Top Ten Tuesday (94)
Sep 17
Top Ten Books on My Fall TBR
Friends, fall is my favorite season. I love basically everything about it. EVERYTHING. The crispy air, the colorful leaves, pumpkin eats, Thanksgiving. In addition to all those awesome fallish things and more, I’m STOKED to read these books! [Read more…]
Book Review | The Dream Thieves | Maggie Stiefvater
Sep 16
I received this book for free from BookExpo in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater Series: The Raven Cycle #2
Published by Scholastic on September 17, 2013
Genres: Urban Fantasy YA, Young Adult
Pages: 439
Format: ARC
Also in this series: The Raven Boys, Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Also by this author: The Raven Boys, Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Source: BookExpo
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…
The Legend of Korra Recap: Episode One, “Rebel Spirit”
Sep 15
Finally, friends! Season 2 of The Legend of Korra is here. I am beside myself with glee and fangirlish anxiety (you know, the excited kind). From what I’ve heard and seen on the interwebs, this season is going to be a little darker and a little more intense than season 1, and I’m looking forward to it. I’m also looking forward to recapping each episode here for all of us to hash out and analyze and geek out over. It’s all just a big win.
So without further ado, let’s get down to it! Programming note: The premier event consisted of the first two episodes. To keep things clearer, shorter, and easier for me, I’m recapping those episodes separately. First up?…
[Read more…]
Waiting on Wednesday (33): The Glass Casket
Sep 11
The Glass Casket by McCormick Templeman
Death hasn’t visited Rowan Rose since it took her mother when Rowan was only a little girl. But that changes one bleak morning, when five horses and their riders thunder into her village and through the forest, disappearing into the hills. Days later, the riders’ bodies are found, and though no one can say for certain what happened in their final hours, their remains prove that whatever it was must have been brutal.
Rowan’s village was once a tranquil place, but now things have changed. Something has followed the path those riders made and has come down from the hills, through the forest, and into the village. Beast or man, it has brought death to Rowan’s door once again.
Only this time, its appetite is insatiable.
So, this cover. I love it, but I can’t figure out why it looks like she’s about to make herself puke all over her nice manicure. Or like she is licking the cream cheese frosting off her fingers, which is at least understandable. But even considering the finger-in-the-mouth thing, the cover looks so atmospheric, which seems to be perfect for THE GLASS CASKET. The fantasy/paranormal/mystery vibe I get from the synopsis just rings so many of my bells.
Also, there are so many elusions to the Snow White, Rose Red fairy tale, just in the title and the cover and synopsis: the pop of red, the glass casket itself, the main character’s name being Rose–I’m incredibly intrigued by this beast and the death and the “insatiable appetite”! THE GLASS CASKET can’t come out fast enough.
THE GLASS CASKET is coming out on February 11, 2014 from Delacorte
Top Ten Tuesday (92)
Sep 10
Top Ten Books I Wish Were Movies
It’s not often that I wish for the books I read to be movies. I like to just imagine them in my mind and let my imagination go nuts. But sometimes, books are so vibrant and awesome that I want to see them on the big screen so that I can just drown in their awesomeness.
Classics Retold: King Arthur–It Begins
Sep 7
As you may already know, there’s an excellent project just kicking off this month, hosted by a slew of lovely ladies, although my particular classic is being hosted by Alyssa @ Books Take You Places. Classics Retold is a super fun opportunity for bloggers to pick one classic tale from LITERALLY any time period and genre and read or watch a bunch of different retellings. Then, we get to blog about it and get all fangirly. It was really no contest for me AT ALL to choose the baddest BAMF of them all, King Arthur. Here’s what I’m hoping to discuss for my King Arthur Classics Retold project!
I’m pretty familiar with the King Arthur legend, but I love it so much that I don’t think I could ever get enough of it. And despite knowing the major points of the story, I’ve never read any definitive texts. I have read several retellings already, but I found a few that were new to me, as well as a classic that is HUGE but fun–go figure!
I don’t have a schedule for when I’m going to be reviewing these because, one, I haven’t actually FINISHED THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING–it’s seriously large, I’m not even kidding–and, two, I’m still in the middle of finishing a few others, but my plans are to read these books (or as much of them as I can) and then talk about what I liked about them, what I didn’t, and how they differ.
THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING by T.H.White
THE WINTER OF MAGIC’S RETURN by Pamela F. Service
THE WINTER PRINCE by Elizabeth Wein
SONG OF THE SPARROW by Lisa Ann Sandell (VERSE. Not usually my thing, but for King Arthur, I’ll do anything.)
I’m pretty stoked about these movies and TV show. In fact, this is the one part of my Classics Retold project that I’m nearly finished with. I’ve been a Merlin superfan for a while now, but still need to watch the last five episodes. The Sword in the Stone is a Disney version of THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING, and I’ve watched it already and there’s lots of similarities between it and the little bit of the book I’ve read already. And I’ve already watched Avalon High, the Disney movie version of Meg Cabot’s book of the same name. Woot!
Because King Arthur goodness just isn’t limited to books and movies. I’m going to dig up some fangirly goodies for you (and me).
I’m so excited to be taking part in this project, friends. The prospect of immersing myself in King Arthur ANYTHING is excellent indeed, and I can’t wait to share ALL THE THINGS with you!
Book Review | This Is What Happy Looks Like | Jennifer E. Smith
Sep 6
Title: This Is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith (web | twitter)
Genre: Contemporary YA
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Publisher: Poppy
Release date: April 2, 2013
Source: Bought it
Summary:If fate sent you an email, would you answer?
When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O’Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.
Then Graham finds out that Ellie’s Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?
Book Review | Crown of Midnight | Sarah J. Maas
Sep 5
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas Series: Throne of Glass #2
Published by Bloomsbury on August 27, 2013
Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy YA, Young Adult
Pages: 418
Format: eARC
Also in this series: Throne of Glass, Heir of Fire, The Queen of Shadows
Also by this author: Throne of Glass, Heir of Fire, The Queen of Shadows
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt. But her heart never wavers.
After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king’s contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king’s bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she’s given a task that could jeopardize everything she’s come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon — forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.
Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?
