by Sarah | Jun 14, 2017 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
Okay, so here’s the deal. Like I said on my last summary, I went out of town at the end of April/beginning of May and thus I had no recap in May. Not even a week late. It just didn’t happen. It was expected, but now I have to play catch up, and I’m up to 90-something books read this year as of June 9th and I’m not sure how many the past couple of months (although my vacay did slow me down. Spending time with my bestie and Mickey Mouse wins out over reading…yup. Anyhoo….)
So onto what I’ve read. I won’t be doing a “reading now” or “reading next for this post to try to shorten it up a little…and I’ll put those down in a later part of my June reading posts! Now for the massive list…Part 1…
What I Read In April
The Hockey Saint & Hockey Karma (Forever Friends #’s 2 & 3)
Back in April’s list, I mentioned the first book in this graphic novel series – Stereotypical Freaks. I really enjoyed that story. I liked the way the kids were depicted and how the events transpired. I was happy to get the next two in the series.
The Hockey Saint takes the MC from Stereotypical Freaks into college. His life is drastically different here, and the explanation toward why took some time to come by. I enjoyed the story and the introduction of the “Hockey Saint” mentioned in the title. My only issue with this one was the lack of mention of his friends from high school with any significance.
Hockey Karma, however, really knocked it out of the park. Not only did it wrap up the story line and characters from The Hockey Saint, it brought in, with force, all of the characters from Stereotypical Freaks. It was a GREAT, inclusive wrap up to the series. I’m super thrilled to have now connected with the author, Howard Shapiro on twitter. I’m looking forward to his next GN with quite some anticipation.
*Both graphic novels were received via netgalley. All opinions are quite definitely my own.
Beauty In Spring (Beauty #1)
So…you know when you’re about to go on a trip, and get on a loooong flight, and even though you have 5 bajillion books on your kindle, you have a $9 GC burning a hole in your pocket…and thus…you shop. And you impulse buy books based on covers, don’t bother looking at the blurbs or anything?
Yeah, that’s what happened with this series. I bought all four. No clue about anything but the pretty covers and that they were modern takes on Beauty & the Beast.
Turns out they were very short erotic stories. Not a problem, just not my norm…and shocking when you’re reading in the close quarters of a packed flight to California. ~ahem~
Anyway, this is the first in the 4 book series of 4 different tales of Beauty & her Beast. This one I enjoyed. There was just enough of a connect, a backstory, and a reason to believe these two could make something happen for the sex to make sense. Definitely glad I picked this one up! 😀
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Audiobook)
I’d heard rave reviews of the voice actor on the HP audiobooks and thusly sat in line for this book for MONTHS and MONTHS…only to find out I could have just picked it up on CD at my local branch at any time. ~ahem~ Well, then…
Short of it, I did enjoy the audiobook of my favorite series, although I wasn’t fall-over crazy about the narrator.
It was fun to have the book come alive in a new way for me, and I’m looking forward to listening to the others in the series as well. Definitely books that will remain on my audio-listening list throughout the whole series. 🙂
Real Friends
An endearing memoir in the form of a graphic novel that I quickly encouraged both of my girls to read. It’s a story of a group of friends and how they change throughout those challenging middle school years. The story centers around one young lady, Shannon, and how relationships with her friends change over time. From her friends, to her sister, to herself.
At times achingly real (and familiar), I read this one fast.
*received via netgalley. all opionions are my own.
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The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Oh, how I am a Wilder fan. She helped infuse my love of reading into a strong passion when I was young. I read her books over and over and over again…so many times, my copies are well-worn, dog eared, nearly spine-less. They make me happy.
So, when I saw this on netgalley, I couldn’t help but try for it, and wish and hope that I would get approved (they seriously need an area where you can add your begging and pleading in if necessary). I was thrilled when I was approved.
A non-fiction book that goes into detail about the world Laura lived in. From plants to locations, it covers a lot of ground (pardon the pun). I imagine it is a good, thick book to have along with your other Laura books (like biographies, etc, that might be filling your shelves). I really enjoyed this and hope to one day get it in hardback so I can reference it the next time I read the series.
*received via netgalley. all opionions are my own.
A few okay graphic novels I read
A few of my more lackluster graphic novel reads for the month ought to be mentioned.
Star Wars Darth Vader – Vader. I got it through Kindle Reads and thought it looked interesting…but meh. The story didn’t excite me and I found it rather annoying. Too much Anakin in this Vader, maybe? I dunno..but bleh.
The Creeps – not good for a semi-paranoid person to read. There’s a lot of “normal fears” realized into images. Just…no. Although it did live up to its title of “The Creeps.” *netgalley copy. opinions are my own.
Look – It wasn’t bad…it was actually sort of cute, but quite very predictable and had the feeling of “I’ve seen this story a million times before.” *netgalley copy. opinions are my own.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 vol. 4 – Pfffft. Turned me off to the comics, I even took the rest of the season back (of course, I was also heading out of town and didn’t want to leave anything lying around)…but still. I’m not in a rush to get the rest of the series back into my hands.
