2015 New Year Resolutions + Discussion

So....it's been almost a year since I wrote on this blog.  I just needed a break I guess.  I dunno, one day I was blogging, and then I just stopped.  I think I needed to really think about what I wanted to achieve with my online presence, not just here but on youtube as well.  2014 was definitely a year of self reflection; of figuring out not only how I wanted to blog/vlog, but why.

I started my blog and youtube channel back in 2011 and this community was radically different.  The blog scene was well established and treated as a more professional setting but booktube was only just barely getting started.  Now everything has exploded and has really become more of the mainstream youtube celebrity culture.  For a long time that bothered me because I was seeing a close knit community that was about connections becoming more commercialized and less personal.  So I took a step back and sat with my feelings and thought about how I wanted to participate in this new arena.
Ultimately I've come to the conclusion that I want to make this blog and my youtube channel more personal.  This is my record of my opinions on books and media.  I'm done trying to sell a book or appeal to publishers.  I want this blog to be more of a life time capsule.  In 6 months I want to be able to see what I thought of the movies I watched, books I read, and my opinions on things happening in my life.  I want it to be a place where I can keep myself accountable for my goals that I'm setting and document my progress.

So with that said, let's take a look back at my 2014 goals and see how I did and what I want to achieve in 2015.

Bookish Goals

2014 No Reading Challenge - I really liked not having the pressure of reading a set number of books.  However this also made me a little too relaxed and sometimes I would go a whole month without finishing a book.  So while Goodreads says I read 85 books, over half were graphic novels or comic books.  Plus I only read 1 new 5 star book, how disappointing :(

2015 Reading Challenge - I want to read 52 books in 2015.  That's one book a week, and I intend for these to be actual, full length novels.  Any graphic novels/comics will be extras.  I think I can do this because my other 2015 reading goal is to read 25 pages a day.  I really want reading to be a daily practice, but I also know that I go through slumps throughout the year.  By making my goal only 25 pages I can stop reading if I'm not feeling it and it won't take up too much time.

2014 Book Buying Ban - In 2014 I initially said I wasn't going to buy any new books.  LOL.  That lasted about 2 months.  I definitely fell into the whole, when you completely ban yourself from something you end up binging on it trap.

2015 Book Buying Throttle - I learned that I'll break if I completely cut myself off from book buying, so instead I'm just throttling it back.  I'm allowing to buy myself 1 book a week, so 4 per month.  However they don't roll over (so if I only buy 2 in January I don't get to buy 6 in February).  This will let me still browse book stores and sales without too much guilt but will also help me cut back.

2014 Sell 100 Books - Oh yeah I totally crushed this goal!  I sold over 130 books!  HOLLA.

2015 Sell 100 Books - I want to do it again!  I still have too many books and I know I can't read them all in the next year, probably not even in the next ten.  Some have to go.

Other Goals

For 2014, I didn't really save any money on purpose, but I cut out some excess spending and I've increased my savings so YAY.  I did  my 10k and it was difficult but I got a sweet medal so it's totally worth it so HOLLA.  I did a lot of Life Book 2014, over 50% by the end of the year, but I still have plenty of lessons to complete, so semi WOO.

So now let's talk about 2015.  First things first, I got engaged last August YEAH!  So I'm planning a wedding for September 2015.  Lots of my time is going to be devoted to this because I really want my wedding to be special but I don't want to break my bank so I have to do a lot of the work myself (I so wish I could afford to just pay someone else to do everything for me but alas, I cannot).  I do want to blog about the process however, because there's been quite a lot I've learned already and I'm sure I'll learn a lot more before I say I do.

In addition to getting married I am also on the job hunt AND house hunt.  Yep, I'm going to be very busy with just basic growing up type stuff, but I do have a few other goals.

In terms of health I of course want to lose a little weight and tone up for the wedding, so working out at least 4 times a week is my goal.  This will include running and weights.  With running I'd like to get up to the 15k/10mile distance. 

Finally I've signed up for Donna Downey's Inspiration Wednesday class which is great biweekly art class that's a lot less intense than Lifebook.  I want to do 1 art journal page a week as a visual diary type of thing.  I also want to finish up all of my Lifebook 2014 lessons.

And that's it!  I have a very busy 2015 planned but I'm going into it with a lot more clarity and focus.  At least I hope so.

2014 Academy Awards Nominees and Predictions

Photo Credit
 

The 2014 Academy Awards were announced this morning and MAN do I have work to do!  I've only seen ONE of the top nominated films (Gravity) and I didn't even like it that much!  As an overall impression I'm not too surprised by the nominations, though I do think there were some snubs, mostly in the best actor category.  So, who got nominated, who got left out, and who do I think will win?  Let's discuss!
Best Picture
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

2014 follows the trend of 9 nominations for best picture.  These really aren't surprising.  Some people may be surprised that Saving Mr. Banks and Lee Daniel's The Butler aren't on the list (The Butler got zero nominations actually, but based on reviews and such I'm not all that surprised). 

