Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Books I Think Would Make Great Book Club Picks

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

I am not going for a specific group for these choices; some would be better fitted to a woman’s group, some young adult and so forth. Most of them are books we have done for my book clubs and I loved them!

The Night Circus – This is a book I have already recommended to my book club at my library. The book is all kinds of wonderful, its lyrical, deep and has a heart wrenching love story.

The Help – I LOVED this book. I was one of those “I won’t be a band-wagoner” person but then I was gifted this from a dear friend and felt obligated to read it and I am so happy I did! It’s always nice to have a book that stands out on so many levels. Plus, it would be fun to watch the movie after reading the book!

Water for Elephants – This is another book that is fun because of the era in which the story takes place. The love story is divine, but the book was so much more than just a love triangle and Rosie takes the cake for my favorite character!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – How cool is this book? I am hoping to use it for my YA book club sometime soon and have the kids do a fun project relating to photographs.

The Hunger Games – It’s one of the most popular books out there, I think it would be interesting to read the story and determine why it is so popular as so many did when the Harry Potter phenomenon hit.

Eat, Pray, Love – This would be a fun summer read, we read it for part of our “Novel destinations” summer reading program last year.

Wicked – I love this whole series. In the back of Wicked, Gregory Maguire gives all kinds of “extras” including questions to be used at book club discussions. It would also be fun to compare it to the original story by L. Frank Baum and/or the movie. By the way, did you know that Maguire came up with the name Elphaba from the sound of L. Frank Baum's initials? How cool!

Dracula – We needed a classic on this list and this one has been re-done so many times in so many different formats that I thought it was a given. It would also be fun to follow up with one of the novels written from Mina’s point of view such as Dracula in Love.

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe – This book would be fun for all ages. It is a good read when you are younger but looking back as an adult is surreal. It is SO weird to re-read a book from your childhood and see all of the underlying messages. It really makes you take a step back and think about what you are reading.

The Book Club Cookbook – I have used this book to help plan many book club events and it is SO fun to find cool recipes to go with books you are reading. My book club made Honey Cakes when we read The Secret Life of Bees!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

By Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.


The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was another majorly hyped book of 2011 that I was excited to read. I was somewhat wary after reading a review on one of my favorite book blogs that portrayed this book as another paranormal romance with no depth or intrigue. After reading it for myself I have to say that I completely disagree and that this book really did live up to the hype for me.

At the beginning of the book, Mara is involved in an accident, which kills three of her friends and leaves her in a very fragile mental state. Her family decides it would be best to move away from the town in which the scene of the crime happened so her life is upturned again and she is forced to start a new school while dealing with major mental anguish.

After starting at the new school it seems like this story will play by the same “new kid at the high school” plot line where Mara gets on the wrong side of the most popular girl in the school because the most popular (and good-looking) guy shows her some attention. Thankfully these scenes are short and necessary to show that Mara has much more that post traumatic stress to deal with. Unexplainable things begin happening to Mara and she starts imagining things that aren’t really happening, as well as seeing people who aren’t really there – like the friends who died in the accident.

I had a love-hate relationship with the characters. I really liked Mara and thought she was a strong character but there were some choices and some one-liners that really turned me off. Then there is Noah, the typical gorgeous, mysterious jerk who really is sweet on the inside. Parts of me HATED him and wanted to slap Mara for even bantering with him and parts of me melted into a puddle on the floor every time he talked. What can I say? I’m a complicated woman. I was also a little confused by his “powers” and some other strange occurrences, like how Noah basically dies when Mara kisses him. These things weren’t really explained in this book but the sequel is due out this fall and I assume the author will be delving deeper into these characters and their “special” abilities.

The entire time I was reading this book I kept trying to figure out what was going on and why these things were happening. Is it magic? Is she really just insane? Maybe she is dreaming? Things finally start coming together in the end, as in, the last page of the book was absolutely jaw dropping and made me want the sequel right now, please! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a paranormal romance with a little more depth to it.