A few pretty good graphic novels
The Castoffs – Mage against the Machine – My least favorite of these three, but still an enjoyable read. Magic and hidden talents, and learning the value of friendship and trust were at the forefront here. *netgalley copy. opinions are my own.
Fire Starters – I’m not even sure I read the blurb on this, so the Native American portion of the tale caught me by pleasant surprise. A brutally honest look at what could/has happened when a business right near the reservation burns down and blame is tossed around. *netgalley copy. opinions are my own.
Elves vol. 1 – Another I grabbed without reading the blurb. I mean, look at the gorgeous blue elf on the cover! The story was good, but confusing and time-jumpy. I wanted more cohesiveness to the stories told within…but I’d probably get vol. 2 if I saw it. *netgalley copy. opinions are my own.
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That’s it for what I read in April. Not as much because of trip planning and packing and all sorts o’ stuffs. May I picked it back up and I’m in another good groove for June. 😀 Next week I’ll show May’s reads for you! Then maybe the week after I’ll give you a glimpse into what I’m reading and plan to read so you’re prepared for my June’s display of much reading 😉
by Sarah | Apr 12, 2017 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
I’m a week late this month…last week was craziness and I didn’t realize I’d forgotten until Wednesday was said and done…so here’s my March report a week late!!
I went a little crazy in March again. Apparently I’m on a crazy reading roll…with my office complete I’m hoping to slow down on the reading and speed up on the writing…but we’ll see what happens.
For March I read 26 books. Many graphic novels helped boost this number…but I’m still impressed with myself. This month I made a concerted effort to read some books from my exceptionally long netgalley list and some books I got for free in exchange for reviews (ASAP reviews, I need to get finished with two more…eep, back to reading soon!!).
For the third month in a row, I will attempt to keep this concise…no promises, but I’ll try.
What I’ve Read
Ensnared
Wow.
First off…I got this book free from netgalley. All opinions are my own. This book does not release until December, so it’s a super-early release.
Now…let me just say…wow.
I’m a huge fan of the Beauty & the Beast tale (don’t get me started on the new live-action movie…I’ll talk your ear off)…and this was just amazing. A near-future retelling where robots have achieved an almost-human ability. This retelling sucked me in and had me upset to have to put it down (at 1am) because I had to sleep. Totally awesome, among my top reads of the month.
Flightless Bird
I got this one in exchange for an honest review. Releases 4/22
Holy cliffhanger, batman!!
This book left me with a hell of a cliffhanger. Let me tell you, as an author I LOVE cliffhangers…as a reader, no so much. 😉
This is a YA paranormal with an interesting twist on what the abilities are…and leaves you with some unanswered questions as to what everyone is in the end…questions that won’t be answered until the next book.
For the most part, I really enjoyed the book. My biggest complaint was the insta-love (partially explained by the paranormal aspect) and the fact I kept wanting to scream at my Kindle “They are SOPHOMORES!!!! FIFTEEN and SIXTEEN!! For crying out loud!” Also, the quick resolution to the home-life aspect was a little to perfect and quick.
Still, it was a fun, quick read with an unusual paranormal twist.
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
Audiobook version – read by none other than Wil Wheaton.
Honestly, I don’t think I would have enjoyed this is print form. In audiobook, as read by Wil Wheaton? So.Much.Fun. Wil Wheaton had the exact right amount of sarcasm and hilarity in his tone to convey many of these answers. It was fun, sort of random, and a different sort of book than I normally would have picked up if I hadn’t seen who the narrator was.
And yes…in case there was any doubt…the title does not lie. Many of the questions were crazy-absurd…and oddly random…but the serious answers to them were definitely interesting (and sometimes just as weird).
The Sculptor
This was a (very large) graphic novel…probably the longest I’ve read yet. Recommended by someone in my book club, I picked it up at the local library, only marginally intimidated by its size.
I ended up being grateful for the recommendation. The artwork was done all in blue tones, and was realistic enough without being too real for the tone of the book. The blues also portrayed the tone of the story quite well. I was swept up in the slightly dark, paranormal, quirky story pretty quickly. The story tugged at my emotions, and did not have a happy ending. My biggest complaint in the whole thing was that I guessed a key tragic aspect before it happened and was mad that the MC didn’t listen to what was being said to him.
This one is definitely worth a read. I kept thinking about it for days afterward, which is always a good sign.
Stitched
A fun little graphic novel I got free via netgalley. Not publishing until 5/2/17.
Cute, sort of creepy, and fun. I really enjoyed this little GN and plan to buy it for my youngest, who enjoys creepier things. No, it’s not scary…but the whole thing is set in a graveyard and it has some classic monsters (not-scary) in it. Ghosts, werewolves, vampires and swamp monsters dot the colorful pages. I look forward to seeing what my youngest thinks when she reads it.
Difficult Women
This one I picked up on recommendation & because of my challenge list (which I have since completely abandoned in all of my reading craziness). A collection of short stories, this one had its ups and downs for me. Some stories I really loved, others were either too strange or too dark for me.