Last fall it seemed like it was going to be a Gravity vs. 12 Years a Slave show down, but then American Hustle reared it's head gathering 10 nominations.  Gravity also has 10, but they are largely behind the scenes awards for sound and visual effects while American Hustle has turned out to be this years Silver Linings Playbook with nominees in all 4 acting categories.  But don't count 12 Years a Slave out just yet, it's right behind them with 9 nominations.  In the middle of the pack is Dallas Buyers Club, Captain Phillips, and surprisingly Nebraska with 6 nominations each. 

Who Will Win?  Based on the Academy's history (the past 3 winners have all been historical dramas) I will predict 12 Years a Slave.  I don't think Gravity's writing was strong enough to take the award and I think American Hustle is a little too "main stream".

Who Should Win?  This is tough because I haven't seen most of these, but I would love to see the academy break away from the historical drama trend.  Maybe  Dallas Buyers Club or Her if they really wanted to be bold.  It will never happen, but it would be cool.

 

Photo Credit

 Best Actor

Christian Bale - American Hustle

Bruce Dern - Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street

Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave

Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club

 

Bruce Dern was a pleasant surprise, and Christian Bale was a rather annoying one.  There were a lot of strong performances, but I am really surprised Tom Hanks didn't make the cut.  Tom Hanks was an awards show staple in the 90s and it would have been nice to see him nominated again.

 

Who Will Win?  It's a very tight race and I'm not really sure, but I think the top contenders are Chiwetel Ejiofor  and Matthew McConaughey.  I think McConaughey will come out on top, but it is a tough category.  He did lose 45 lbs for the role, and hollywood loves that kind of commitment.

 

Who Should Win?  My vote will be with Leonardo DiCaprio until he actually takes home the award.  He is probably the most snubbed actor in all of hollywood and damn it he is overdue!

 

Photo Credit

 Best Actress

Amy Adams - American Hustle

Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock - Gravity

Judi Dench - Philomena

Meryl Streep - August: Osage County

 

Some really surprising nominations here, in particular Meryl Streep, not because of her performance but for the lackluster reviews of August: Osage County in general.  I'm also pretty surprised to not see Emma Thompson there for Saving Mr. Banks.  I do love how this category represents older actresses, the youngest being Amy Adams at 39. 

 

Who Will Win?  I think Cate Blanchett  has had this in the bag since Blue Jasmine's summer release.  At the end of the day all of the other ladies are vying for second place.

 

Who Should Win?  I would love to see Amy Adams win an oscar, she has had a great career so far and is the only woman nominated who has yet to win an oscar but Blanchett is going to take this one, no doubt. 

Photo Credit

 Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips

Bradley Cooper - American Hustle

Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave

Jonah Hill - The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club

 

I'm not surprised by this at all.  Let's just cut to the chase.

 

Who Will Win?  Jared Leto has this on lock.  Of all the categories this is the only one I'm 100% certain.

 

Who Should Win?  Jared Leto, duh.

 

Photo Credit

 Best Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle

Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave

Julia Roberts - August: Osage County

June Squibb - Nebraska

 

This is a very interesting category.  I was not expecting Julia Roberts at all, and I know a lot of people were really surprised Oprah Winfrey didn't get nominated for Lee Daniel's The Butler.  I personally would have loved to see Scarlett Johannson get nominated for Her, just because I would have really enjoyed seeing a voice only actor be nominated.

 

Who Will Win?  This is TOUGH, but I really think the 2 leaders are Jennifer Lawrence and Lupita Nyong'o and given Lawrence just won last year, I think Nyong'o will take it home.

 

Who Should Win?  A lot of people were surprised to see Lawrence take home the golden globe, and while I love me some J-Law, I think Lupita Nyong'o deserves this one.

 

Photo Credit

Best Director

David O. Russell - American Hustle

Alfonso Curon - Gravity

Alexander Payne - Nebraska

Steve McQueen - 12 Years a Slave

Martin Scorsese - The Wolf of Wall Street

 

 I'm really surprised Paul Greengrass and Spike Jonze did not get nominated for Captain Phillips and Her, respectively.  I did not expect Scorsese to sneak into this category.

 

Who Will Win?  I think Alfonso Curon will win.  Even though I didn't really like Gravity, I have to admit it was a technical achievement.  It may have had a clunky story, but DAMN it looked good!

 

Who Should Win?  I kind of think Steve McQueen could/should win, but Curon is an ok winner too in my book.

 

So those are all of the major categories and their nominees.  Which of these movies have you seen and who do you think should win?  Let me know in the comments below and we'll all find out Sunday, March 2nd!