The sequel is still untitled but Michelle Hodkin has given us a bit of a teaser on her website and oh my does it add to the intrigue!

Coming Soon!!

I have been stuck in the archives all day and just emerged to find that Laini Taylor has updated her blog with the title of the sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone AND a teaser from the new book!! I AM SO EXCITED!! (So excited that when I squealed I scared my cat off of my lap and she is currently seething under the bed where she is safe from my shenanigans.)

So without further ado, the teaser for the sequel of Daughter of Smoke and Bone is...

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living—one without massacres and torn throats and bonfires of the fallen, without revenants or bastard armies or children ripped from their mothers’ arms to take their turn in the killing and dying.

Once, the lovers lay entwined in the moon’s secret temple and dreamed of a world that was a like a jewel-box without a jewel—a paradise waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness.

This was not that world.

I absolutely love this and I can. not. wait. for it to be release time!! Who else is excited?

(This blurb and title was taken with permission from Laini Taylor's blog, courtesy of Little Brown.)

Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed In Blood

By Kendare Blake

“Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas’s life.”

Anna Dressed in Blood was one of the hyped debuts of 2011 and I was initially drawn to it when I saw its awesome cover. Plus I was on a horror kick after reading The Child Thief and I hoped this would live up to my expectations.

The story follows Cas, a sarcastic ghost hunter who follows a “tip” to the town in which Anna resides. Cas was a very unique character, he is following in his father’s footsteps and lives up to his father’s name by following tips around the country and hunting down ghosts to send them to wherever it is ghosts go after they are done hanging on the Earthly plane.

After some research, Cas meets Anna, who I immediately loved. This character was so twisted and layered that I felt all kinds of emotions toward her. The story was beautifully done as her history is revealed in a slow, mysterious way. She starts off as this terrifying character who is disemboweling anyone who ventures into her house and slowly, as her history is revealed, she mellows out in an almost tragic way.

Overall, this story wasn’t as horror filled as I like my novels but it was a good amount of gore for a young adult debut and definitely enough intrigue to keep me guessing and wanting more. As a side note **spoiler alert (kinda)** I HATED THE PART ABOUT THE CAT!! Out loud I literally screamed “Not the cat!!!” and it kind of made me angry because I did NOT think it was necessary! **end spoiler**

I am eagerly anticipating the second installment of this series; it is one of my most anticipated reads of 2012. I recommend this book to anyone who likes horror (that isn’t too horrifying) and a sweet love story (that isn’t too lovey).

Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Book to Movie Adaptations 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

This is our freebie week for our Top Ten topic so I chose to go with one that has been previously done over at the Broke and the Bookish so I can rave about some of my favorite movies!!

The Princess Bride – I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!! It is probably my favorite movie EVER and I can quote every.single.line. Also? It’s better than the book! I know, it’s blasphemous to say, right? Tough cookies because if you don’t agree you are crazy and need to go watch it again right this minute… “Have fun storming the castle!” 

Harry Potter series – Who wouldn’t have this on their list? I have to admit that as I was watching each movie I was whispering with my sister about what exactly they did different between the book and movie. I mean honestly what were they thinking adding that shrunken Jamaican head hangin’ next to Ernie on The Knight Bus and what about S.P.E.W?! Huge differences and frankly, we were appalled. However these movies are still some of the best adaptations everrr and I love them a lot.

Pride and Prejudice – I love all of the film adaptations and I can’t believe I am saying this but I might actually like the newest version best. This is probably mostly because Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy was just jaw dropping. Every time I hear him say “I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on,” I just scream out loud and rewind over and over and over!!

Lord of the Rings Trilogy – Okay I will admit it, I only read the Hobbit and I know that movie isn’t out yet but if it is half as good as the trilogy then it will be epic…and long.

The 3 Musketeers – The Disney version with Chris O’Donnell? Yum. I definitely just bought it via my Disney Movie Club (yes, I am a member of Disney Movie Club) and I watch it every night as I am snuggled in my bed. I remember watching this movie with my brother when it was still ON Disney Channel. It has Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland and TIM CURRY!! “Rochefort. Isn't that a smelly kind of cheese?”