Overall, worth the read, not sure I’d buy it for myself.
Magical Power for Beginners
Netgalley pickup for research – again, personal and writing related. I actually have a handful of books for that purpose on netgalley, but I just picked this one to go first.
I wanted to like it and glean some good information from it…but found it so long-winded that I grew bored (my typical complaint about non-fiction books). Unfortunately, it held true for the next couple of books I started to read along this line…until I got a winner (shown below in my currently reading).
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8 Graphic Novels (1-3)
On recommendation from my bestie…I ordered all of these through the library system.
So far I’ve only read 1-3, and I’m still up in the air over whether or not I like them. There’s some stuff I really like…and stuff I really don’t at all. A total mixed bag, but I plan on seeing them through at least to the end of the ‘season’…seeing as I have them all here. 😉
Saga
Another recommendation by book club. I knew next to nothing going into it…except the recommendation I got.
It was…okay. I don’t get the crazy hype around it, but it probably just wasn’t my cup of tea. I probably won’t continue on with any of them further than this. We’ll see if I change my mind later. For now, it didn’t hold me enough to get me eager for more. It wasn’t bad…just…eh.
Honorable Mentions
Several books are worth a mention…others…well, aren’t.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Beauty’s Tale & Beast’s Tale…Manga style. Cute, quick, fun little read that shows just a wee bit more into the minds of Belle and Beast from the live version of B&tB. Nice accompaniment to watching the live-action movies. (netgalley reads.)
Cardboard. A recommendation from BOTH of my daughters. A little longer graphic novel, with a fun storyline. Read it in one sitting. Fun, and glad my girls feel they can recommend books to me.
Snow White Graphic Novel – A retelling of the classic fairy tale set in the 1920’s. I found this take quite charming.
The Woods Vol.1 & Vol. 2 – An entire high school, its students and faculty, are transported to a strange and deadly world by unknown forces. The way the students and staff struggle to figure out what’s going on & how to survive…how some show some very dark true colors, and others show bravery. They find some weird things, and people, in this place. I still don’t know if I liked it or not, or if I’ll read more. I’m curious to know what else is going on…but enough to order more to the library? ~shrug~
Mer – (via netgalley) – a dark mermaid/merman tale, set in high school. This one was…different. Not my favorite, but not horrible.
Monstress – Spotted it on Amazon one day, requested it from the library based on the cover alone. Dark, unique, mildly disturbing. Curious – but maybe not enough to read more? Not sure.
Stereotypical Freaks – Another free from netgalley. I really enjoyed this one. Slow start, and totally went a way I didn’t expect at all. It was touching, and fun. I am continuing the series (the next two of which I also got from netgalley).
The Wicked and the Divine vol. 2 (Fandemonium) & vol. 3 (Commercial Suicide) – I really enjoyed the first book last month, though I found it odd…so I went for 2. Fandemonium was great…so I went for 3, even though I’d seen some not-so-great reviews of it…and now that I’ve read it I see why many people said it killed their enjoyment of the series and why they say “Commercial Suicide” is an apt title. I belive the original artist is back for 4 so I may try to get that one…but then again, maybe not. Commercial Suicide did not leave me with a good taste in my mouth for the series.
Serenity – Those Left Behind. another rec from the bestie. Really enjoyed it and hope to read more once I thin out my to-read list some more.
What I’m Reading Now
The Queen of the Tearling
An impulse grab from the library based on some positive feedback I’d seen on the interwebs. Separated into several books, and so big it comes with its own bookmark…this one is probably going to take me a bit to read (and some renewals at the library). It took me about 100 pages to be fully invested and to FINALLY be rewarded with the heroine becoming what she needs to be…but now I’m all in. It’s just a hefty read and I’m going to need more time.
That said…based on the first “book” in the book…I’d say go for it if it’s on your list. The heroine is likable, if somewhat naive, and the people that cross her path are interesting, and the dangers and challenges she faces can get your pulse racing.
Feed
I started this book years ago when I bought it for my nook after some recommendations. Because my nook is an ancient first model and batteyr doesn’t last long, this is among the handful of books on that device I never finished.
I have picked it up from the library (and my hubby just gave me his newer nook to use)…AND I got to select the challenge for this month’s book club challenge…to which I picked “A book you started, but never finished”. As I’ve said before, I’m not big on zombie-ness…but so far this book has less zombies and more facts. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize how incredibly long this was when I decided to try again…so I’m trying, but oof, despite my initial excitement to get back into it…this one is not making me too eager to keep on keeping on with it.
Kitchen Table Tarot
(Free via netgalley)
Meant to be read like your buddy is just carrying on a conversation with you about tarot, this one is what it promises. I love the authors voice and frank explanations. I think this, like the next book has been, will remain on my “currently reading” list for a while as I digest all it has to teach. I really want to get this one in print to keep on my shelf for regular referencing.