Bout of Books Read-a-Thon Wrap Up

 

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, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th 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 9.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

Hey everyone, sorry this wrap up is a little late, had some family stuff to do.  Anyway, I think I ended this read-a-thon pretty strongly as far as my usually read-a-thon habits go. 

Graphic Novels

I'm still waiting on Chew vol. 5 from the library so I decided to start on another popular series, Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan.  I actually started and finished the deluxe vol. 1 for 256 pages. 

 

I didn't really like the start to this series unfortunately.  The premise is that there is some sort of pandemic that wipes out every living mammal with a Y chromosome except one dude named Yorick and his monkey.  While that in itself sounds really cool, I'm not sure I like the way it is being presented.

 

Audio Books

 

I did quite a bit a driving and managed to get a lot of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side completed.  I've only got 2 discs left and I think I read about 64 more pages.

 

Novels

 

I finished Inferno for 106 pages.  I thought it was better than The Lost Symbol, but still very weak and no where near Brown's "pre-fame" novels.  I wouldn't be surprised if this had a ghost writer to be honest.

 

I also made some progress in S. by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams for around 40 pages.  This is a really excellent book but I can't take it while traveling so I've been pretty slow.  I'm loving the story in the margins even if it is confusing!



 

 

Overall Progress

 

 Overall I think I did really well.  I ended up finishing 4 books and made progress on another 2.  In total I read 701 pages which is pretty damn awesome for me, even if a lot of those pages were graphic novels.  Whatever they still count in my opinion!  Did you guys participate in the read-a-thon?  How did you do?  Let me know in the comments below!

Bout of Books Read-a-Thon Day 4 Update

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, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th 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 9.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

So I've reached the midway point for the read-a-thon and I have to admit it's been rather slow.  I have had to work late pretty much every day this week, but I did get a little reading done.

Graphic Novels

I've been reading the comic series Chew by John Layman and really loving them.  I finished volume 3 for around 25 pages and started and finished volume 4 for 120 pages.  I really am enjoying this series, it's weird and gross and really interesting.

 Audio Books


I've been listening to the audio book for Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey and honestly?  It's absolutely terrible.  I've only got a couple of CDs left though so I'm going to go ahead and soldier through but damn.  Very cliche PNR.  I've listened to approximately 40 pages.

Novels

I've been working through Dan Brown's latest Inferno, but it's been slow.  I don't know why, but Brown's last few books have been very sub-par.  It's like fame has made him not a great writer (I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this was a ghost writer).   I really enjoyed his early works, especially Digital fortress and Deception Point, but since the popularity of The Da Vinci Code I feel like his ability to write fast pace scientific thrillers has gone way down.  I've made it about 50 pages.

So that was my reading process so far, about 235 pages, even though a lot of that was comic book.  I don't really have any plans for the weekend, hopefully I can step up my game.  I want to finish Inferno as well as 2 other novels I've been working on since early December. 

Challenges

There are 2 challenges for today, the first is the double date book challenge hosted by Writing my Own Fairy Tale.   We are supposed to take two books that we would recommend people read together and explain why they compliment each other.

My two books are both zombies novels, but on different ends of the spectrum.  My Life as a White Trash Zombie is a really funny almost urban fantasy with a great protagonist.  If you like books like True Blood or the Chicagoland Vampires give this a try.  I would also recommend Feed by Mira Grant, one of the best books I have ever read.  Feed uses a zombie apocalypse to examine the American economic and political system. There's lots of science and technology but I also developed a really emotional connection to the two man characters.

The second challenge is hosted by Pen in Hand to create a poem from a book you're reading.  We're supposed to pick a novel and a number 1-10.  Basically you just go to a random page, count the chosen number of lines and then count to that number word.  Do that 14 times and write a poem with the selected words.

I chose Inferno by Dan Brown and chose the number 3.  Here are my words:  glowing, turned, the, strange, down, had, his, deadly, countryside, of, copper, will, sea, face.  We're allowed to take out two words (had, will) and replace them with different ones (he, traveling).

And here is my poem!

He turned his face.
The glowing sea of copper.
Traveling down the strange, deadly countryside.

Bout of Books Read-a-Thon 9.0 Sign Up

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, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th 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 9.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team.

So I know I'm tardy to the party, but I wanted to participate in the Bout of Books read-a-thon this year!  This is my sign up notification, I'll add another post with my progress later.  I'm just now leaving the office so I'm not sure how much reading will get done today, but I will let you all know!

2014 Goals and Resolutions

Hey guys!  Happy 2014!  Long time no blog, I know.  I needed a break from social media.  I didn't make any youtube videos either, so don't feel too neglected.  But it's a new year and a fresh start!  In this post I wanted to outline my redirected focus for the blog and youtube channel and let you know my resolutions.  Don't worry, a 2013 wrap up will be next.

