Where reading is a way of life

Monday, December 31, 2012

End of the Year 2012 Wrap Up



So, its the end of another year!  Hard to believe!  I love being a book blogger, it has become by far one of my favorite things to do when I have free time!  I've met so many people online who share my love of reading, its been fantastic!

I made a lot of goals for myself this year.  I did well on some, not so well on others!

First of all, my year reading goal was 120 books.  I have read (almost) 150!  My GoodReads account shows 149, but I am reading Once in a Full Moon, and I will be finished today!  Here's the link if you'd like to see the books I've read this year:

http://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/214458







The 101 Fantasy Challenge is an ongoing challenge to read as many top Fantasy books as we can.  There are 834 books on the list, I believe.  Its an ongoing thing.  I've read a total of 58 books for this challenge.  Here's the 7 books I've read this year for it;



Jenny's bookshelf: 101-fantasy-challenge


goodreads.com



The rest of the challenges I participated in were connected to different reading groups on GoodReads.  I did the Angel/Demon Challengeand  I read 11 books



Jenny's bookshelf: realistic-fiction-challenge


goodreads.com
Other Stats:

Reviews written:  55
Page views: 9,256
Post with most views:  Get Your Free Capitol ID Card from the Hunger Games--2,598 hits
http://juliababyjenreadingroom.blogspot.com/2012/03/get-your-free-capitol-id-card-from.html

March RAK Wrap Up Post--213 hits
http://juliababyjenreadingroom.blogspot.com/2012/04/march-rak-wrap-up.html

Review with most hits--Enchanted by Althea Kontis--46 hits
http://juliababyjenreadingroom.blogspot.com/2012/12/enchanted-by-alethea-kontis.html

I forgot to write down how many followers I had at the beginning of the year--but I know it was less than 50, because I did a 50 follower giveaway towards the beginning of the year.  I now have 372 followers!!!

So all in all, I think it was a great year for the blog, and a great reading year as well!  Look in the post archive for the posts I posted last week regarding the Top Ten lists of 2012!  
Don't forget to enter my New Year's Giveaway!  Look for the button on the sidebar!
Happy New Year, everyone!

Entwined by Heather Dixon


GoodReads
472 pages, YA fairy tale
Standalone novel

Synopsis

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.


My 2 cents

This book is just beautiful.  The cover, the story, everything about it!  It made me want to put on a princess style ball gown and do a waltz with a handsome man in a tux in a snowy covered forest!  I'm not normally a huge fairy tale type of gal, but this book made me feel it!

First of all, I just love that cover.  I'm not sure why this book didn't make my top ten list of book covers in 2012.  Probably because I based that list off of books I'd already read, and I just got to this book yesterday! But it should have been on that list!  The cover looks much better in person.  It has 3D detail on the silver leaves, is shimmery, and just feels good to touch!

This story felt like a fairy tale retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses, but also it reminded me of the movie Coraline.  The story was fascinating.  I read this book all in one day, I just couldn't put it down!  The story is more than just what the plot suggests. The Keeper doesn't really come into the story until about a third of the way through it.  Its actually more about Azalea's relationship with her father.  She is the oldest of the 12 girls, and their mother has just died while in childbirth with the new baby.  And suddenly she starts to realize, while trying to care for the girls mostly by herself, that her father may not love any of his children at all.

The 12 girls were amazing!  Such vivid, descript characters!  I almost wish this would become a series.  I could read stories about this family forever!  The King is also a very interesting character, as is the villian, the Keeper.  His part of the story is very creepy.  I was glad I was reading with all the lights on!

And there is also some romance thrown in, as the King is trying to figure out how to find suitable suitors for his oldest daughters while they are still in mourning.  Its not appropriate for them to attend balls and such, so he comes up with a unique way to find gentleman callers!  His strict rules are what get Azalea in trouble in the first place.  He has forbidden dancing of any kind, which is absolutely absurd, as that is what the girls excel at.  Their mother taught them daily, so dancing is how they remember her and connect to each other.  He really should have known better!

This book to me, is Fairy Tale Perfection!  I just completely fell in love with it!  5 stars!

Happy New Year 2013 Giveaway Blog Hop



Happy New Year 2013 
Giveaway Hop

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Babs Book Bistro

January 1st - 7th 2013



Its time for another giveaway!  I haven't done one in what feels like, forever!  This blog hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.  I am giving away a choice of one of the books listed below.  It will be shipping from the Book Depository, so this giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to your country!

