Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Bookish Goals: December Status Update


Last year I did not complete my "Bookish Goals" I listed on my Top Ten Tuesday post.  In an effort to help keep myself on track this year, I am going to post occasional status updates.

This is the last status update for 2014.  Overall it was a great year filled with enjoyable books.  I completed a few challenges and fell a little short in others, but there is always next year :)

  • Read and review at least 45 books - 
    1. The Elite by Kiera Cass
    2. Snakeroot by Andrea Cremer
    3. Beautiful Dreams by Alicia Rae
    4. After The End by Amy Plum
    5. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
    6. Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter
    7. Panic by Lauren Oliver
    8. Body & Soul by Stacey Kade
    9. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
    10. Frostbite by Richelle Mead
    11. Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
    12. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
    13. The Guard by Kiera Cass
    14. This Side of Salvation by Jeri Smith-Ready
    15. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
    16. Losing It by Cora Carmack
    17. Finally Forever by Katie Kacvinsky
    18. Faking It by Cora Carmack
    19. Keeping Her by Cora Carmack
    20. Breakable by Tammara Webber
    21. The Hunt by Stacey Kade
    22. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
    23. The One by Kiera Cass
    24. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
    25. The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
    26. Landline by Rainbow Rowell
    27. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
    28. Still Point by Katie Kacvinsky
    29. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
    30. Little Bee by Chris Cleave
    31. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
    32. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
    33. Shatter Point by Jeff Altabef
    34. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
    35. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
    36. 4th of July by James Patterson
    37. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
    38. Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini
  • Read books from at least 10 "new to me" authors.
    1. Richelle Mead - Vampire Academy
    2. John Green - The Fault In Our Stars
    3. Lynn Cullen - Mrs. Poe
    4. Holly Black - The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
    5. Cora Carmack - Losing It
    6. Brodi Ashton - Everneath
    7. Robin Constantine - The Promise of Amazing
    8. Markus Zusak - The Book Thief
    9. Rick Riordan - The Lightning Thief
    10. Chris Cleave - Little Bee
    11. E. Lockhart - We Were Liars
    12. Jeff Altabef - Shatter Point
    13. Natalie Lloyd - A Snicker of Magic
  • Read at least 10 New Adult books
  1. Losing It by Cora Carmack
  2. Finally Forever by Katie Kacvinsky
  3. Faking It by Cora Carmack
  4. Breakable by Tammara Webber
  5. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
    • Read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - I read books 4 - 6 over the past couple of years.  I wanted to read the final book last year, but I didn't get around to it.  Hopefully I will have time to read it this year.
      • I still have not started reading Harry Potter.  
    • Finish reading at least 5 series I have already started.  (I have several trilogies with final books I still need to read.
      1. Body & Soul (Final book in the Ghost & The Goth Series by Stacey Kade)
      2. Finally Forever (Final book in the First Comes Love Series by Katie Kacvinksy)
      3. The One (Final book in The Selection Series by Kiera Cass)
      4. Still Point (Final book in the Awaken Series by Katie Kacvinsky)
      5. Isla and the Happily Ever After (Final book in the Anna and the French Kiss series)
    • Attend BEA this year.
      • Flo and I had a FABULOUS time at BEA this year.  I can't wait for next year's trip.
    • Read at least 20 books from my TBR list that are not 2014 new releases for the TBR Pile Reading Challenge.
      1. The Elite by Kiera Cass - Release date 4/23/13
      2. Snakeroot by Andrea Cremer - Release date 12/10/13
      3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - Release date 8/16/07
      4. Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter - Released 1/1/09
      5. Body & Soul by Stacey Kade - Released 5/1/2012
      6. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - Released 1/1/2012
      7. Frostbite by Richelle Mead - Released 3/10/2008
      8. Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen - Release date 9/10/2013
      9. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Release date 9/3/2013
      10. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead - Release date 11/13/2008
      11. Losing It by Cora Carmack - Release date 10/12/12
      12. Faking It by Cora Carmack - Release date 6/4/13
      13. Everneath by Brodi Ashton - Release date 1/24/12
      14. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella - Release date 1/21/2009
      15. The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine - 12/31/2013
      16. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Release date 3/14/2006
      17. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - Release date 3/21/2005
      18. Little Bee by Chris Cleave - Release date 2/10/2009
      19. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan - Release date 1/1/2006
      20. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead - Release date 8/25/2009
      21. 4th of July by James Patterson - Release date 1/1/2005
      • Read at least 15 books in this year's Sequel Challenge
        1. The Elite by Kiera Cass - The Selection Series #2
        2. Beautiful Dreams by Alicia Rae - Beautiful Series #3
        3. Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter - Gallagher Girls #3
        4. Body & Soul by Stacey Kade - Ghost & the Goth #3
        5. Frostbite by Richelle Mead - Vampire Academy #2
        6. The Guard by Kiera Cass - The Selection Series 2.5
        7. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead - Vampire Academy #3
        8. Finally Forever by Katie Kacvinsky - First Comes Love #3
        9. Faking It by Cora Carmack - Losing It #2
        10. Breakable by Tammara Webber - Contours of the Heart #2
        11. The Hunt by Stacey Kade - Project Paper Doll #2
        12. The One by Kiera Cass - The Selection #3
        13. Still Point by Katie Kacvinsky - Awaken Series #3
        14. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - Anna #3
        15. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan - Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2
        16. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead - Vampire Academy #4
        17. 4th of July by James Patterson - Women's Murder Club #4