Also, I've been using This Planner to help me get organized for 2014.  I've been using Leonie Dawson's year planner since 2011 and I absolutely love it.  Now you can get a digital or a physical copy and I highly recommend checking it out.  There's still plenty of time to create an amazing 2014!

Bookish Goals

1.  No Reading Challenge - I'm doing something a little different this year.  I'm not setting a specific number of books to read this year.  I get too hung up on staying on schedule and then I don't enjoy what I'm reading because I'm rushing and I also stay away from longer or harder books because I'm afraid it will take too long to read.  I want to take my time and enjoy my reading process this year.

2.  Book Buying Ban - Full disclosure.  I am really embarrassed to admit that I currently have 867 unread physical copies of books.  That is so embarrassing to admit.  At my current reading rate this would take close to TEN YEARS to read all of these.  So I'm going on a book buying ban for all of 2014.  There are a few exceptions, but not many.

• If I am given a gift card I can spend it on books.
• If there is a book signing I'm really interested in I can buy the book for it.
• Cress by Marissa Meyer Feb. 4
• Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor April 8

Yep you read the right, I officially plan on only purchasing 2 books for the entire year.  As for book signings it has to been an author I've at least heard of and am really interested in the book they've written.  I'd guess around 5 or so for the year.  Any other books that I don't own in the collection will be borrowed from the library.

3.  Sell 100 Books - Not only am I looking to not add to the collection, I'm hoping to downsize it as well.  The way I will be accomplishing this by figuring out how many pages is roughly 20% of the book and then deciding if I want to keep reading.  If the answer is no it goes in the sell pile.  Also any books I rate 1 or 2 stars will also go in the sell pile.  3 and 4 stars will be evaluated based on how likely I will be to re-read it, and 5 star books earn automatic self space.

Those are all of my bookish goals.  Not too bad really.  I do have a few specific books I want to read, but I'm not putting too much pressure on myself. 

Other Goals

I do have a few other life goals.  I do have a financial goal where I want to save a specific amount of money and I also want to put some extra money toward my student loans (beyond my monthly payments).  To achieve this goal I figured out a monthly budget that I hope to live by, but damn it is tough! 

Another goal I have is to run in my first 10k.  I've already signed up for a race on September 20th, which means I've only got 257 days left to train (eek!).  Of course I've started off in fine fashion by catching a terrible cold, but I hope to get into training today.  I'm using Hal Higdon's training programs to build up my endurance.

My final big goal for 2014 is to participate in Life Book 2014, a year long art course hosted by Tamara Laporte at Willowing Arts.  Each week we are sent a lesson from Tam or one of her guest teachers.  I've already done the first lesson and I loved it, so I'm really excited to see what else will come from this course.

So those are my 2014 goals, I think I can live by them, but I'll definitely have to work!  What are your goals for 2014?  Let me know in the comments below!

November 2013 New Releases

While 2013 may be winding down, there are still many books coming out!  Here are some that I am most excited for.

November 5

Champion by Marie Lu
#3 in the Legend Series

Why I'm Excited:  I read Legend earlier this year and really enjoyed it.  Now that the final book in the series is coming out I think I'll have to do a re-read and marathon the whole series!










 Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
#2 in the Finishing School series

Why I'm Excited:  This is another author I need to get started with.  I am so interested in her Parasol Protectorate series and this YA prequel as well!










November 19

World After by Susan Ee
#2 in the Penryn & the End of Days series

Why I'm Excited:  The first book in this series, Angelfall, has been on my radar since it was published.  It's gotten rave reviews and I really want to read it!











The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
#4 in the Bloodlines series

Why I'm Excited:  Ok, I need to read this series.  I have so much hardcore love for Vampire Academy, I HAVE to get to this series.  There is no excuse!











 Other Notable Releases

November 2 -  Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout

November 5 - Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce
                        The Trap by Andrew Fukuda

November 12 - Afterglow by Karsten Knight

November 26 - Angel Fever by L.A. Weatherly
                         Crash into You by Katie McGarry

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Published March 22, 2011 by Philomel Books
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

Review:  Between Shades of Gray is an important book for people to read because it brings awareness to a side of World War II that doesn't get a lot of attention.  The atrocities that were committed in concentrations camps, as terrible as they were, were not the only crimes committed during the war and those victims weren't the only victims. 

I honestly had no idea what was happening in Lithuania and other eastern European countries until I read Between Shades of Gray.  The work camps in Russia were just as horrible as the concentration camps but their history is nowhere near as well know.  I think Between Shades of Gray tells the stories of the victims of tyrannical government gracefully and with care.  It doesn't exploit their pain but it doesn't sugar coat it either. 