Awakening to the Spirit World: The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation
Loooong title on this one…eesh. Anyhow, I took this one out from the library for some dual research (writing related & personal related)…when I found myself wanting to make actual highlights in the book, I bought it off of Amazon. This will be an ongoing read for a couple of months, I think…but I’m learning a lot. For person that claims to not like non-fiction, I’m finding myself reading a lot of it lately.
Anyhow, expect to see this one on the list for a couple of months, probably 😉
Short
Someone in my FB feed posted about finding their child bawling, and the child proceeded to show them this book and told them to read it. On our very next visit to the library I saw the book sitting on the shelf. Figuring it was serendipity, I picked it up.
Only one chapter in, distracted by office remodel, so no thoughts yet.
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
Yup, this one is STILL here. Kennedy keeps asking to read and I keep being distracted by things to do, and rooms to redecorate, and the book’s in my bedroom and hubby is already asleep, and more and more and more…
REALLY hope to finish this before the end of May. I’m going out of two for two weeks in two weeks or I’d say before the end of April. Goals. I got ’em.
Vengeance Be Mine
Grabbed this one in a ‘free for review offer’. So far it’s catchy, but I have no distinct thoughts on it. I like the world, I like the MC, and several of those around her. I’m truly curious about the event I just read…but again, time is tight these days. Hope to finish this one this coming week as I have another ‘free for review’ out there…and not much time before they’re published.
What I’m Reading Next
Llewellyn’s Little Book of Chakras
Considering “little book” is in the title, hoping this is a quick, informative read.
Yup, another free from netgalley as well. I have a lot of GN’s and Llewellyn books from there (and many many others)
Magic Fire
Another in my free for review pile I gathered this month. Need to finish it before the end of the month, if I can finish Vengeance Be Mine first.
Going in blind….based on cover alone. I have a tendency to do that, it seems.
Wake of Vultures & Conspiracy of Ravens
Honestly, I’m sort of already started on WOV – which is a total re-read for me so that I can read book 2, Conspiracy of Ravens.
I really enjoyed the first book first time around, and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve re-read so far. Makes me excited to get moving on it…damn elusive thing called time. So much to do and nowhere near enough time to do it all in. Oy.
Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone (Audiobook)
This sucker had a LOOOOONG waiting list at the library (all of them do), but I’ve heard fantabulous things about the audibook versions of these books…and I should have this one soon (I hope).
Really excited to have the HP books come alive for me in a different way than they have before.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8 vol. 4
Next on the list…it’s got dark and scary Willow on the cover, so curious to see what happens here.
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Phew….I know, that was long. By far my longest book post yet this year. So many good things, eh things, and fun things to write about in the reading universe I’m in right now. 😀
I also have a ton of my OWN books that I need to get started on. Someone, please take away my library card so maybe I’ll focus on those books for a change?
You know what, don’t…you might send me into a panic attack. lol
by Sarah | Mar 8, 2017 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
February turned into another big reading month for me. In this case it was mostly audiobooks and graphic novels (as I learned to dip my toe into those). This month I’m trying to get back into some full length books even as I continue on with some graphic novels.
Once again, with so many read, I’ll try to be concise.
What I’ve Read
The Amulet Series (7 Graphic Novels)
This series was a big hit in this house this month. Both of my tween girls and I scarfed them down and are lamenting the fact that book 8 doesn’t release until 2018. If I’d known it was an unfinished series I might have tried to hold off somehow. It was a very fun, active, and creative series. Twists and turns kept you captivated, and each book was easily read in a day. This definitely made me appreciate the GN genre a little more. Between this and Through the Woods (see below), I found myself hooked and seeking out more graphic novels.
Star Wars: The Illustrated Novels Series (audiobooks)
It seems a little counterintuitive to read “illustrated novels” via audiobook, but to be honest I missed that “illustrated” part when I was glancing over titles. Plus, the narrators on this series were spectacular. I am so glad I picked them up. The least favorite of the three was “So you want to be a Jedi” because the fourth wall was completely broken in that one and I didn’t enjoy it so much. Still, the series as a whole is well worth a listen.
One
Wooosh. This one is killer. It’s a book of poetry, but wowza…it’ll knock you hard right in the feels, I kid you not. Don’t let the “Young Adult” title fool you, it’s a hell of a book.
Yes, I am a sucker for anything involving siamese twins…and I just jumped for joy that the famous Daisy and Violet Hilton were, in fact, mentioned in this one.
A wonderful, but totally heart wrenching read. Worth every heart-stopping moment.
Seriously, read it today. Go. Now.
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Through the Woods (Graphic Novel)
I had some issues with my first attempts at graphic novels. None of them were hitting the right chord for me, at all.
Then this gem came along. A series of short little horror stories that are certainly creepy. The illustrations are captivating and with this one little book I was hooked on GN’s.
The Sleeper and the Spindle
Super short in the realm of audiobooks – seriously, it was like an hour long.
I really liked the twist on the classic fairy tale. The ending wasn’t what I expected, and the full cast-read was definitely enjoyable. Worth the hours time for a listen.
