Oh My Goodness Gracious!

This is just ridiculous! Well, in case you're wondering, over the last few months I've dealt with the end of dance year stress/trauma(i.e. receiving and handing out costumes, pictures, rehearsal, recital), quit my job, adjusted to being a stay-at-home mommy(sort of), went on a week long vacation, recovered from said vacation, practically lived in my sewing room for about 2 weeks, and read a whole bunch of books. Whew!

I'm still adjusting to all of this time on my hands. I tend to spend hours each day in my favorite chair reading anything and everything I can get my hands on. If my children find me then we read their books. I spend a lot of time in my chair and I love it.

While I was on vacation I stopped in a little shop and picked up this

I have been using it, I promise. In fact, since I bought it in July I've entered 10 books in here. I'm happy to share the first with you today.

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Date Started: 7/14/2011
Date Finished: 7/17/2011
Type of Book: Fantasy

My interest in this book: This book was recommended to me by a good friend.

Plot: Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.(From cover)

Favorite Characters: Katsa, Po, Princess Bitterblue, Ashen, and Po's mother

Rating: 4 out of 5

Comments: I loved this book. I had a really hard time putting it down. The character development was great. To watch Katsa go from an assasin who is trying to be good to a woman trying to protect the people she cares about is really intriguing. I also enjoyed the love story between Po and Katsa. I don't agree with their life choices at the end of the book, but I can't force my ideals on others, so I'll just have to deal with it.

There is a sequel to this book called Fire. I started it but I couldn't finish it. Leck is way to creepy for me. I couldn't handle his twisted nature. I've never been a big fan of truly scary characters. They give me nightmares.

Happy reading!

NINE BOOKS!!!

Okay, yes, I've been sick. But nine books in less than a MONTH! Did I mention I taught 2 pre-school lessons and threw a HUGE Valentine's day party while I was reading these books. Well, technically, it was only eight. I was re-reading one and really just skimmed through my favorite parts, but STILL!

Well, I guess I should get started.

First up we have The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting. Sadly, this one only gets 2 of 5.

Summary: High school junior Violet uses her uncanny ability to sense murderers and their victims to try to stop a serial killer who's terrorizing her town, and although her best friend and would-be boyfriend Jay promises to keep her safe, she becomes a target.

I know, it sounds really good and it was really good. Until the ending. Wow. It was really lame. She spent all of this time building up this great suspesion and laying out this lovely romance. Then I got to the climax and it fell flat on it's face. It made me so sad. I was really enjoying it, too.

I was a little hesitant to give this a low rating. I just learn that there's a sequel. It was just released on the first of the month and I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy.

By itself this book is a huge disappointment, but as a series? It might redeem itself in the long run. I'll just have to wait and see.

Next, we have Nevermore by Kelly Creagh. This one gets a 5 of 5.

Summary: When cheerleader Isobel Lanley is assigned to work with goth, Edgar Allen Poe fan Varen Nethers on an English project, she is swept into a horrific dream world that he has created in his mind.

My thoughts: I love, love, love, LOVE this book. This is the second time I've read it. It's the first of a series. I believe there will be three books all together, but I've been wrong before. The next one isn't due to come out until Spring 2012. I'm dying to read it.

Anyway, I love this book because it's wonderfully balanced. There's just the right about of suspense, romance, and general creepiness. I'll admit it, I got scared a couple of times. She takes you into this living dream where everything is connected to one of Edgar Allen Poe's works. A few I was familiar with, from highschool lit., but a lot of the stories were new to me. It makes me want to read everything by Poe. Just not at night. It's some scary business.

After that I read Spells by Aprilynne Pike. I think this one warrants a 4 of 5.

Summary: Summoned to study at The Academy of Avalon, sixteen-year-old Laurel learns about the town with friend Tamani, while honing her long-forgotten skills as a Fall faerie in order to protect her human family and Avalon from trolls.

My thoughts: I'm really enjoying these books and I'm really looking forward to the release of the next one on May 3. There's action and romance and a lot of drama. It kind of reminds me of the second Twilight book. By the end I was really mad at Laurel. I have a feeling she's going to do the right thing eventually, I just wish I didn't have to be angry with her first. If you enjoyed Twilight, then you'll like these books.

And then I finished the Princess Diaries books. Princess in Training, Party Princess, Sweet Sixteen Princess, Princess on the Brink, Princess Mia, Forever Princess all by Meg Cabot. Yeah, I know. Moving on. I give the series as a whole a 4 of 5.