Dracula – I pretty much love all versions of this movie (even Dracula: Dead and Loving It) but I have to say that Bela Lugosi is THE man and he is the reason I became obsessed with all things Dracula when I was a wee tyke. 

Big Fish – This movie is just beautiful in so many ways. I just recently read the book by Daniel Wallace and it is just as colorful and imaginative.  

Game of Thrones – I only just started the first book but so far I am finding the two to be nearly exact and I like it. Though I do feel like I have to get through the first two books before season 2 of the show starts because I am finding myself a bit bored with the first book as I already know what is going to happen. Also: Jon Snow is love.

True Blood – The show is not so close to the book and I find myself not liking Sookie as much as I do in the novels but overall it is pretty awesome and I am highly anticipating the next season as the last season finale was jaw dropping.

Alice in Wonderland – Some people really didn’t like the remake of this film but I loved it. I don’t particularly like Mia Wasikowska but I think she portrayed Alice nicely. Tim Burton was genius as always and Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter were perfect.

Honorable Mentions:

Wuthering Heights – This movie isn’t even that good, in fact I remember going to the special “Hollywood at the Bijou” showing with my aunt and literally LOLing at numerous parts throughout because it was so ridiculous. Still love it though!

Stardust – I didn’t read the book (shame on me) but the movie was quite awesome and I am frequently irritated that I can’t get it through Netflix instant stream.

Sweetly

Sweetly
By Jackson Pearce

Sweetly is a companion (not a sequel) to the book Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. Due to the fact that it isn’t a sequel it is not necessary that you read Sisters Red prior to reading Sweetly but there are some small things you may appreciate a little more if you do.

Sweetly is a retelling of the fable, Hansel and Gretel. Gretchen and Ansel are siblings who lose their sister to a “witch” in the forest behind their home. Years pass and both parents succumb to the grief of losing their daughter, leaving Ansel and Gretchen alone in the world. They decide to drive cross country to start over in North Carolina. Their jeep breaks down on the way and they have no choice but to stay in the town for the time being. After some poking around town, Ansel finds a job as a handyman at Sophia Kelley’s candy shop.

Sophia is a young and gorgeous woman who has taken over the chocolate shop after her father is killed by wild animals. People in town are either captivated by her or believe her to be a witch. Those that believe her to be a witch also believe that she has something to do with the eight girls who have gone missing over the years, as they always go missing on the eve of her chocolate festival. Ansel and Gretchen are captivated by Sophia, for Gretchen, she is healing the wound that their missing sister left in her heart and Ansel falls in love with her almost immediately. However, after a time, Gretchen begins to suspect something is different about Sophia and she soon finds evidence that doesn’t paint Sophia in the most perfect light.

Gretchen meets Samuel, the town crazy and convinces him to teach her how to hunt Fenris, the werewolves that those of you who read Sisters Red will find familiar. The two vow to uncover the mystery as well as keep the rest of the girls in the town safe from the Fenris. Secrets are uncovered and Gretchen is forced to come to terms with who Sophia really is.

I have to say that I enjoyed this story a lot more than Pearce’s Sisters Red. I found myself more connected to the characters in this story which really helped me enjoy the novel on a much deeper level. Pearce also wrote this story in such a wonderful way that I really found myself craving the chocolate and candies that were showcased in Sophia’s shop.

Overall, this book exceeded my expectations, I had hoped to enjoy it more than Sisters Red and I did. Additionally, Jackson Pearce has a third companion novel coming out titled Fathomless that is a retelling of The Little Mermaid. I am curious to see if Pearce brings the characters together from the first two novels as they all have the same goals and since Fathomless will focus on the sister of both Silas, from Sisters Red and Samuel from Sweetly.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good retelling and wants their mouth watering at the thought of chocolate truffles and fruit flavored candies.

"There is always some madness in love,

and always some reason in madness."

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.