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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Finally finished this one!! Totally loved it, of course, as I did the movie. And yes, the movie is totally in my Amazon cart awaiting release – and we went and saw it at the cheap movies I totally forgot existed. 😉 Anyhow, I breezed through the rest of this one quickly once I realized it had been on my list and embarrassing amount of time. It is now in a treasured location with my copies of the Harry Potter series and will get a special place in my new office for sure. 🙂
Honorable Mentions
Again, seeing as I read so many books this month, I’ll finish up with some honorable mentions, quick and dirty version.
Furiously Happy (Audio) – Jenny Lawson voices her own audiobooks…and the whole book and read through of it was exactly what I expected after reading her blog for quite some time. A little bit wild, full of curse words, and tragically hilarious in some places.
Everything I Never Told You (audio) – This was just okay. I wanted it to be more than it was. Not sure if it was the audio read or the story itself. I just didn’t really care by the end.
Seriously…I’m Kidding – Hey, it’s Ellen…of course it was funny. I’m not big on memoirs but I’ve been pushing myself this year…and this was another quick one to read.
The Wicked & The Divine (Graphic Novel) – I don’t know what I was really expecting on this…actually, I wasn’t expecting anything. It was different, good and bad and confusing. I want to get more for the purpose of seeing what happens next.
Wytches (Graphic Novel) – Creepy as heck, strange…but totally cool. I enjoyed this quick read. Glad I picked it up on a whim as it was later recommended to me by several sources.
What I’m Reading Now
Difficult Women
Another one for my “challenge” list (which I’ve sort of forgotten about in the past month in favor of reading whatever I can get my hands on. lol)…a collection of short stories.
I don’t remember where I heard about this one, but I recommended it at my local library and when it came in, it was automatically loaned to me. I have no opinion on it as I am just cracking it open today. I’ll let you know next month. 😉
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Awakening to the Spirit World: The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation
Loooong title on this one…eesh. Anyhow, I took this one out from the library for some dual research (writing related & personal related)…when I found myself wanting to make actual highlights in the book, I bought it off of Amazon. This will be an ongoing read for a couple of months, I think…but I’m learning a lot. For person that claims to not like non-fiction, I’m finding myself reading a lot of it lately.
Anyhow, expect to see this one on the list for a couple of months, probably 😉
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Feed
This is another one that will go on the challenge list “A book you started but never finished”. I’ve had this sucker for YEARS on my nook. I started reading it, even enjoyed it…only to stop for one reason or another…and as my Nook is sadly dying a very slow and painful death so that I hardly pick it up anymore, despite the number of books I have left to read on it.
Anyway, I picked it up randomly at the library today when dropping a couple other books off…and quickly found where I’d left off (surprisingly, I remembered after all these years).
Hopefully I’ll actually finish it this time.
Rebecca
This one has been on my list for over a month…I’ve had to renew it twice at the library. I now have 3 weeks left and no renewals left. I have GOT to read it. It’s been on almost every single “You need to read this book” list I have ever found, and when I said I was starting it, I got a lot of positive responses…
I have started and it was a slow start, but I’m starting to get into it.
The goal is to read it before it’s due back. I’m sure I’ll manage…I hope…maybe…
The Sculptor
Recommended to me by someone in book club, I picked it up when I discovered my library happened to have it on hand. Haven’t started it yet, but as you see I’ve got a lot I’m reading right now. Hope to pick it up in the next day or two and see what I think. Fingers crossed it’s another good one!
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
Yup, this one is STILL here. We’ve been distracted by all the things, and volleyball, and school, and my insomnia making me grumpy and headachy and not so up to reading aloud. But, we will get through this, hopefully this month. We are fully on board. 😀 As we always are. Harry Potter wins with us. 😀
What I’m Reading Next
What’s Left of Me
This has been on my TBR for some time. It happened to come available at the library and I grabbed it up. Looking forward to getting into it ASAP. I have a lot to read, but hoping to get this one read up quickly.
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Etiquette and Espionage
(Audiobook) It’s been a rough couple of weeks in the audiobook world for me. I’ve tried several that just haven’t panned out. This is the last on the list while I wait for some that have been recommended to me (some have VERY long hold times…VERY long…been waiting over a month on a couple of them). This one seemed to sound decent in the sample and I’ve been wanting to read this series for a while, so I’m hoping to start it in the next couple of days.
Magical Power for Beginners
Netgalley pickup for research – again, personal and writing related. I actually have a handful of books for that purpose on netgalley, but I just picked this one to go first.
Looking forward to getting started. Hoping it is a quick and easy read.
The Girl on the Train
Okay, this is a repeat…I still haven’t gotten to this either. However, “a book bought from a small, independent book store” is on my reading challenge list – and that’s precisely where I got this from. So it will get read, gosh darn it. One way or t’other. If I can stop impulse checking out from the library, I will do it. I swear it.
Ensnared
This one is a netgalley SUPER ADVANCE copy (so advanced, there is no listing on Amazon yet…it doesn’t release until December). I’m not even sure how I got it, but I’m super stoked to read it. A Beauty & The Beast retelling, it looks utterly fascinating…and the cover is just to die for. Hopefully I’ll be able to get to this one soon, too.
