Bout Of Books 8.0 Read-A-Thon

As some of you may have noticed, there has been no activity from my little book corner as of late and I hate to say it is because I have fallen into a major reading slump. So what better way is there to read a ton and finally get back into the swing of things than finding a challenge to motivate me more?!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

I did the last Bout of Books (4/5 books I had planned, I think) and I want to set the goal at 5 again to keep it simple enough. I know I am horrible at setting up a TBR but I plan to at least make you all a list of the books I am considering closer to the start date.  I want to try and update everyday during that week to show my progress and get back into the blogging world. Thanks for sticking by me everyone and I hope you take part in this challenge as well!

 

Book Review: Hush, Hush -Becca Fitzpatrick

Series: Hush, Hush #1

Rating: 3.5/5

Synopsis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6339664-hush-hush

Okay, so time to come clean. This book has been sitting on my shelf for probably close to a year now and I wasn’t really anticipating picking it up yet, I just read it on a whim. I know, I should be ashamed…

I didn’t really know what to expect going into the book and coming out if it was just as confusing. I had a hard time deciding how I felt about the book as a whole, the characters were not spectacular and honestly, it reminds me a bit of Twilight just set to the tune of fallen Angels. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Twilight but there is a difference, character wise, that sets the two apart for me.

The story line was interesting and I was intrigued throughout the book but oh my goodness, I was not fond of the characters at all! The main character, Nora was extremely untreatable. She knows she is in danger and that something seems off about a lot of the new people she is meeting so what is the first thing she does? Investigate! Suspected murderer? Oh no need to tell mom I’m going to investigate this ALONE! She reminded me of Bella (Twilight) for that reason mostly. Not really a fan of her sorry, it also didn’t help that her best friend would turn on her the moment a cute boy came around.  Patch was the only one that seemed okay to me and even he is a major jerk about 98% of the time!  I was not able to get attached to any of the characters and characters are a big thing for me.

I will still read the next book in the series but I am not in a hurry and I will check it out from the library rather than but my own copy because I am still on the fence about the whole thing. The story line was interesting enough to keep me wanting to find out the answers to all the questions that came about and that is really what is making me want to read the next one.

I’ve Got Your Number -Sophie Kinsella :Book Review

Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12033455-i-ve-got-your-number

I think I just went through a mini technological romance phase because this past trip to the book store I picked up this text message romance along with Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments, which is love by e-mail. Let me just say, both were amazing!

While reading this my thoughts were a two sided coin:

1. OMG!!! This poor lady! I would just die of mortification!!!! Totally feeling the second hand embarrassment here!
2. And this is why we should not tell lies…

They both went hand and hand. Her lies were the main cause of all her extremely embarrassing and troublesome situations and although this book was not relatable (thank goodness), it was still amazing. Now I did not get overly attached to the main character, Poppy Wyatt but this girl is super hilarious and although there does not seem to be a lot of depth to her, it was mostly her vulnerability that made her human. Yes the situations seemed very unlikely but her flaws were real. She really needs to surround herself with better friends though; very self-centered, stereotypical rich airhead type of girls that only seem to be your friend to further the gossip streams.

Poppy’s interactions with Sam were spectacular and even though he tends to be a grump, Sam is my favorite character (a very modern day Mr. Darcy); a very brief and haughty businessman to the core with a lovely sense of humor. Poppy seems to bring out the best and worst of him, depending on what lie she has spun and it almost always enacts a witty banter battle (yay!)

A perfect summer read that will make you want to hunt down more Kinsella books (did that at the library today)!

Book Review: Attachments -Rainbow Rowell

Series: Stand Alone

Rating: 5/5

synopsis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11547291-attachments

Okay, so I was watching a book blogger on YouTube and this book was mentioned. Long story short, I want questing for it until I was able to call it my own…

I wanted to wait a while to review this book but that would be almost impossible. From the start the characters are so easy to relate to. Why? Because they are the realest fictional characters I have ever read. They are flawed and frumpy but oh my goodness do they feel. Every character has something you can grasp onto and say, “Hey, me too!”  In addition to that the book was so witty and funny at the same time. I usually write down my favorite quotes but I couldn’t with this book because it seemed that every other passage had something to write and I don’t own that many index cards.