It did not end well.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By Laini Taylor

I have been struggling with this review for days. Not because it wasn’t awesome, it totally was, but because I fear that by raving about the sheer amazingness of this book I will spoil some extremely important and mysterious plot lines. I have decided to provide the summary from Goodreads so you can get the gist of what the novel is about and then I will do my best to explain just why this book was SO SO SO good without any spoilers.

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

How good does that sound? Let me just tell you, that summary? NOT EVEN CLOSE TO HOW AWESOMELY LAYERED THIS BOOK IS!! The book starts off and you’re thinking okay so this is some supernatural love story about a “devil” and an “angel” who fall in love. Ohh if only…let’s delve right in.

First, the plot of the story was near perfect. I absolutely gave up sleep to read this book because I had actual need to find out what happened next. As I said before, it is nearly impossible for me to say what I loved about the plot without giving away too much. Just know it had politics (the good kind), hate, jealousy, rage and all forms of love. As the story progresses you see how the past and present come together and my heart was literally breaking at more than one point. I had to read the last few pages multiple times because I could feel the overwhelming feelings Karou must be feeling as she discovered the truth. At first I had a hard time with the love between the two characters because it was so instant and “I have to know her” on Akiva’s part that it paralleled so many other paranormal romance novels out there. However, as the plot unfolds you realize there are serious reasons as to why this love is so instant, and so overwhelming.

Second, the characters are so great and so layered with their pasts that intertwine and they make you love every flaw, scar and tear. Karou was this strong female character who starts off as a (somewhat) typical teenager attending art school and going on frequent errands for her adopted family who just happen to be of a secret race of Chimera. Her world is suddenly torn apart and instead of acting like an immature teenager saying boo hoo how do I handle this she takes her problems head on and finds ways to act and move toward her goal. Then there is Akiva, the Seraphim who is of course, unbelievably gorgeous while also brooding and overly dramatic. In time the reader finds out why he is so brooding and I can understand his reasoning so I can’t blame him for being that way and I still kinda love him a lot. I loved Brimstone, and the rest of Karou’s “family” and Madrigal, who I can’t say too much about, was also a very strong and near perfect character.

Finally, the brilliance in Laini Taylor’s writing is found in how lyrical her words are…

Karou right after she sees Akiva for the first time:

“Into kohl-rimmed eyes in a sun-bronzed face. Fire-colored eyes with a charge like sparks that seared a path through the air and kindles it. It gave Karou a jolt – no mere startle but a chain reaction that lashed through her body with a rush of adrenaline. Her limbs came into the lightness and power of sudden awakening, fight or flight, chemical and wild.

Who? She thought, her mind racing to catch up to the fervor in her body.

And: What?”

Chapter 44:

“Snap.
Rushing, like wind through a door, and Karou was the door, and the wind was coming home, and she was also the wind.
She was all: wind and home and door.
She rushed into herself and was filled.
She let herself in and was full.
She closed again. The wind settles. It was as simple as that.

She was whole.”

Ahhhh how is it that this author can write the simplest sentence and still make me want to scream and laugh and cry?! This book was just pure awesome, I am literally recommending it to everyone that comes into my library. When they ask: “Do you have it here?” I say “Yes, but it’s checked out. Go buy it, seriously.” That is how good this book is. I hugged it when I finished, I went back and re-read random parts. I obsessed over Laini Taylor’s website and I NEED it to be time for the sequel now please!

In a nutshell: Go read this book right now, and you’re welcome.

Once upon a time, there were two moons, who were sisters.
Nitid was the goddess of tears and life, and the sky was hers.

No one worshipped Ellai but secret lovers.

Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Books I’d Recommend To Someone Who Doesn’t Read YA

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

The following books aren’t all my favorite YA books but I tried to choose a few books from different genres so that the person reading them would see the diversity in YA literature.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson – This book is wonderful, it is filled with so much raw emotion I couldn’t help but love it, and feel torn apart by it at the same time.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor – I just finished this one and it was ahhhhmazing (review is forthcoming) I want to recommend it to random strangers on the street so its no question that it is one of my top recommendations for anyone who doesn’t usually read YA - or any other type of book, for that matter.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier – Juliet Marillier is my all time favorite author yet most of the books I have read by her are all adult novels. This is the first book I read by Marillier that is specified to be a “young adult” novel and I loved it just as much as the others.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I’ll be honest, I JUST started this one but so far it is awesome and the premise sounds pretty intriguing.

