Posts:
Posts You May See Coming:
Reviews for
Ruin and Rising
The One
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy
The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
June in Review
June was the worst month for me in terms of book blogging. I've been lagging behind and the blog has just really been stressing me out because of this I am going to do a light hiatus which will coincide with a lot of my traveling and camps. I might still put some scheduled post out but they will not be long. I will continue to follow some of the blogs. I have also shifted some of my priorities. I will now have a goal set at 7 or 8 posts a month. I have put up a new banner a blog button, but will probably not screw around as much with css and html. I also haven't done a Room by Book for a while, so I'll start doing some of those. That's all the news I have.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Summer Review Little Women
This post is part of a part of a series where I review books that
are a part of my summer reading list. I won't rate them or talk about
their writing because my teacher didn't want that. It is mainly going to
focus on my relationship with the book. Hope you like it!
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Summer Review Johnny Tremain
This post is going to be a part of a series where I review books that are a part of my summer reading list. I won't rate them or talk about their writing because my teacher didn't want that. It is mainly going to focus on my relationship with the book. Hope you like it!
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Book Haul
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
My friend recently went to Amsterdam and recommended I read the book. I was cleaning my room the other day and found it under my bed and put it on my to read list. I think I'm finally at the age I can appreciate it because one of my friends read it at 8 and I don't think she got it.
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
I might see her on tour with Leigh Bardugo and wanted to get started on her story. It looks like an interestign dystopian novel with teens stuck in a Walmart like store.
The One by Keira Cass
I've been waiting for this forever. I loved The Selection and The Elite. America must finally decide which person to choose. I was so happy I found it on the library's express shelf; I started hyperventilating.
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
This is required summer reading. I remember reading it in 4th grade and falling in love with it. I am rereading it to see what I missed and the themes seem a lot more mature than I remember them. This copy I accidentally (maybe) took from my fifth grade teacher's library I recently found in the front cover.
The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnston
That cover is plain cool. Rural Canada, boy, and dragons what more could one be looking for in a new debut (I think) novel. I hope this is another fantasy dragon novel I like after Seraphina.
The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Earl Mathews
Poets and bad reality shows are a recipe for awesomeness. I can't wait to see how boys save their art school along with laughing at bad reality show puns.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Review City of Heavenly Fire
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books May 27, 2014
752 Pages
#6 in The Mortal Instruments
Source: Library, read the rest of the series
Bookologist's Analysis: This book brought it all together. This wove together the story of the Shadowhunters of Idris, New York, and Los Angeles. I found myself recommitted to the story of Shadowhunters after feeling left out for a long time.
Shadowhunters and demons square off for the final showdown in the spellbinding, seductive conclusion to the #1 New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.
Darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Chaos and destruction overwhelm the Nephilim as Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell. Nothing in this world can defeat Sebastian—but if they journey to the realm of demons, they just might have a chance…
Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world will change. Who will survive the explosive sixth and final installment of the Mortal Instruments series?
Note: I was having technical problems over the last week and
was so busy that I couldn't get around fixing them. My computer kept on
crashing while I was trying to type up my review, so this took forever. I
apologize for not getting this up sooner. On the happier side Cassandra Clare
revealed at the end of the book that there will be a new Shadowhunter series (I
know another…) called The Dark Artifices with the first book being called Lady
Midnight. I ship Emma and Mark. It will somehow involve the Faerie Court and the Los Angeles
Institute.
What an end I must say. Pieces of everything are falling into
place with all our friends and enemies.
The world of Jace and Clary is finally making sense and still continuing
to mesmerize us. I found the end a suitable one if not a fantastic one. Over
the last couple days I have been analyzing my relationship with the characters
and the world of Shadowhunters. I have deduced the science of the City of
Heavenly Angels to the plot and characters not the writing. Cassandra Clare isn’t the most eloquent writer or lyrical poet, but she
has wonderful raw realness in a world that is often very delusional.
To deconstruct the characters- I have seen a bit of all of us
in them. Simon is this scared person who is thrown into the world of
Shadowhunters and Downworlders head on with becoming a vampire and is often
unsure if he can handle the situation. Simon in this book matures as he learns to cope with Jace dating Clary and his growing relationship with Isabelle. Magnus after leading a near 400 year
life is becoming closed off and warded off from emotion especially after being
traumatized by the depth of love Alec has for him. Jace is the star of this
book, after winning the YA Crush Tourney. He is a prideful leader wanting to do
everything himself and wanting to change the world anyway he can. Clary, I
believe was purposely made a red head to stand against the crowd; despite being
a delicate doll like girl wanting peace, however she still is one of the
fiercest women in The Mortal Instruments. Isabelle was brought up to be a
badass and that definitely is evident in her approach to life. She enjoys
shrugging it off and living in the present. It wasn't until this book that I saw the depth of Isabelle's emotions as she finally starts really putting herself out there with her friends. Alec stands out against the
book. To be blunt he is gay and wants to
save everyone he loves. Alec is the best friend who is behind the scenes and
never noticed for what he does for everyone else. The characters in this book went on a journey. The journey wasn't something I really felt like was realistic for them, but it happened.
Back from piano break trying to get into a Jace mood- I played Heinrich Lichner’s Sonatina Op.49, No.1, Movement 1 (currently playing), Avalanche by Stephen Heller (an old one but loved it),and Puck by Edvard Grieg (old one).
