Where reading is a way of life

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Color Coded Challenge for 2013



This challenge for 2013 is put on by My Reader's Block.  You may sign up for this challenge there, or get more info!

Here is the info copies directly from her site:

Here are the rules:

*Read nine books in the following categories.
1. A book with "Blue" or any shade of Blue (Turquoise, Aquamarine, Navy, etc) in the title.
2. A book with "Red" or any shade of Red (Scarlet, Crimson, Burgandy, etc) in the title.
3. A book with "Yellow" or any shade of Yellow (Gold, Lemon, Maize, etc.)in the title.
4. A book with "Green" or any shade of Green (Emerald, Lime, Jade, etc) in the title.
5. A book with "Brown" or any shade of Brown (Tan, Chocolate, Beige, etc) in the title.
6. A book with "Black" or any shade of Black (Jet, Ebony, Charcoal, etc) in the title.
7. A book with "White" or any shade of White (Ivory, Eggshell, Cream, etc)in the title.
8. A book with any other color in the title (Purple, Orange, Silver, Pink, Magneta, etc.).
9. A book with a word that implies color (Rainbow, Polka-dot, Plaid, Paisley, Stripe, etc.).

* Any book read from January 1 through December 31, 2013 will count.
*Crossovers with other challenges are fine.

*Everyone who completes all nine categories will be entered in a year-end drawing for a book-related prize package.

*Please post about the challenge on your blog. Sign ups accepted until Nov 30, 2013.


I am going to keep track of my progress here

1. RED-- Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
2.
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9,

If you are also excited about this challenge and want to sign up, head over to My Reader's Block!

Gravity Review from Goodreads--Giveaway by Jen Ryland/Ya Romantics!


GoodReads
400 pages, Released Nov. 20th

Synopsis:
In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war

To enter the giveaway Click Here  

In My Mailbox #10



IMM is put on by The Story Siren.  Anyone can join, but you can head over there for the specific details!  IMM is where us bloggers feature our new books of the week--books we bought, checked out from the library, received as gifts or for review, or anything we may have won!

Books I bought



 Wanted (Pretty Little Liars #8) by Sara Shepard
Twisted (Pretty Little Liars #9) by Sara Shepard
I Am Number Four The Lost Files (Lost Files #1-3)
The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa (Short stories of the Iron Fey)
The Lost Prince (#1 Call of the Forgotten) by Julie Kagawa
The Magnolia League (Magnolia League #1) by Katie Crouch

Book I borrowed



Room by Emma Donoghue

EDIT:
Almost forgot, I got a great deal at Best Buy on Black Friday!  2 blu rays that were $3.99 each!




Now my Twilight Blu Ray collection is complete!  Just need the last movie when it comes out!  Squee!

I've already read The Iron Legends, and can't wait to crack open the rest of 'em!
What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Banned Books Challenge



For this challenge, all banned and challenged books you've ever read count. The point of it is to read 50 of them, not necessarily 50 new ones. But, of course, if you'd like to choose 50 new ones, then that is wonderful. This is a perpetual challenge and has no end date. If you'd like to join me in this particular challenge, just leave a comment saying you'd like to participate and then a link to where you will show your progress on the challenge. Book reviews are not required, but, of course, accepted. A few short lines on what the book was about and whether you found it worthy of reading in and of itself (as oppose to the singular fact it may be worthy of reading just because it is banned).

This challenge is put on by Lost in Books.  Head over there for more info and book suggestions!


Here is where I will keep track of my progress!


1.  The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown (banned in Lebanon and by the Catholic Church)

2.  Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
3.  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
4.  Carrie by Stephen King
5.  The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
6.   The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
7.  The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
8.  Lord of the Flies by William Golding
9.  Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
10.   To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
11.  A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
12.   Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (Ironically a novel about book burning and censorship.)
13.  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
14.   Little House in the Big Woods (challenged for “fueling the fires of racism”)
15.  Little House on the Prairie (challenged due to derogatory remarks about Native Americans)
16.   Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
17.  A Time to Kill by John Grisham
18.  My Antonia by Willa Cather
19.  Cantebury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
20.  Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (In South Africa)
21.  Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (In South Africa)
22.  Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
23.  Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
24.  The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
25.  A Wrinkle in Time by Madelaine D'Engle
26.  James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
27.  The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
28.  Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
29. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
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I will also keep track of my read on this shelf on Goodreads, and also try to write a few reviews, if I can remember all of these books!  I can't believe how many I've already read that are considered banned!  Crazy! Long Live Free Speech!