Fables by Bill Willingham– These graphic novels are my favorite and I think it is a great introduction into both graphic novels and young adult literature.

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum – My favorite book from my childhood. I realize that this is on the younger scale of the young adult spectrum but its still one of the best, and the first in the series!

Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles) by Patricia C. Wrede – I love Patricia C. Wrede and these are some of the first books I read that would be specified as young adult. They are funny and interesting and I still read them 10 years later!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs – This book was awesome and will give the reader a glimpse into how different YA literature can be. The photos compliment the story and make the reader delve even deeper into the plot.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness – Oh, my heart. This book made me laugh and cry and all things in between. It is just a beautiful story that will pluck the heartstrings and show the reader that YA literature isn’t all supernatural romance.

Juliet Immortal

Juliet Immortal

By Stacey Jay

“She will fight for light, and he for dark, 

Battling through the ages for love’s sweet spark. 

Wherever two souls adore truly, you will find them, lo, 

The brave Juliet and the wicked Romeo.” 

             – Medieval Italian ballad, author unknown

Juliet Capulet didn’t take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, who made the sacrifice to ensure his own immortality. But Romeo didn’t anticipate that Juliet would be granted eternal life as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For seven hundred years, Juliet has struggled to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent, while Romeo has fought for the dark side, seeking to destroy the human heart. Until now.

Now Juliet has found her own forbidden love, and Romeo, O Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy their happiness.

Anyone that knows me knows that I am madly in love with both William Shakespeare and strong female characters. Shakespeare writes many strong female characters into his works but in my opinion Juliet Capulet is not one of them. Many of you are thinking of the way in which she defies her family to be with her one true love and when she finds him dead she takes her own life, defiant = strong, right? Wrong! Eek, Willie you had me up until that point…though I can imagine the grief and utter loss Juliet felt at seeing Romeo dead I can’t help but want to slap her in the face with some reason! You are on the brink of womanhood! There are other fish in the sea! “There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours.” (Princess Bride, anyone?) But alas, I was not there to slap some sense into young Juliet so she falls dead by her own hand…or does she?!

Juliet Immortal is a completely warped and amazing tale of Romeo and Juliet in which Juliet does not die but is killed by Romeo to ensure immortality and entrance into the Mercenary ranks as an emissary of darkness. Romeo’s plan is thwarted however when Juliet is also granted an immortal life in which she spends eternity as Romeo’s enemy. Their assignments puts them into the bodies of two mortals on earth, Romeo’s job is to convince lovers into killing one another, while Juliet is there to ensure that they remain in love and eventually reach the point of “true” love. This assignment is different from the moment Juliet, trapped in the teenage girl Ariel’s body, meets Ben. Juliet fights her nearly overpowering feelings for Ben because she soon finds out that the two lovers she is meant to save are Ariel’s best friend Gemma and her new boyfriend, Ben. Meanwhile, Romeo is going out of his way to try and woo Juliet and it seems that he really does love her despite his crazy. He senses something is different about this trip as well and does his best to warn Juliet of impending danger. She attempts to stick to her mission until her feelings for Ben take over and she has no choice but to let true love take over. This eventually leads to a pretty awesome ending that I kind of saw coming, but loved anyway.

The author totally rewrites the Juliet character into a character that I LOVE, she is strong and sees that her love for Romeo 700 years prior was just teenage fantasy. In short, I want to high five this Juliet and not slap her! I also really loved Romeo, he was totally the semi-crazy bad guy that was also secretly sweet and just yum. It was also so cool how Stacey Jay alluded to Mr. Willie Shakes and his part in the original story..