      Sunday, December 28, 2014

      Review: Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini


      Goodreads Summary:

      This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

      Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

      What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.
       

      Review: 

      Trial By Fire was one of the books I was most excited about picking up at BEA this year.  I LOVED Josephine's Starcrossed series and couldn't wait to get my hands on the first book in her new series.

      The concept for this book was very unique.  Witches are the rulers of the cities in the new universe Lily is transported to.  They can convert heat into energy to power the cities, grow food, heal the sick, etc.  Josephine did a remarkable job of incorporating the history of the Salem Witch Trials throughout the story.  As much as I wanted to love this book, it was a slow read for me.

      A good story, in my opinion, is built around the relationships between the characters.  For a large portion of this book there were trust issues, so the relationships were slow to develop.  Also, Lily had a lot to learn about witchcraft and how things worked in the new world.  This required a lot of detailed explanation, which at times was lengthy and confusing.

      On a positive note, I did find the ending to be very exciting.  If the sequel picks up where this book left off, we should have a continuous progression to the story without all of the history lessons.  I also hope there will be more to the romance to help keep the pages turning.  If both of those things happen, I think it was well worth persevering through Trial By Fire.  This series has a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing what will happen next.


      Friday, December 12, 2014

      Review: A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd


      A Snicker of Magic

      The librarian at my son's school selected A Snicker of Magic for their fourth and fifth grade book club.  Both the parent and child had to read the book.  We then attended a discussion with other students, parents, and teachers.  I thought it was a great opportunity for my son, so I signed us up.

      The book had a nice message, but it was a very slow read.  There were a couple of main characters, Felicity and Jonah,  but those characters traveled around town and met several additional characters.  Jonah shared magical ice cream with the people they met, which caused them to remember stories from their past.  This led to the introduction of even more characters.  It was difficult for an adult to keep track of all of the characters and next to impossible for my nine year old son. 

      Felicity Pickle comes from a wandering family.  Her mother can't seem to sit still and constantly moves her two daughters from one town to the next.  The girls never have a chance to develop friendships or get used to a school.  One day, they arrive in Midnight Gulch.  The town used to be filled with magic, but the magic left a long time ago.  It is believed that two local musicians known as the Weatherly Brothers took part in a duel years ago.  The person who lost the duel was destined to have a wandering spirit and could not return to Midnight Gulch.  Without the Weatherly's music the town lost its magic.  There is still a "snicker of magic" left, but not enough to entice anyone to stay in this mountain town.  It becomes Felicity's mission to solve the riddle and restore the magic to Midnight Gulch.   

      The book never really captured either of our attention.  We probably would have stopped reading altogether if it weren't for the book club.  The only portion that Preston seemed to enjoy was the reenactment of the duel at the end of the book.  He also enjoyed the unusual words Felicity invented, such as spindiddly.  The words were fun to say and added some originality to the story.  I just wish there was more to the plot and the pace was a lot faster.