As for the style of writing, it was amazing! I have not read Eleanor and Park yet, but you can bet I will now, so the only way that I can describe her style is to say that it would be the byproduct if You’ve Got Mail(along with numerous other most rom-coms) and John Green had a baby that was both cute as a button and hilariously sassy it would be this book. Yeah, that’s the best I can do to describe it. I already knew before I finished it that the rating was going to be five stars and that it was going to be among my favorite books but even I was surprised when the ending launched it past my expectations so that it would become my favorite book! My FAVORITE book! As in favorite ever! Guys, I have only had a favorite book once before and it was Pride and Prejudice!! Yeah, I love this book, plain and simple.

I don’t really know what to say. I will continue to rave about this book and I an going to try and convince my mom and fellow reader at work to read this (they are the only people (plus my boyfriend) who actually put up with my book obsession, and only one does so by choice) and I am really looking forward to reading Eleanor and Park. I know everyone is saying that it is great but this is it. This is the bar that has been set. Attachments has raised the bar.

Book Review: Safe Haven -Nicholas Sparks

Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7812659-safe-haven?ac=1

This was my first ever Nicholas Sparks book and boy do I have to say, I picked the perfect place to start. I have been wanting to see the movie based on this book since the first trailer so hey, read the book first right? Right! I got my copy of the book from the library down the street from my house and like always, I am now wishing I just went out and bought the book.

I really loved the characters here! Every character was amazing (although not always because they possessed good qualities), and I love the way the children first interacted and grew with Katie. I will have to say that her romance with Alex was breathtaking and I loved his character so much. How could you not fall in love with the single dad with a big heart who is always trying his hardest and is not full of himself? The other aspect that I liked with the flash backs that Katie had of her old life, wow, those were intense and appropriately shown as nightmares! Katie’s journey of planning, executing, and living her life was really intense and the way she grew because of it seemed very realistic. I have since gone out looking for more Nicholas Sparks books and I hope to continue to be amazed.

As for the movie, I did see it a few days after I finished the book and I was actually disappointed.  Of course the book and movie are always different and while I always anticipate that the book will be better, I had completely went in expecting equal footing. Low and behold, I wasn’t half as amazed with the movie adaption, what a bummer. But the book was great and the movie was okay, so I can’t really complain.

I’m still here!!!! I promise!!!!

Hey everyone! Long time no see. I am so sorry if it looks like I have just abandoned this blog, let me just saw that no, I am indeed still here. I have just started my first full time job and the hours still seem a little crazy at the moment (evening/night shift) so I am trying to rework my time management skill. I might be a little slower with my update but please stick with me while I try to find a balance with reading at work on breaks and at home when I am not sleeping. Hope to update with something soon! Bye for now.

Book Review: Boundless -Cynthia Hand

Series: Unearthly #3

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13049981-boundless

Wow. Boy am I happy that I stuck this series out because this book kick the first two books in the butt! ! I am sad though because I finally fell in live with the way the series ended and the epilogue has left me wanting a continuation series all about what happens after! This copy of the book was from the library and if I was to buy any of  the books to personally own, this would be the one I would buy… (I own book 1 though, got it at Half-Price books)

An absence (for the most part) of that disastrous love triangle!! Finally! Okay so some love triangle aspects were present throughout, like Christian always being around and always showing his love for her but it wasn’t that overwhelming. I felt like that finally took a back seat to the plot. Tucker was there a little too, mostly towards the end but every time he was mentioned I internally cheered. Yep. Although I am not Christian’s biggest fan, he was pretty cool in this book and I really loved it when he was in “best friend” mode/context.

I believe that the other two in the series were rated (by me) 3/5 stars so the fact that this book jumped up to 5/5 stars is amazing. The thing that really made this book was the fact that the story line was actually featured ( the love triangle was very distracting in the past) and we were actually able to see character growth and development. Clara and Christian grew fantastically and Tucker was pretty alright there too, it was only Angela that I was left a little unhappy with. But the end of the book really redeemed her and tied up the loose ends, just be warned, it leave you wanting more.;

Book Review: Divergent -Veronica Roth

Series: Divergent #1

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335037-divergent

Wow… Why have I not read this before? I obtained my copy from my boyfriend’s younger sister, be it borrowed or stole with permission (because I do not want to give it back!!) and already I have book 2 the collector’s editions so I could also read Free Four, the little mini story/retelling. Yeah, it’s that good.

