Reading Blog

I recently made a reading blog.  So now you don't have to deal with my pesky book posts.  But if you enjoy those, then you can check them out on my new blog.  I'll also take suggestions for a better blog title and recommendations for good books (my list of books to read is getting dangerously low).

Reading Habits

So, I've been reading quite a bit.  I'm thinking of starting another blog to separate my reading habits from my other life.  I might turn it into a better review process instead of just a record of what I have read (it's sad when I can't remember if I've read the book before or not).  We'll see what comes up in the next couple of weeks.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Reading about Dragons.  I enjoyed how this plot played out however I hated how it ends.  Granted, it's set up for a sequel that was released last month.  Let's just say there are some parts of a teenager that I am super glad I outgrew...  But I still enjoy young adult books.

Stork by Wendy Delsol

This book was definitely interesting.  It involves a secret society that chooses who gets to give birth to select babies (hence the title), but it goes around how the girl deals with life.  In a new school, newly divorced parents, went from sun to cold in 5 seconds flat (California to Minnesota).  Yeah, I don't like snow either...

Jeaniene Frost

Destined for an Early Grave     First Drop of Crimson

 

Eternal Kiss of Darkness

I had to keep going in my vampire series.  I have two books left to read in this series.  I've really enjoyed these books.  And as much as I hate the covers and the fact that they're in the romance section in the library, I'll still read these.  Yeah, you had me at vampire...

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

This book had a really interesting concept and goes through how a town deals with suicide.  One girl's life was hell to live, so she made sure all the reasons why she decided to die knew about it.  Granted, a person may make your life hell, but taking your own life is still a choice you make.  The girl was just as guilty (if not even more guilty) than those she blamed.  However it was a good read, and I think everyone needs to be reminded about how our actions affect others.

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

This book holds an award that very few books will ever receive from me.  It is the award of putting me to sleep.  It was a good plot and made you think, but it was too slow for my tastes.  It's set in the future where people only interact with each other online.  It's a very realistic future with the way the world's heading, and I think that's what makes this book a little disturbing.  If there happens to be a sequel to this book, I'll most likely read (regardless of how easily it might put me to sleep).

What I Said and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

I'm not going to lie, I randomly picked this book up because of the cover.  This is set after World War II, and it's a realistic story about a family who manages to get themselves into some worldly troubles.  The daughter, a 15-year-old girl who's desperately in love with a 23-year-old veteran.  I'd honestly say this story was just stupid and dumb.  But a couple of days afterwards, it was still in my mind.  If you were left with a very difficult decision, would you do what's right by your family or what's right by a moral society?

Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce

Tamora Pierce was one of my favorite authors as a teenager.  So, I decided to try this book in tribute to one of my favorite authors.  And yes, I enjoy reading young adult books, but there are some I shouldn't pick up anymore.  This plot fell falt for me.  I had it picked about 20 pages into it.  If you're not familiar with Tamora Pierce, her books are always set in a fantasy world where there's magic and all sorts of things.  They're really good reads, but I didn't enjoy this one as much.

Die for Me by Amy Plum

For people who love reading anything supernatural but are kind of sick of the vampire/werewolf bandwagon, this book is for you.  It has a supernatural twist to it that is totally interesting.  I don't care if the plot was a little obvious once things were explained a little, I still enjoyed it.  And I want to read more of her books.

Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

I should have read this book in the summer time when it came out, but I forgot to.  Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite authors, her twelfth Otherworld book doesn't disappoint.  This book is from spell-caster Savannah's point of view, and I enjoyed it.  I don't want to ruin the plot or anything, but you see a lot of the characters from other books in this one.  It seems like the books are all culminating to a huge event.  But again, I'm sick of the cliff hangers already.  Even if this isn't one of those cliff hangers that cause you to throw the book across the room after finishing the last page, it's still a cliff hanger.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

I just finished this book today.  And I enjoyed it.  It seemed like it was set in the future after human civilization collapses (I'm just guessing here).  It has a Southern twang writing style that I absolutely loved reading (you Mark Twain kind-of-but-not-really twang).  It's from Saba's point of view and follows her life after her brother, Lugh, is mysteriously taken.  The one issue I did have with Saba is how poorly she treated her sister.  I wanted to wring her neck most of the time when she talked to her sister.  Anyways, it was an interesting book to say the least.

