, talking proper English in the days before electricity. :) And she has an amazing way of painting a picture. I love it.

It's about a famous author who tracks down this girl to write her biography. Doesn't sound too interesting. But it is! You will get ensared from the very beginning :)

Crescendo

Yay for the sequel to Hush Hush!! Just as I had hoped for, the sequel was far better than the first. The main character still made me a little mad. You get pulled right into this book and I felt like I was back in high school with all the jealous horrible teenage feelings that go with boyfriends and break-ups and all the not so fun stuff. I rushed right through this book and I am very excited for the third to come and join my ever-expanding book shelf :)

Uglies

Uglies was the last book of this the year 2010 for BBCE. It is part of a four book series. It's pretty interested, although it can take you awhile to get truly interested. Some people had that problem but I didn't so much. It takes place in the future, where they make everyone on even ground by giving them an operation to make them Pretties at the age 16. Until then they are Uglies. They reference the Rusties a lot, the Rusties being us in this day and age with our metal buildings, wasteful paper books and tires on wheels. I am interested in reading the entire series but don't think I will get to it right away. Not a bad pick :)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

I did not read this book.

Why post it, you ask?? I dunno. I guess cuz it was the next book in line for the BBCE (Best Book Club Ever) and they all met last night to discuss it. I have had zero time the last two weeks (and yeah I guess I could have read this instead of all those other books I posted about earlier but....I didn't) and I never got around to reading it.

I would have gone to the meeting last night anyway, but Paul and I spent four hours making our costumes last night. And two of the girls told me that it wasn't that great of a read and they didn't care much for it. So I'm wondering, has anyone else read it and do you think the same thing? I probably won't read this one if I hear the same thing from others.

Hush Hush

Another book review!!! Yay!!!!

Okay so I love Hush Hush. That being said it could have been soooo much better. It is Young Adult and so like every YA, I feel like lacks a certain level of realism. And that's what I need when you are dealing with vampires and angels and other situations that aren't real (not saying that angels aren't real). I need the characters to act somewhat like you would if it were real - does that make any sense?? I dunno.

So with that said, I do not like the main character chic. She had no backbone and left her self wide open with vulnerability the entire time. I hate that. Give me someone who can fight back and tell someone to go to hell if they don't like what they see. On the other hand, I love Patch. He is dark and sinister and totally hot. Yum Yum. Speaking of Yum Yum - what a great cover!!! The story line is good but she could have written it better. Kinda like Fallen by Lauren Kate:

Great potential...but lacking. Fallen flopped for me - BIG TIME. Such a waste of a great cover. It could have been so great!!! And now that one is a series and I am so tempted to get the next one that just came out. Do I get it so I can find out what happens? Can I stand to put myself through this author's shatty writing?? I dunno!!

And speaking of series - I really need to stop reading books that turn into series. Seriously. Hush Hush is a three book series...I found out after I read it. But with this one, I will definately keep reading and pray that Becca Fitzpatrick takes good to even better.

If I Stay

I may love this book more than any other I have read this year. If I Stay is about a girl, who is in an accident with her entire family. She is left alone in a coma but still here...and she is trying to decide wether to leave or stay. I loved the flashbacks to her life before the accident, I loved her boyfriend, Adam, I loved the author's incredible talent with words and I wanted more - so much more- at the end of this book. It left me hanging and, happily, I learned that she wrote a sequel...from the boyfriends perspective. But don't go looking at that until after you've read this. And you should read it. You might cry. I'm surprised I didn't because I am super sensitive when it comes to death and family and stuff. Probably would have if I had been PMSing or something.

Safe Haven

Yet another Nicholas Sparks book has been released. I find it weird that I have nearly every single one of his books, but I am not a die-hard fan. I think it's because I find that I love his stories, and everytime he rights a new one, I have to find out what it is about...therefore, I add it to my collection. But looking at my bookcase you really would think that I am a die hard Nicholas Sparks fan.

Anyway, Safe Haven is another great one. It has a little more 'adult' content than I am used to with him. I was actually surprised because he's always kept it pretty clean. And this is in no way some kind of romance novel with explicit porn scenes...I'm just sayin' it was a little more than normal. Moving on! I can't really tell you what the story line is because one of the things I love about reading is guessing it for myself. It's not really hard with this book but it's fun all the same. I will tell you that it is about survival...survival through hardships, loss and hurt...and follows a young lady as she struggles to find a new, safer life and finds love and a family. Really good book - couldn't put it down!