I really loved all of the characters, but in particular I greatly admired Lina's mother.  She is so strong and sacrifices literally everything she has to try and make things a little bit easier for her children.  She is amazingly strong and I admired her bravery.

Between Shades of Gray is a book that needs to be taught in schools.  It's the kind of book that will open your eyes to the horrors that don't make it into history courses.  These are the kinds of stories that need to be heard so we can remember the victims and so we can prevent things like this from happening in the future. 

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

#2 in the Infernal Devices series
Published December 6, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
In magical Victorian London, orphan Tessa found safety with the Shadowhunters, until traitors betray her to the Magister. He wants to marry her, but so do self-destructive Will and fiercely devoted Jem. Mage Magnus Bane returns to help them. Secrets to her parentage lie with the mist-shrouded Yorkshire Institute's aged manager Alyosius Starkweather.

Review:  I can't believe I actually liked a Cassandra Clare novel. I never thought I would see the day.  This is my fifth Cassandra Clare book and the first one I can say I honestly enjoyed.  Even though the main plot didn't really go anywhere (much like Clare's other middle books City of Ashes and City of Lost Souls) I wasn't bored, unlike the other middle books.    

Honestly, the character development in the Infernal Devices is so much stronger than in The Moral Instruments it feels like two different authors.  I don't understand how engaging the characters of The Infernal Devices can be and how flat and dull the characters are in The Mortal Instruments.  There are a lot of writing faults in The Infernal Devices.  The word "startlingly" is used way too much!  It's like Cassandra Clare thinks that everyone in Victorian England walked around jumping at literally everything they see "ooh your eyes are blue!",  "ooh you are handsome!", "ooh your skin is pale!".  Just stop, seriously, it's so bad.  I also feel that Will is incredibly anachronistic.  I know he's supposed to be a rapscallion, but the way he talks is just too modern. 

I thought the romance was really well done.  I mean, this is of course the over used love triangle trope, but The Infernal Devices is actually successful because we don't know who Tessa will choose.  Both Will and Jem are viable options and we as readers actually have to read the rest of the series to see what will unfold.  So even though Will was a huge idiot (seriously, didn't he ever think to I dunno, talk to someone about his issues?  Why would he just take everything he was told as the truth and believe it blindly?  I don't understand) and I don't thing Jem (my boo) has a snowballs chance in hell, I'm excited for clockwork princess.

Overall The Infernal Devices series is turning out to be leaps and bounds better than the Mortal Instruments.  If I may be completely truthful I would recommend just skipping the Moral Instruments all together and starting with Clockwork Angel.  You get the same characters and plot, but more interesting versions.

Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

#1 in the Georgia Kincaid series
Published in 2007 by Kensington

3 stars

Goodreads Review
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny. . .

Review:  Richelle Mead's writing is so fun and charming in The Vampire Academy series, and the same can be said for Succubus Blues.  I liked this, but it wasn't as awesome as Vampire Academy. My intuition about certain characters were correct but I was still surprised by the (depressing) ending. 

I do want to continue the story because I really do like Seth and I want to find out what happens to him. I tend to root for the beta males (I don't do that whole macho man thing, it's annoying and not sexy!) and I thought he was a compelling and charming character.  I'm not so sure I really like Georgina though, she could really use a backbone. No means NO!  However, I really liked that she's a flawed character.  So often the heroines of paranormal romance are sweet and innocent.  I liked that Georgina has a history but also tries to make the most of who she is and her situation.  She accepts herself, which is refreshing because so many paranormal main characters can't come to terms with their moral conflicts of their nature.

I really love Richelle Mead's writing.   The dialogue is snappy and fun and we get the added bonus of fun sex scenes!  Succubus Blues felt a lot lighter than some of her other books.  There was still a good plot and well developed characters, but overall things were more light hearted, fun, and sexy! 

Overall Succubus Blues is a fun adult urban fantasy.  I would recommend it for anyone who wants a quick paranormal romance with some snark and sass.  Succubus Blues is a great vacation or summer read!

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

 #3 in the Across the Universe Series
Published January 15, 2013 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

Review:  Shades of Earth is the best of the three in the series, especially the first half.  We start off with the shuttle crash landing on Centauri-Earth and tensions mount as the people break into two groups, Earthborn and Shipborn.  I thought the racism was really well done and I could totally understand Amy's frustration at being caught in the middle.  I did enjoy their first impressions of the planet. My mind was coming up with all kinds of theories about what was going on with this planet and what kind of dangers they would face. Unfortunately I felt like my imagination was bigger than the planet because I felt like what actually happened on the planet was a bit of a let down.