Late Night Reads

It's been about two months since my last book post.  So I though I'd let everyone know what I've been reading as of late...

Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost

 

So, the first book was another book that Jared got me for Christmas.  And I thoroughly enjoy these books.  I know, I know; it's another vampire series.  But I love reading vampire, paranormal stuff.  What made me laugh really hard is that these series fall under the Romance section and not the Fantasy/SciFi (like all the other vampire books I read).  Who knows, maybe these books will draw me to the Romance section. Anyways, I'm still working my way through the series.  Since I got a library card, I've kind of taken a break with my vampires.  I recommend these books for people who like vampires (not the sparkly, shiny kind).

Starcorssed by Josephine Angelini

And now I'm moving towards the Young Adult section.  I can't help it; there are many books out there geared towards teens that are absolutely great to read.  Anyways, this book has the Greek myth paranormal label.  I enjoyed this book, but I wanted to throw the book out the window when it ended.  Let's just say, I'll be anxiously awaiting the second one.  I will say this though, I'm kind of tired of the doom-struck lovers theme, but it always makes for a good plot.  Still a good book.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Having read the Twilight series before every female went gaga over Robert Pattinson, I thought it was about time I read this book.  I remember hearing this book being advertised as from the point of view of a 'bad' vampire.  Definitely not the best book I've ever read.  And I don't think Stephenie Meyer knows how to write from the point of view of a bad person, er, vampire - whatever.  No matter how evil the character's supposed to be, she manages to find some good in the character.  And there's nothing wrong with that; it's just, I wanted an evil vampire...  I guess I'll stay with the adult fiction when it comes to my vampires.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Reading this book made me wish I was a rich, privileged, spoiled-rotten teenager growing up.  Anyways, this book is a historical fiction book, and it gets into the French revolution era.  Tying the history together into the present was done really well.  However, I never quite fully grasped the meaning of this book's simple theme until a few days after I finished it.  I believe it was written well, and I'd recommend anyone who likes to read young adult books read this.

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

I thought this book was one of the worst books I have read in the last year.  It's set in the eighteen hundreds which is what drew me into reading this.  I mean let's face it, reading about corsets is better than wearing them (they fascinate me for some odd reason).  Anyways, I feel this book's plot lacked a lot of depth.  It did not do a good job explaining things, and I did not feel an actual climax.  It kind of made me think 'short story' stuck in a novel.  However, the title was cool.  I had to look up the word about halfway through the book, and then it all made sense...

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

This book is really, really good if you like the kind that question ethics and morals.  Just reading about living in a space ship your whole life made me feel claustrophobic.  This book weaves deep into a person's beliefs on what is right and wrong in regards to your self and to the collective group.  As the plot unwinds and explains the non-normalcy going on, you begin to question things.  Reading this book made me see all sides of the story and feel where each character was coming from.  I was definitely questioning if what I thought was right was really right at the end of the book.  I also have to point out, this book had two narrators.  I'm the kind of person who enjoys reading 1st person, one narrator books.  So, transitioning to this style was difficult at first, but I didn't care anymore after the first hundred pages...  A definite must read because it was really, really good.

Books

A few books I have been reading as of late...

I finally finished the Kushiel trilogy.  I believe the third one was definitely the best one.  It also had the most creative ways to induce pain.  Anyways, the books take on a historical fantasy.  It's amazing how much truth and lore is mixed in these books.  I truly enjoyed them and will probably continue on with the next books set in this world.  I just have to find time for them...