The Queen of the Tearling
Another impulse pickup from the library today…another that’s been on my TBR for a while. Luckily with library books I tend to make sure I get to them…so here’s hoping I get to it this month! I’d really like to see what the fuss is about on this one.
Saga
Another recommendation by book club. I know next to nothing about it going into it, so we’ll see what we find. This and Fables (& The Sculptor listed above) are among the last handful of graphic novels I have on my current list. I have plans for more once I get through these. There are Buffy and Serenity GN’s to get my hands on, after all. 😉
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So, according to goodreads I’m at 32 books completed so far this year. With a goal of 50 for the year I think I’m well on track…I might have to bump up that goal number pretty soon. lol.
Of course, I also started writing again this week, so we’ll see how the continued reading attempts go with writing thrown back into the mix.
by Sarah | Feb 22, 2017 | All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Autism, Blogging Life, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Special Needs, Wordy Wednesday
The first time I saw “The Baby-Sitters Club” in graphic novel form, I rolled my eyes.
“Why on EARTH would they make those into graphic novels when there are perfectly good books out there?”
It annoyed me.
It seemed a cheat.
I was a snob.
It took me looking at my child, my Molly, eagerly reading for the first time in ages after declaring she now hated reading. Her attention span wasn’t enough for chapter books to hold her interest, but graphic novels were another story.
It took me letting go of my bias to see how graphic novels could benefit a child like my girl.
I picked up those exact Baby-Sitter’s Club books for Molly at the library.
I picked up a bunch of graphic novels for myself to try.
I found I don’t care for the comic-book ones…but those that tell a story (or stories), I enjoy.
My favorites so far have been Through the Woods and Amulet. I have several more to try, and I’m excited to do so once this chaotic work week is over.
The best part of opening my mind has seeing my daughters both excited to read again.
Molly is so excited that she’s actually begun picking up chapter books again.
Kennedy is enjoying interspersing her chapter books with these quicker reads of graphic novels.
I’m enjoying expanding my painfully narrow repertoire of reads to include something different, and learning what I like in this new area.
So, in short…you can teach an old dog like me new tricks. It just takes me letting go of my bias and opening my eyes to see the benefits.
So now that I’ve opened my eyes, I need your help!!
What are the best graphic novels for my girls?
What are the best ones for me?
by Sarah | Feb 8, 2017 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
So January turned into a big reading month for me. Most of them ended up being library books. I really need to stop borrowing from the library and start reading the books on my shelves/Kindle. I have hundreds of those…but can’t seem to make myself read a one…I take them out from the library instead. Don’t ask, I can’t explain it.
So, anyway…my “What I’ve Read” list is rather impressive this month. I’ll try to be concise as I can. 😀
What I’ve Read
Big Magic
Like I said last month, this book was a huge departure from the norm for me. Being that it was non-fiction and all.
Still, I really enjoyed it and it stirred my long-dormant muse to life a bit. I’m not writing yet, but I’m feeling the pull that direction.
Gilbert had a way of touching on many of my existing fears and helping me see another way of looking at things.
There was a bit of floof in it that I can see others thinking was just wack-a-doo…but I honestly enjoyed it all. This one is staying on my shelf for when I need a boost of Big Magic.
World War Z (audiobook)
Another one that was also out of my comfort zone…but I ended up loving a LOT.
My first audiobook…and I picked a 100% winner. I was scared to “read” another b/c this took the cake. (For the record, I have read another, and have another on my onedrive app)
A great cast of characters – and a story that wasn’t so much about the zombies as it was about the people, their stories, and the horrors of war (especially war against this sort of opponent).
Intriguing, deep, and emotional…I will refuse to watch the movie (not that I’d ever planned to)…because from what I have seen of it…it just can’t compare to this oral history in audiobook form. I think audiobooks cost an insane amount of money…but I think it would be worth it to buy this one.
The Lonely Ones
I made an insanely long book challenge for this year. Not on the theory that I would finish each of the items (although that would be cool)…but on the theory that I’d never run out of ideas for books.
On the list was a book of poetry – and this is the one I chose after an internet search. I read it in a total of probably 2 hours over 2 days. A super-quick read, and delightful.
Being Jazz (audiobook)
The next audiobook on my list also served to fulfill another item on my challenge list – a book by/about a transgender. It wasn’t bad…just clearly written by a teenager. A little stilted, but straight-forward and funny. I enjoyed “reading” it.
Geek Girl
To be honest, I’m not even sure what I read here.
I weirdly enjoyed it – even gave it four stars, even though it was completely fantastically unbelievable.
I think the weirdest thing for me was that every time the designer Yuka Ito came onto the page, I could only picture Edna Mode from The Incredibles. It was a weird, jarring picture in the midst of the rest of the oddness.
Honorable Mentions
Seeing as I read 11 books this month, if I went into them all this post would get too bigly. So here are some of my honorable mentions in super-brief review.