The twists weren't all the surprising, I pretty much called everything that was going to happen.  I didn't appreciate Amy's parents as much as I wanted.  Her dad was all military all the time, and was set up as an antagonist which I thought was a step back in terms of plotting and the character development of Amy.  Her mom had no personality and was there basically to just be the scientist so new plot elements could be revealed easily.  That too felt like a cop out.  I honestly found the plot to be really confusing.  I literally just finished the book and I was trying to explain it to a co-worker and I couldn't summarize it.  Something about corporate greed and slavery?  It felt like Beth Revis was trying to get allegorical but also trying to do it subtly and it just didn't come out in a clear way.

Also I thought the love triangle was ridiculous and completely unnecessary. I hated how jealous Elder got, your girlfriend is allowed to be friends with other guys, though I thought Amy handled the whole situation pretty well.  Amy and Elder's relationship as a whole didn't really work for me, and honestly I would have rather Amy choose herself and learn to live as her own independent person. Alas, what YA heroine ever gets to do that?

Overall the Across the Universe series improved with each book.  I really appreciated that Revis stepped away from the sexual assault and intimidation in the second book.  That was a plot device that I really hated, as well as the general sense of sex is scary and bad that was in Across the Universe.  I appreciated the different allegorical themes throughout the series, but I did think some were more successful than others.  I think Across the Universe addressed racism very well throughout the whole series, whether it was the shipborns not trusting Amy because she looked different or the earthborns thinking they were better than the shipborns.  I thought the theme of government control were well explored at the beginning of the series, but fell flat later on.  Finally I don't think the evils of corporate greed were written about in great depth.  That portion of the story felt rushed and very surface level.

I would recommend the Across the Universe series to people who are looking for a science fiction with a lot of parallels to our current society.  While the series didn't really work for me, I know that many will find it compelling and surprising.

The Last of Us Video Game Review

Released June 14, 2013
Rated M for Mature
Genre Action/Adventure, Survival Horror
Developed by Naughty Dog
Published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Playstation 3 exclusive

The Last of Us was one of the most hyped games of 2013 and after a solid week of playing at every free moment, I can report that the hype was most certainly deserved.  I actually bought a PS3 just so I could play The Last of Us and it is well worth it.  Even though I finished the game yesterday I already started a second play through, which I don't think I've ever done with a game.

Game Play

The game play of The Last of Us is simple yet efficient, with every weapon and skill usable throughout the entirety of the game.  I never found myself only using one weapon or tactic (which I often do as I get further into a game); I was constantly switching it up to best fit the situation.  There are many different ways of approaching a situation, and while the game is linear it still feels expansive. I also really appreciated the NPCs in this game.  They never were a burden and I never felt like I was doing a painful escort mission.  Much like Elizabeth in Bioshock Infinite, they were an asset, alerting me to danger and hidden supplies.

The pacing of the game was great.  There would be a scene of intense action or drama followed by a more mellow scene that allowed you to appreciate the beautiful world building and connect with Ellie.  I loved exploring the world because there was no compass showing you which way to go, I had to just pick a direction and start walking.  This type of free form exploration lead me to discovering a lot of wonderful hidden details in the game.  The collectibles are also really well done, they aren't just hidden items throughout the game, they are little bits of story that add to the ambiance. 

Another aspect that really adds to the overall feel of the game is the sound and music.  They knew exactly when to use background music to add emotional effect and when to strip it away.  Also the sounds the infected made were absolutely terrifying.  More so than the infected that were screaming and moaning, it was the infected standing in a corner just sobbing that would really get to me.

Story

To put it simply, the story of The Last of Us is amazing.  I won't post any spoilers, don't worry, but all I can say is wow.  I don't think a video game has ever made me question my own morals and ethics as much as The Last of Us.  None of the characters are all good or all evil, they're a mix of the two and that makes it feel so real. Ellie and Joel are great characters and I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow. 

In addition to the more personal relationships of the game I really enjoyed the apocalyptic scenario.  I thought it was a very interesting play on the zombie genre.  In The Last of Us the zombies are actually people infected with a parasite-like spore that takes over all motor functions (which is based on a real life fungus which is terrifying).  So the idea that the zombies you are fighting still have some amount of human consciousness is pretty horrific.  I also really liked how the government reacted to the infection and the resulting rebellion against the marshal law.  Whenever I read apocalyptic fiction I really want a firm world building, even if the focus is on the personal relationships between a few people, and The Last of Us really delivers on both fronts.

In conclusion, The Last of Us is one of the strongest video games to come out in the past five years.  The story, graphics, and game play all lend to an immersive and emotionally impacting experience.  The characters are all relatable, the world building on point, and an overall message that will stick with you long after you put the controller down.

10/10 - A standout game that will last the test of time.

October 2013 New Releases

Hi guys!  Sorry I'm a little late posting this, I got super sick (strep throat is no fun!).  But without further delay, let's discuss some of the October new releases!