Summary: The last half of the Princess Diaries covers Mia's sophomore year to graduation. Everything important is covered. Her relationship with long-time crush Michael, her 16th birthday, her campaign for student council president, a play that her grandmother writes and directs, the rather twisting roller coaster of her love life and those of her friends, her therapy, her friendship with Lana, her romance novel, and her senior prom. A lot happens in a few books.

My thoughts: It winds around and around and beats around the bush. I was just starting to get tired of listening to all of her teenage whining when suddenly I got to Princess Mia and everything changed. The last two books were amazing. I especially loved the last book, Forever Princess. It was really really good. I cried a little while reading the last one.

Now that I made it through all of these books I have no idea what to read next. Obviously, finding material isn't a problem for me. Just give me a day or two. Maybe it's time for some Jane Austen immersion therapy.

Three books this week!

After my initial post I got on the reading train and went a little crazy. I got through three books between last Saturday this Thursday. It's no wonder I never get anything done around the house. Anyway, here they are.

First up we have Project Princess: The Princess Diaries Volume IV and a half by Meg Cabot. I give it a 3 out of 4.

Summary: Mia, her bodyguard, and her friends go to West Virginia over Spring Break to build a house for the less fortunate. Hilarity ensues.

My thoughts: So funny! She's never been camping before or done any kind of maual labor. Need I say more.

My favorite part was where she talks about Peter's "shapely forearms." Apparently, he's as cute as Mulan's boyfriend with the added benefit that Peter is not a cartoon character!

Next we have Princess in Pink also by Meg Cabot (I really need to branch out). Anyhoo, I gave this one a 3 out of 5 also.

Summary: In a series of humorous diary entries, high school freshman (and Genovian Princess) Mia tries to get her reluctant boyfriend to take her to the prom.

My thoughts: Hilarious! Maybe I'm just easily amused, but I can't get enough. Mia makes me laugh until I cry. I read this one in one day. Obviously, I couldn't put it down. I half expected her to smash somebody's cell phone again.

I'm only about halfway through this series, but I think I need to take a break from Princess Mia. This is my fourth review on this blog and 3 of them have been Princess Diaries books. Let's broaden our horizons, shall we?

That being said...

I read this one next. I'm really excited to share this one with you. This is Wings by Aprilynne Pike. This one gets a 4 of 5. I really like this one.

Summary: When a flower blooms in the middle of her back, Laurel discovers that she is a faerie and was placed with human parents as a child. As Laurel learns about her true background and the dangers that face the faerie realm, she struggles to find her place in both worlds

My thoughts: As soon as I finished it I wanted to read it again. So good! The idea of faeries being highly evolved plants was definitely new and refreshing. It was kind of slow at the beginning but it picked up and ended up being quite the page turner. I was happy to find out there was sequel that I could pick up at the library with another to be published this April. That made me really happy because it had one of those endings that isn't really an ending. There were too many loose ends for it to just end right there. I already picked the next one up from the library but it's at the bottom of the pile.

Well, there you have it. You'd think I had a lot of time on my hands or something. Trust me, I don't. I just read every spare moment I have.

Next week, The Body Finder and, hopefully, Peter and the Starcatchers.

Keep reading!

The Highs and Lows of Being Mia

The Highs and Lows of Being Mia
By Meg Cabot
4 out of 5

Summary:
Presents the third and fourth volumes (the Princess in love, and the Princess in waiting) in the Princess Diaries series, in which Mia copes with final exams at school in New York and is introduced to her Genovian subjects.

My Thoughts:
I laughed a lot. I know it's a silly book and kind of pointless, but sometimes I need to read something silly and kind of pointless. Reading is my retreat from my real life and sometimes I just want to be entertained. I read this one while on break from "The Book Thief." This was breaking my #1 rule. The only things I allow myself to read at the same timeas one of my books are the scriptures, church lesson manuals, Preach My Gospel, and the Ensign. But I cheated. I'd had a really, really bad day and "The Book Thief" wasn'te helping. So I took a break and spent some time with Princess Mia. It was great. Just what I needed. She is hilarious. Thanks, Meg Cabot, for writing something so lighthearted and fun!

The Book Thief

The first book I'm going to review for you is "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. This is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster child in Nazi Germany. Narrated by Death this book gives a very individual view of life at that time. Very well written and enjoyable, although rather depressing at times. I admit I had to take a break from this one and read something lighter for a bit. Unfortunately, I didn't get to the end. I had to give it back because it had been requested by another patron at the library. I wanted to rate it, but I don't feel like I read enough of it to give an acurate rating.

Let me put it this way, if you're in the mood for a book that makes you think this is an excellant choice. Very well written and thought provoking. I hope you enjoy it!