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher – it was a quick read, fun.
Fat Girl Walking by Brittany Gibbons (Audiobook) – I’ve “known” Brittany for some time. It took my recent audiobook love to get her book read. Just as expected, it was as great as she is.
The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick – It was a quick read. I actually had to warm up to the characters, though. Not my top read of the month, but cute by the end.
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson – enjoyable coming-of-age type of story. Really like the development of the main character in it. I didn’t even mind the flashbacks.
Star Wars: A New Hope: The Princess, The Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy adaptation by Alexandra Bracken (Audiobook) – LOVED this. The adaptation was an interesting take, that i wasn’t sure about at first…but the voice actors made it work for me. The male (Marc Thompson) was my favorite, and the background sound effects are straight out of the movies. It really adds to the atmosphere.
What I’m Reading Now
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want To Be A Jedi?
(Audiobook). Happily, Marc Thompson is narrating this one again, and all the side effects are back…however as the title says “So you want to be a Jedi?”…well, it addresses you – regularly – and you are the protagonist and…I know, this was made more for younger readers so it’s probably really cool…but it’s not my favorite way to read it.
Still, it’s fun and a diversion and as an audiobook I can listen to it while I work on puzzles or cleaning or…oh, let’s face it, it’s always puzzles lately. 😀
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One
Another poetry book. This one was recommended to me by a friend in my facebook book club. Soon as she mentioned it I put it on hold at the library – because if you say Siamese Twins, I’m so in. I blame it on my time in the musical Side Show about Daisy and Violet Hilton some years back. 😀
Anyway, I’ve just opened it tonight so I can’t really say too much what I think about it, but based on all the reviews I’ve seen it’s supremely emotional and I don’t know how ready I am to be wrecked…but I am all in. I want to read this very much. Looking forward to it in every way.
Assorted Graphic Novels
As part of my push to get myself out of my comfort zone I’m trying to dip into the realm of graphic novels. These are just a start, and I’ve got quite a few more coming.
Black Widow: The Finely Woven Thread – I like the character and this was among the recommendations I found when looking for good places to start reading graphic novels.
Alice in Sunderland – A mix of the real Alice, and the Alice in Wonderland…sounded intriguing.
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger: The Journey Begins – Been thinking of taking up these books, but the graphic novel was available now instead of having to wait. 😀
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen – We have the movie and have watched it quite a few times, so I am familiar with the world somewhat…and this wasn’t on my initial list but when I saw it on the shelf at the library I grabbed it up. Hubby is actually reading it first, but as I have several others to read, that works out perfect. 🙂
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
Yup, this one is STILL here. We’ve been distracted by all the things, and volleyball, and school, and my insomnia making me grumpy and headachy and not so up to reading aloud. But, we will get through this, hopefully this month. We are fully on board. 😀 As we always are. Harry Potter wins with us. 😀
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
This one I’m a little ashamed of still being on my list. I really should have finished it…but it’s my current night-stand book and I was waiting for a reading light so I could read it in my new comfy mattress…and now have it so I’ve begun to read it again. 😀 It still makes me very happy and keeps me company on insomnia nights. Over halfway done and expect to finish it soon. Then I’ll need a new night-stand book.
What I’m Reading Next
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side
(Audibook) I will be finishing the series as soon as I get this from the library. Currently on hold, I think I’m #4 in line for it. That’s better than the Harry Potter book I’m on hold for, though…I think I’m #70 there. 😉 Anyway, still narrated by Marc so I’m very much looking forward to seeing how this one comes out.
The Glass Dragon
I read this series AGES ago. Like 20 years ago-ish. One of the challenges on my list this year is to read a book you loved again. I really liked this once upon a time, and even re-purchased the entire series (in omnibus form) last year so I can re-read it again. Here’s hoping my memory of enjoying it wasn’t all nostalgia!! I’ll find out.
Unmentionable
Yup, this one is still on here. I’m really looking forward to getting to it, if I’d ever remember to actually open it on my kindle. Supposed to be funny and full of facts and I can’t wait to dive in (but have to wait until I get through some of what I’ve borrowed from the library)
The Girl on the Train
Okay, this is a repeat…I still haven’t gotten to this either. However, “a book bought from a small, independent book store” is on my reading challenge list – and that’s precisely where I got this from. So it will get read, gosh darn it. One way or t’other.
Heartless
I’m seeing this sucker EVERYWHERE. It’s crazy nuts and I want to read it so bad.
There seem to be a lot of Alice in Wonderland retellings everywhere these days…but I like that this is the backstory of the Queen of Hearts. I’m very intrigued into what Meyer did with this story. Looking forward to diving in ASAP (is another library book)
Rebecca
Every list I ever look at says I need to read this, and so here it is…and borrowed from the library so I can’t wait too long (or else I’ll have to take it back and never read and feel guilty for not reading it). I have no idea how I’ll feel for having read it, but everything is worth a shot.
Queens of Geek
A netgalley book. Anything with Geeks, I’m in. I didn’t even read the description before I requested it, just saw the “Geek” in the title and went into request mode. So we’ll see what we find!