October 1

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
#1 in the Legion series

Why I'm Excited:  Unbreakable is described as "Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code".  Um, yes!  A secret society of demon hunters?  Cool.











October 8

Emerald Green Kerstin Gier
#3 in the Ruby Red trilogy

Why I'm Excited:  First this cover is gorgeous!  But also this series as a whole is one of the most praised YA series out there.  Everyone I know who has read it just raves about how good it is.  Now that the series is complete I can marathon it!  There's also a movie of the first book that supposed to be really good (it's German because this series was originally written in German and I am waiting for the English release, obviously).






October 15

 Neverfade by Alexandra Bracken
#2 in The Darkest Minds series

Why I'm Excited:  Another YA series that has been getting a lot of hype and praise.  I never would have picked these books up based on cover appeal, but so many of my friends have loved these books that I am really interested in the series.









October 22

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
#3 in the Divergent series

Why I'm Excited:  Let's face it, this is probably the biggest release of October and probably one of the biggest releases of 2013.  Even though Insurgent was less than inspired for me, I am still excited to see how this series will play out.  I think I'll have to do a re-read of the whole series and marathon them back to back.  Maybe this will happen next year since the movie for Divergent will be coming out in March.







October 29

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
#2 in The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series

Why I'm Excited:  You all know I'm a big fan of Julie Kagawa's writing, whether it be about Fairies or Vampries.  I really enjoyed the Iron Fey series and this spin off sounds really great.  I'll have to dive into it soon.










Other Notable Releases

October 1 - The Enchanter Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
                     Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles
                     Blackout by Robison Wells
                     How to Love by Katie Cotungo
                     Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

October 8 - The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
                     The Eye of Minds by James Dasher
                     Tandem by Anna Jarzab
                      Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein

October 10  - Just One Year by Gayle Forman

October 15 - Across the Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

October 22 - Reality Boy by A.S. King

October 29 - Horde by Ann Aguirre

                      Altered by Gennifer Albin

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Published November 6, 2012 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers

#2 in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
5 stars

Goodreads Review
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

First, I am so sorry it took me so long to write this review.  I read it the day it came out and I swear I had written the review then.  You all know my undying love for Laini Taylor and Daughter of Smoke and Bone and that is no different for Days of Blood and Starlight.  So I am so sorry this review is so late, but here it is!

Review:  Guys, Days of Blood and Starlight gives me ALL THE FEELS.  Seriously, Laini Taylor just writes these words on the page and gives me all these feeling that I don't know how to process!  Basically I was just one big ball of ugly crying face.

 



Days of Blood and Starlight is much darker than it's predicesor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone. While we certainly still have Taylor's beautiful writing, the beauty of the story is replaced by something a lot more mature. I really enjoyed how Days of Blood and Starlight leaves the love at first site (sort of) theme behind and focuses on much more difficult subjects like war, rape, and genocide. 

 

Poor Karou!  She is just at rock bottom, wracked with guilt.  She goes through a lot of terrible things in this book, and I have to say I really loved it.  I am a bit of a sadist I guess, but I really like it when the main character's world is completely ripped apart in a way where they can never fully go back to who they were before the beginning of the novel (part of the reason why I loved Mockingjay).  I like seeing how events of a novel change a person, for better or worse, and books where the main character never goes through any turmoil feel a little cheap to me.  Well, you don't have to worry about Karou not going through abuse in Days of Blood and Starlight, let me tell you.  I'm really excited for Dreams of Gods and Monsters to see how all of this bad stuff will change her from the first book. 

And Ziri...oh Ziri.  He is so amazing and brave and wonderful and all the bad things that happen to him just is NOT FAIR.  I didn't think I would grow so attached to a character just introduced in this book, but I DID.  His character really expands on the interesting "purity" theme because he is the last of the natural born Kirin and therefore Karou sees him as special.  But where Thiago's desire for only natural born women (not resurrected) is very negative and a parallel to the idea that virginity is the most important quality a woman can have, Ziri's purity feels a lot more important.  He is the last of her kind, not just in physical appearance but in culture as well.  I can understand Karou's protectiveness, much like a big sister not wanting her sibling to lose their innocence. 

I have to admit for a while I thought he was introduced to create a sort of love triangle with Karou and Akiva, but now I am a little ashamed that I thought Laini Taylor would take such a cliche road.  Gurl, I am sorry I doubted you and your amazing writing abilities.  I honestly hope Karou in the end will not be with either of them.  I think that Karou will eventually forgive Akiva, but forgive doesn't mean forget.  I dont' want her to go back to him.  I want Karou to love herself.

We also have to talk about the angels.  I really loved how their society is an allegory for today's government.  They really show what can happen when you don't question the ethics of the decisions made by the government and just follow blindly. 