Half Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout



Goodreads

281 pages
YA Parannormal Romance
1st in the Covenants series

Synopsis:  The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

My 2 cents:  I really enjoyed this book!  The book started off with a big action scene, and just didn't let up!  There was plenty of action and forbidden romance in this book!


I loved Alex.  She talked so much smack, and acted totally bad ass to everyone who knew her, but underneath she was just like any other 17 year old girl.  The synopsis doesn't explain what her turmoil is really about--it starts out with her mother who was recently murdered by the daimons, and the decisions she made that now affect Alex.  Most of what goes on in this book is totally out of Alex's control, which she hates.


She slowly develops feelings for her trainer, Aiden.  It was pretty evident to me that Aiden was crushing on her long before she was crushing on him!  But anything between the two would be forbidden.  If that isn't enough for Alex to deal with, the most powerful Pure Blood has also developed some king of interest with her, and she can't stand the guy!


Other than Alex, there wasn't very much character development in this book.  I'm hoping we get more of that in the next book.  Most of the characters were pretty flat, with the exception of Alex, Aiden, and Alex's best friend, Caleb.  The plot was good, but another version of the same kind of plots we've already had (Vampire Academy, Fallen, Evermore) but this is a fresh take on it, especially everything going on with Alex's Mom.  Overall, I give it 4 stars!

Beautiful Creatures Movie Trailer



So I feel behind the times! I didn't even realize one of my favorite books was being made into a movie!  Figured it out when I saw the new cover on the book at my local bookstore!  I then had to find the movie trailer, and I have to say, I think this will be a good movie!  It will be in theaters on 2/13/13!

Here's the trailer for your enjoyment!




I have to say, not so impressed with Ethan, but very impressed with the actress they cast for Lena?  What do you think?

The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa



GoodReads

Paperback, 304 pages
Includes 3 short stories: Iron Fey #1.5, 3.5, 4.5, and a Guide to the Nevernever

Synopsis: .Winter's Passage

Never make a promise to a faery. They always come to collect. Now Meghan Chase must fulfill her promise to Prince Ash of the Winter Court and embark upon a dangerous journey into the heart of enemy territory—while being pursued by a relentless new foe and guarding her own foolish heart.

Summer's Crossing

What can turn enemies into reluctant allies? A call from the Exile Queen, Leanansidhe, ties legendary prankster Puck to his archenemy, Prince Ash, on a journey that may end in betrayal and will set them both on an irreversible path.

Iron's Prophecy

Before she ever knew what she might become, Iron Queen Meghan Chase was warned by the oracle that her firstborn child would bring nothing but grief. And even as Meghan and Ash celebrate their long-awaited union, the prophecy stirs.…

My 2 cents:  Overall, I was thrilled with this book!  I had Summer's Crossing and Winter's Passage as an ebook, but its nice to have all the short stories in one volume.  I'm seeing more and more of this in other series as well (the Lorien Legacies for one.) I went ahead and reread both short stories, as well as the new parts of the series!

Winter's Passage was my least favorite. Maybe its because it takes place so early in the series, but it didn't really thrill me.  Its mostly a lot of running around the Nevernever, with Meghan worried about her and Ash and the Winter Court.  Honestly, I felt this could have been included in the 2nd book, The Iron Daughter.  

I loved Summer's Crossing!  Its an adventure between Puck and Ash, and I've realized those are my favorite moments in the series!  Both Ash and Puck are very well developed characters. I wish Julie Kagawa would have developed Meghan as well as these too!  

Iron's Prophecy was my favorite of the short stories, because it sets the tone for the next series.  It's a spin off series involving Meghan's brother, Ethan (all grown up!), and Meghan and Ash's son.  Looks like there are going to be some dark times ahead in the Nevernever!  

I also loved the Guide to the Nevernever.  Julie Kagawa had me laughing out loud through most of it.  She gives us humans a survival guide, if we should feel so inclined to visit the fey!  Most of the advice is run, and expect to die! lol Very funny!

Overall I gave the entire book 4 stars.  If you are a fan of the series, you will want to read this!