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So far this year I’m at 12 books – although I should say 11 because one of those I started in 2016, and just happened to finish on the second day of 2017 due to time and me remembering to read it as it was a kindle borrow from the library.
It was a good strong start that I hope to keep up. The discovery of ebooks has really sort of propelled me foreward. not sure why I resisted them so long.
P.S. Plan to have a post about graphic novels soon and what inspired me to pick them up beyond my reading challenge.
by Sarah | May 25, 2016 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
After an excellent start to the year I’ve really fallen off the wagon. I was reading a little before bed every night, and haven’t in about two months. Doing my best to get back on the wagon, but it’s been a struggle. I still have every intention of hitting my 50 book goal this year. It’s just a long way off.
What I’ve Read
Anna Dressed In Blood
— I had this book on my TBR list forever and a day. Then I happened to see on Instagram that my fabulous editor reviewed it with high marks. So it’s all her fault that I finally picked it up.
And I LOVE her for it.
When I first started to read I didn’t expect to like it. It was written in 1st person POV–from the guy’s perspective. I usually can’t connect to these sort of books, but I kept going and was so shocked to find that I really enjoyed the book.
All the MC’s were great, and likable. The mix of magic, horror, and teen drama worked shockingly well together. I’ll definitely be trusting my editors book reviews from now on. This was awesome.
Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
As always, I enjoyed this one. It’s not my “favorite” of the books, but it’s always great to read them again. Like book 1 it’s a pretty fast read. It’s by book 3 that things start to get in deep. Still, I enjoyed my little jaunt into the girls bathroom. 🙂
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
It always makes me so-so-so happy to read this one!! Definitely right up there in my favorites! Buckbeak, Sirius, the Marauder’s Map, the time turner…what’s not to like?
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Marked (Servants of Fate #1)
I got this from netgalley forever and ever ago. It sat and sat. I’d start, then stop, then start again. I loved it, but I had about 20 gajillion books on my kindle and it kept getting lost in the crossfire.
And then, it happened.
I hit that point in the book where you can.not.put.it.down!!! I was up until 2AM sucking down the tasty deliciousness of Sarah Fine’s story, and immediately opened book 2 before I passed out. It’s lovely, marvelous, sexy as hell, and I just love the lore.
This series is a definite must read. So much fun.
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What I’m Reading Now
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
In my out loud reading with the little, we are at about 1/4 of the way through. Unfortunately, though we’d been off to a great start, things stalled with my laryngitis. Hopefully once I get my voice back we’ll get rolling again. This one is a LONG one, and I’ve always found it the most depressing (so. much. angst.) But, we’re working on it and we’ll get through. 🙂
Claimed (Servants of Fate #2)
Also snatched from netgalley (I forgot to go back for 3, but I’m paying for that one without question). Anyhow, I did open this soon as I finished book 1. I love this lore and I can’t wait to see what Sarah Fine does with Galena and Dec. Also, I’m hoping I get a few glimpses into how Cacy and Eli are doing.
Red Rising
A little worried to read this one. It’s a Goodreads first reads win and I have heard a TON about it…that usually ends up with me feeling “eh” about the book. I just started and it’s another from the male POV, AND first person. Anna Dressed in Blood was a success with me…I’m hoping this is the same. We’ll see what happens as I read. I’m only a chapter and a half in. Fingers crossed it doesn’t head south on me. 🙂
The Glass Magician (The Paper Magician Trilogy #2)
I actually borrowed this from Amazon forever and a day ago. I’m almost halfway through…but then I did the great Kindle switch of 2016 where I upgraded to a Paperwhite and this one got lost in the shuffle. Talking to a good friend who just started book 1 reminded me of it…and I instantly went and had it sent to my new kindle. It’s up front and waiting for me. I ADORE this series and can’t wait to get back to Ceony and Emery!!
My goal is to get these in print. The covers are simple and beautiful in their simplicity. I have way too many print books (is there such a thing?)…but I feel that these must be added (take note, my birthday is in July 😉 )
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What I’m Reading Next
The Wicked Will Rise
Loved Dorothy Must Die. Super excited to continue on in this series. Now that I have the whole thing (including the short stories) in hand, and in print, I’m anxious to get back to them. Love the dark twist on the world of Oz and Dorothy, et al. Hopefully if I get back into a regular reading schedule I’ll be reading this soon!
Dark Matter
A netgalley book I scooped up for something out of my usual comfort zone. It’s still sci-fi/fantasy…and it looks pretty interesting. I didn’t think I’d be approved for it, but I’m glad I took the chance anyway. I’m looking forward to reading a book I know nothing about, and haven’t heard much about intentionally. Going in blind always leads to an interesting end (whether it be good or bad 😉 )
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And that’s where I’m at for now. More books coming in the near-future I’m sure. Here’s hoping I get through them all quick. 😀
The Hockey Saint & Hockey Karma (Forever Friends #’s 2 & 3)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Audiobook)
The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder
A few okay graphic novels I read