Here are the choices:













You must be 13 years or older to enter, and the Book Depository must be able to ship to your country! You may enter in the Rafflecopter below!  Make sure you check out all the other blogs and their giveaways at the bottom of this post!  Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Sunday, December 30, 2012

Best of the Bunch December 2012


Best of the Bunch is hosted by Always Lost in Stories.  Best of the Bunch is a monthly wrap-up and award ceremony hosted here on the last day of each month, where we can look back over the books we have read and give a Best of the Bunch award to our favourite book of that month.

It is also a blog hop for bloggers to showcase their pick of "Best of the Bunch". I always put up my post on the last day of the month, but remember, you can add your link anytime in the following month- please join in, I love hearing about which books you thought were the most amazing!

For more info and to grab the button and stickers visit the BOTB page here, then all you need to do is write up your post showing us your Best of the Bunch and add your linky to the list below. Don't forget to check out the other blogs to find out which books other bloggers have awarded the best.



This month I did a lot of reading!

Room by Emma Donoghue--5 stars
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin--4 stars--My Review
Once by Anna Carey--4.5 stars--My Review
Endurance by Ann Aguirre--4 stars
Outpost by Ann Aguirre--4 stars--My Review
Daimon by Jennifer L Armentrout--4 stars
Echo by Alyson Noel--5 stars
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead--5 stars--My Review
The Lost Files by Pittacus Lore--5 stars
Radiant by Cynthia Hand--5 stars
Free Four by Veronica Roth--5 stars
Insurgent by Veronica Rot--5 stars--My Review
Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein--4 stars--My Review
Waking Up Married by Mira Lyn Kelly--3.5 stars--My Review
Dangerous Voices by Rae Carson--3 stars
Entice by Jessica Shirvington--5 stars--My Review
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard--5 stars--My Review
Enchanted by Althea Kontis--4 stars--My Review
Christmas in Venice by Meadow Taylor--3 stars
Possession by Elana Johnson--4 stars--My Review
Spades by Kristy Evans--3.5 stars--My Review
Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins--4 stars--My Review
Hourglass by Myra McEntire--5 stars--My Review
The Selection by Kiera Cass--4 stars--My Review
The Maze Runner by James Dashner--5 stars--My Review




AND THE WINNER IS.....

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.



Runner Up:



Violet Eden is Grigori - part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengence of exiled angels. 
Knowing who to trust is key but, when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even Lincoln. The only thing Violet does know: Phoenix's hold over her is more dangerous than ever. 
The race to find the one thing that could tilt the balance of power brings them all to the sacred mountains of Jordan, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed. 

Enticed is the second compelling book in The Violet Eden Chapters.




Which book won your bananas?  

December RAK Wrap Up


RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) is hosted by Book Soulmates.  I had a great RAK in December!

Gave out the following:


Echo by Alyson Noel went to Melissa@ Must Read Faster



Rebel Heart by Moira Young went to Margie@Bumbles and Fairy Tales


I received


Obsidian from  Melissa@ Must Read Faster
Thank you so much, Melissa!


And a beautifully handmade polar bear keychain!


Thank you so much Isabelle, I love it!

So it was a nice month for RAK! I can't wait for January!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner



GoodReads
374 pages, YA dystopian
The Maze Runner #1

Synopsis

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.


My 2 cents

I literally have chills right now after finishing this book!  This is one of the most chilling dystopians I have ever read.  I can't believe the ending!

I spent the first half of the book not really enjoying the story much at all.  A lot of that came from the fact that the reader is kept in the dark just as much as the main character, Thomas.  Thomas only knows his first name.  That's it.  And while the rest of the boys in the Glade know a bit more, they are reluctant at telling him anything.  Apparently, he must learn everything for himself.  I found this a bit frustrating, but it did make for a very suspenseful read!

Around the middle of the book, the action really picks up, and the boys in the Glade start to learn things.  We don't really learn what's happening until the last couple of pages, and even then we don't know everything!  

I thought the characters were amazing.  Some of them were downright crazy!  I suppose, if you're thrown in a huge maze that doesn't make any sense and you don't have a clue why you are there, it might make anyone a little crazy!  Besides Thomas, my favorite character was definitely Newt.  He was a very smart guy, who could read a lot into a situation.    

I have no idea how James Dashner came up with such a bizarre scenario, but it worked for me!  I can't wait to read the rest of the series!  5 stars on this one!