So overall I think you all can tell that I love this series.  It is one of the strongest YA(ish) series out there and I am so so so excited for the final book, Dreams of Gods and Monsters (due April 2014, OMG WHY). 

No excuse me while I go re-read this and cry.

 

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

#2 in the Across the Universe Series
Published January 10, 2012 by Razorbill
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. Everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed.

But there may be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to act on his vision—no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder learns shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a mystery that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier. Their success—or failure—will determine the fate of the 2,298 passengers aboard Godspeed. But with each step, the journey becomes more perilous, the ship more chaotic, and the love between them more impossible to fight.

Beth Revis catapulted readers into the far reaches of space with her New York Times bestselling debut, Across the Universe. In A Million Suns, Beth deepens the mystery with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

 

 Hey guys!  Long time no blog!  I was out of town for work for two weeks and had no time to blog (sad day for sure).  But I'm back and we can return to our regular scheduled reviewing!

Review:  More like a 3.5, but not enough to add up to a 4. I ended up liking this a lot more than Across the Universe and I'm actually excited for Shades of Earth. The follow the clues was a cool idea, but I'm not sure it worked in this context because Amy just told Elder everything from the start. However, I enjoyed the build up to the final book (even though I totally called it, like spot on. I'm so smart).

While I really liked the idea of the follow the clues to find the truth treasure hunt plot device, I don't think it worked in the context of this particular story.  Amy is told from the start not to tell Elder, that deciding what to do with the information discovered should be her choice alone.  But of course she runs to Elder immediately.  I felt like this was a missed opportunity to create suspicious and distrust between the two characters which could have lead to some interesting development in their relationship.  It also could have given Amy a real chance to grow and act independently.  It was also painfully obvious what the secret information was, so there really wasn't much tension while they were trying to figure out the clues.  A good idea, but not executed well. 

What did work very well was the dissolution of the Eldest/Elder system and the rebellions that start springing up all over the ship.  I felt like this was a great allegory for what is happening in the world today.  People who live in poor conditions who are controlled by their government will eventually rise up against the institution, often in violent riots.

Overall I thought that while A Million Suns missed the mark on a few plotting choices, it is a great improvement on the first book, Across the Universe.  The writing style was great and the deeper message about mob mentality and the inherent flaws in a dictatorial type of government work really well in the futuristic setting.

September 2013 New Reads

I know this is a few days late sorry guys!  I had friends visiting last weekend so I didn't have the opportunity to get this post out.  There are also a lot of really great releases for September, here are a few that I'm really excited about. 

September 3

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Why I'm Excited:  First I have to say I love the title, it's wonderful.  This book sounds crazy and suspenseful and I hope it's as dark of a thriller as I want it to be.






September 10

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake
#1 in the Goddess War series

Why I'm Excited:  I love the premise for this book.  What if supposedly immortal gods start developing strange and horrific diseases?  I love the take on Greek mythology and I can't wait to see where this will go.





September 17

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
#2 in The Raven Cycle

Why I'm Excited:  I really enjoyed The Raven Boys and I have to know what will happen next!  There was a lot of mythology introduced in the first book and I'm really interested in seeing it further explored.

Frozen by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston
#1 in the Heart of  Dread series

Why I'm Excited:  I love the setting for this series, a dystopian Las Vegas covered in ice?  Ok!  Sign me up.

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

Why I'm Excited:  Gretchen McNeil isn't afraid to really get out there with her writing.  I love that she takes risks and writes horror for the YA genre, which is really under represented.  I love horror so of course I want to read this one!






September 24

 Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Why I'm Excited: I have to admit I am really drawn to this cover.  I love that it's not a person on the cover and the colors are beautiful.  I also really like the plot, it sounds like a unique idea and I'm excited to see how it is executed.

Vicious by Victoria Schwab

Why I'm Excited:  Everyone I know just raves about Victoria Schwab's writing, and I have yet to read one of her books (I am ashamed!).  If I'm correct this is her first jump into adult fiction and I'm excited to have a book that's a little more intense.





Other Notable Releases

September 3 - All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
                        Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney
                        Sweet Legacy by Tera Lynn Childs
                        The 100 by Kass Morgan

September 8 - Gold by Talia Vance

September 10 - Smoke by Ellen Hopkins
                           Monster by Ilsa J. Bick
                           The Final Descent by Rick Yancey
                           The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
                            The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman
                           Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

September 17 - The Wicked Within by Kelly Keaton
                           Once We Were by Kat Zhang
                           This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales


September 24 - Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
                           A Radiant Sky by Jocelyn Davies
                           Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender
                          Where the Stars Shine by Trish Doller
                           Find Me by Romily Bernard
                           Fallout by S.A. Bodeen
                           Inhuman by Kat Falls