“'Sure, he likes you,’ said Alec. ‘You’re heterosexual and have low expectations of father figures.’”
Sunday, June 1, 2014
May in Review
| Goodreads |
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Rags & Bones edited by Melissa Marr & Tim Pratt N/A (anthology)
Room by Book (link to post 1):
Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell
Other Posts (links to post):
Books I Read but Didn't Review (links to Goodreads):
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (#6 Mortal Insturments) (currently read and will review)
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (currently reading)
Books I Reread (link to Goodreads);
Siege & Storm ((#2 The Grisha Trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo (in the middle temporary pause)
Blog Posts I Liked This Month:
Let's Discuss: The Decoy Boy by Love Is Not A Triangle
Bookshop Serendipity by Feed Me Books Now
Blogging & Booktubing: A Tale of Two Bookish Communities by The Mile Long Bookshelf
Lindsey Stirling Songs with the Same Names as YA Novels by Kelley @ Oh, the Books!
What Happened This Month:
-I started White Spaces but dropped it as I couldn't get into it and found it too long to read if I didn't like it
-I put out more Other Posts which I am happy about
-Infographics are not really my thing
-I added more pages (check out the Blog Roll) and rearranged a bit
-I published 8 posts (my goal is still 10)
-I have started commenting more on other blogs and feel more connected
I Will in June:
-finally finish The Phantom of the Opera
-will do a post about books that changed me
-be more dedicated as school gets out
-aim for 10 posts
-do a better job learning how to schedule posts
Books to be read in June:
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Friday, May 30, 2014
Books with Tea & Cake
This list is originally from
Feed Me Books Now. Ruby decided to make a list of books great with tea and cake
and I decided why not suggest a few books to the tea party?
1) Long books – e.g. The Goldfinch
If a book goes beyond the 600 page mark, you're going to need something to
keep you going… right ?...
Oooo long books area rarity now
it seems… Let’s see Harry Potter &
the Order of the Phoenix is too much action for cake and tea or you end up
drooling, but Dreams of Gods &
Monsters is perfect for that stuff, though I have just started City of Heavenly Fire which seems to be
tea worthy.
2) Childhood favourites – e.g. Harry Potter
There's nothing like settling down with your well-read, dog-eared copy of
your favourite childhood book, is there? Although perhaps the added comfort of
a cup of tea could make things marginally better… ;)
Percy Jackson & the Olympians (the entire
5 books) - dry humor, Greek gods, well worn, & perfect with tea and cake.
You want to see a well-read book see my copy of The Lightning Thief.
3) Austen – e.g. Emma
There's no better way to read one of Austen's trademark social commentaries
than with a cup of tea and ridiculously rich slice of cake.
The only Austen book I’ve read
is Pride & Prejudice, but tis perfect with British snacks to settle down
and reread the romance soap operaish book.
4) Fairytales – e.g. Grimms' Fairytales
Tea and cake is not just a suggestion for when reading fairytales… it's
mandatory.
Grimms’ Fairytale for sure too,
the medieval tales and dark forests just have you drinking gallons tea and
eating a bit too much cake than healthy.
5) Detective novels – e.g. Agatha Christie
When the whodunnit conundrum gets too complicated, sometimes it's best to
take a tea break before the mystery continues… :)
The most famous detective of
them all- Sherlock Holmes’ Hound of the
Baskerville by Lord Connan Arthur Doyle is great with British necessities.
The fog and mystery is perfect to ponder over a little snack.
6) Gothic novels – e.g. Wuthering Heights
Picture the scene: roaring fire, steaming cup of tea at your side, slice of
cake at the ready, an eerie tale awaiting. What's not to love, eh?
Gothic novel… I had to look this one up-Gothic novel, European Romantic, pseudomedieval fiction having a prevailing atmosphere of mystery and terror (Encyclopedia Britannica) my thought immediately went to older British novels, but then I remember that I have yet to read them so what better book then Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Hollow City with the eeriness and gloominess it has, accentuated by the vintage pictures it uses (plus formatting that makes it look 1920s).
7) Graphic novels – e.g. Scott Pilgrim
As long as you don't get crumbs across the gorgeous drawings, I can't see
anything better than flicking through a graphic novel and helping yourself to
cake as you go.
I don’t read a lot of graphic
novels, but recently my favorite book with art is The Shadowhunter’s Codex. The drawings were phenomenal and I
remember drinking a lot of tea during this time as it was especially inspiring
with written in comments by the characters from The Mortal Instruments.
8) Coming-of-age tales – e.g. The Catcher in the Rye
Coming-of-age tales are often full of angst (let's be honest), so what
better to cheer you up from all the doom and gloom than a cuppa?
Coming of age… I scratch my
head trying to find a book that I’ve read like that… hmm aren’t almost are YA
books about coming of age…uhhh… how about The
Girl with Borrowed Wings had a bunch of emotions just waiting for bucket
load of comfort food cake and warm cozy tea
9) Inherently British books – e.g. James Bond
To be patriotic?
Well I’m not British, but a
citizen of the Commonwealth, but to be inherently British (can you use two buts
in a sentence?)- it must be world famous, older & British. I’ve read recent
British novels, but older ones I have to catch up on, but The Scarlet Pimpernel comes to mind with tradition of having to
prove British superiority over the French and a tragic romance.
10) ALL BOOKS. Because what's better than tea, cake and
words?!
Agreed.
Think of the tune All You Need Is Love and now substitute Love with tea, cake,
& words
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