  

Waking the Witch is the latest book of Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series.  One of the things I really love about her books (that I thought I'd hate initially) is how her books have different narrators.  It keeps the stories and views fresh.  A lot of series that have more than five books tend to go downhill and you don't get that 'awesome story' pull that you initially had.  Anyways, I look forward to her next book which comes out in a month.

  

Maybe one day, I'll deem myself too old to read Young Adult novels.  Until then, I'll enjoy them as they come.  I decided to try out the Darkest Powers series, and they were done really well.  The weird thing is they're set in the same world as the Otherworld series, it's just from a teenager's perspective.  I definitely recommend it if you're someone who enjoys reading supernatural-themed books.  I need to start the Darkness Rising series now.

This is the fourth of the Mortal Instruments series.  It definitely picked up pace about halfway through the book.  And that's when I was beginning to question how big of a cliff hanger this book would end with.  Let me tell you, the cliff hanger is huge...  It's a big one like the one in Vampire Academy's fifth book.  Anyways, another young adult book that's awesome.

I read this book because it's Sookie Stackhouse.  I loved the first six or so books.  This one is the eleventh.  While reading this, I kept asking where's the climax?  What's the point of this book?  This series falls in that category of losing it's spark after so many books.  I only hope that, when Charlaine Harris does wrap up this series, she gives it an amazing ending.

This book was a very quick read.  And it made me go teary eye quite a few times.  It has the somber, serious feel while never losing hope.  Also, the title is perfect.  This is one of those simple books that touches you after the fact.  It keeps you thinking and pondering what if?  I need to order the second book because I definitely look forward to it.

Books

As promised, here are the latest books I have been reading.  Excluding last week, I've been averaging about 400 pages a week.  So, here's what I've been reading lately.

 

 

 

I went ahead and finished most of the books that are out.  Haunted is from a ghost's perspective.  I thought it was alright.  I enjoyed Broken and No Humans Involved which also had different narrators.  Personal Demon was alright.  I believe the books I've enjoyed the most have been from Elena (the werewolf)'s perspective.  Frostbitten was actually one of the books Jared got me for Christmas.  I can now say I've finished two of my Christmas books from Jared.  Men of the Otherworld is an anthology of short stories, and I enjoyed the stories.  I haven't read the latest novel yet because it was released in paperback on Tuesday.  And I need to go pick up my package from my clubhouse (it's depressing that Borders closed down my store).  The newest one will be released later this summer.  I can officially add Kelley Armstrong to my favorite author's list.

The book I had been anticipating for a while now.  I gobbled it down in two days.  I hated how Eugenie went back to the first guy.  Honestly, I liked the gentry guy a lot more than the kitsune.  And then the book climaxed a whole bunch and the end came too soon.  Such a huge cliff hanger on this one.  I can't wait for the next one (I don't even know if the publisher's set a date yet).

I got a little wrapped up in other books that I completely spaced the release date for this one.  I saw it at Barnes and Noble (which still sells everything at full price) and immediately went to borders.com to order it (which still honors coupons, my membership, and free shipping).  Anyways, this book was alright.  It seems the longer a series lasts, the more the book's oomph diminishes.  And maybe it's because I've lost a little of the whole story due to waiting a year.  The book was okay...

Jared and I saw the movie for this and thought, "Wow, I wonder if the book is this good."  So I got the book and made Jared read it first.  He had a lot of issues with the author's writing style and warned me about it.  I went into the book expecting the worst and was pretty surprised to find the style didn't bother me.  The storyline was really good.  And I do plan on reading The Power of Six (sequel).

So, what books do I plan on reading in the very near future?  I have a pile of quite a few books; some from Christmas and some from my birthday.  Right now, I'm trying to finish the Kushiel trilogy (yes I went back to the wicked pain fetish).  The next Sookie Stackhouse book comes out next month.  I'll probably work on some sequels and series books.  Then I'll be diving into my pile at random (my eyes are too big for my brain - it can't keep up)...