So for some reason I thought the plot line for this book was one of a different book that I tried and could not really get into, obviously I was wrong and I am mad that I didn’t look into that whole mishap sooner. This book has some similarities with 1984, the Hunger Games, and The Giver but it still manages to be original and it is one of the more believable futuristic books out there. The Factions were extremely interesting to read about and it was fun to look into each of them and guess where I would end up (my version had a test in the back but I didn’t get placed, my answers were too varied).

Tris, our female lead, is probably my second favorite simply because of all the challenges she has to overcome and the growth of her character mentally and physically.Even though I don’t really relate to her I  loved reading from her perspective and I think that that was one of the factors that helped make the book. I just have to say though that  Four is my favorite character. I really liked him, he seems like the secretly sweet guy and I am a sucker for a sad back-story! I liked how he seems to know more than he lets on and how he looks out for Tris but doesn’t always make things easy on her.

I can’t wait to start on the next one!! This has made it onto my favorites list and I will recommend this book to everyone like there is no tomorrow!  Bye for now!

Book Review: Jinx The Wizard’s Apprentice -Sage Blackwood

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17735927-jinx

Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Jinx-Sage-Blackwood/9781780872476/?a_aid=bookpapercut

I received this book from the Book Depository when I became an affiliate with them just last month. I din’t really have a set expectation for this book since I had never heard of it before and if we are being honest, I probably would not have picked it up on my own because I don’t read too much middle grade books but wow, this book was really good.

I wont go on comparing this book to the Harry Potters because that is setting up unrealistic expectations, nothing will every come close to those books and anything that claims to usually just ends up a knock off. This book is a refreshing take on wizards that doesn’t try to imitate the Potter series and is likable for being original.

Jinx is a very curious character that  seems to have a knack for learning new thing and almost always finds himself getting into troublesome situations and having to be bailed out. Jinx was an interesting character and since we get to see every character through his eyes we are able to see that even though he is only a child he is very cautious of people’s intentions and he is not afraid to ask lots of questions and he is not above spying or investigating to discover some form of truth.

The characters, location, magical items, and monsters really made this a fantasy book. It felt like playing RuneScape or Reckoning: Kingdoms of Amalur (PC/PS3 games), and that was what I liked best. The focus was not solely on learning magic but on how the everything in that world relates.

The only thing that I didn’t really like was all the time lapses, it seemed that every few paragraphs a week or so had already passed and by the time we get to page 50, a whole year had passed! It just felt that the author set up the story and was rushing about to get to where the story needed to be. Although that saves a lot of time reading dull moments it was a little tiring in a “seriously?!” kind of why.

Book Review: The Titan’s Curse -Rick Riordan

Series: Percy Jackson and The Olympians #3

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/561456.The_Titan_s_Curse?ac=1

This copy was another one from the library near my house. What can I say other than I sure am glad I stuck with this series… The 1st book was not one of my favorites and I’m sure you still remember when I was on the fence about reading the rest but they have surly lived up to their hype and surpassed my expectations thus far!

While I am still not the biggest fan of Mr. Percy Jackson I really liked Artemis and her band of Hunters, talk about some kick-butt girl power! I also was glad that I got to see some of my other favorite characters like Tyson and Poseidon and I even started to like some of the other characters a little more (Annabeth and her Dad mostly).

I felt that there was a tone of action, so much that it was bursting at the seams and that it was not just the middle book of the series made to be a filler because it certainly added to the plot  characters, and character growth. I found that the Gods all gathered together is extremely interesting in a funny/ if-I-was-there-I-would-fear-for-my-life kind of way, and what is it with the Winter Solstice? The time line they were given was every reminiscent of book 1.

Overall, great read, I am still waiting to be swept off my feet and blown away but I have a feeling I will not have to wait much longer.