“That horrible play. That contemptible, lying play he helped Shakespeare pen all those hundreds of years ago when he first twisted our story to fit his agenda. It worked far too well. Shakespeare’s enduring tragedy did its part to further the goals of the Mercenaries – glamorizing death, making dying for love seem the most noble act of all, though nothing could be further from the truth. Taking an innocent life – in a misguided attempt to prove love or for any other reason – is a useless waste.”

When I first read this I thought that it was a standalone novel but after perusing through Stacey Jay’s website it looks like a sequel titled Romeo Redeemed will be coming out this year! I am pretty intrigued to see where Jay takes Romeo and I am excited to see him in a softer light.

Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

When I first started this list it was hard to compile, then after much thought it was hard to condense it down to just ten authors!! I also cheated a little as some authors are still writing but they aren’t writing any new books in the specific series that I want!!

The Brothers Grimm – I adore every one of their stories and my favorite fairy tale of all time is Snow White and Rose Red which was originally written by Charles Perrault and later collected by the Brothers Grimm.

J.K. Rowling – Who doesn’t want more stories from the Harry Potter world? Rumor has it that Rowling is contemplating putting together an encyclopedia of sorts for Harry Potter fans. That would be awesomeee!

Erin Morgenstern – I devoured The Night Circus and I was completely enthralled by her imagery. According to her website she IS writing, though it is unlikely she will ever revisit the world of Celia and Marco.

Patricia C. Wrede – I grew up on The Enchanted Forest Chronicles and LOVED Wrede’s rewrite of Snow White and Rose Red and would love to see either of these ideas expanded!

William Shakespeare – Oh, the love of my life…need I say more?

Juliet Marillier – Okay this one is kind of cheating since she is coming out with a sixth book in The Sevenwaters series but according to her website she doesn’t know if she will continue with the series after this book is published. I totally understand since from the beginning it was a TRILOGY and she now has another trilogy written in the same “world” but just keep going, Juliet..please?

Mercedes Lackey – Cheating again because I know she is still writing and just recently had a book published but I want more like The Black Swan!

Isaac Marion – I loved Warm Bodies and I can’t wait for the movie to come out but according to Isaac’s twitter (yes, I stalk him) he has no intention of revisiting a plot involving R or his world. Sad face.

Melissa Marr – Graveminder was awesome and was definitely written like it could have a sequel!

Brom – I am reading Plucker right now and though it is pretty cool, it doesn’t compare to The Child Thief. I think Brom needs to look more into doing those re-writes and keep those amazing illustrations coming!

Coming soon!!!

I was browsing through my Goodreads “to-read” list and I realized there are so many books I am anticipating this year, most of which are sequels to books I read in 2011! So in no particular order, here are my most anticipated reads of 2012!

Girl of Nightmares (Anna Dressed in Blood #2) by Kendare Blake – August 2012

Goodreads blurb: In this follow-up to Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas begins seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he’s asleep, and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong. These aren’t just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears. Cas doesn’t know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn’t deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it’s time for him to return the favor.

Ahh, I totally didn’t think I would like the first book but I LOVED it! It was heart wrenchingly awesome and I can. not. wait. for the sequel!!

Waking Storms (Lost Voices #2) by Sarah Porter – July 2012

Goodreads blurb: After parting ways with her troubled mermaid tribe, Luce just wants to live peacefully on her own. But her tranquility doesn’t last long: she receives news that the tribe is on the verge of collapse and desperately needs her leadership. Anais, the tribe’s cruel queen, wants Luce dead. Dorian, the boy Luce broke mermaid law to save, is determined to make her pay for her part in the murder of his family. And while the mermaids cling to the idea that humans never suspect their existence, there are suddenly ominous signs to the contrary. But when Luce and Dorian meet, they start to wonder if love can overpower the hatred they know they should feel for each other. Luce’s new friendship with an ancient renegade mermaid gives her hope that her kind might someday change its murderous ways. But how can Luce fulfill her rightful role as queen of the mermaids without sacrificing her forbidden romance with Dorian? Full of miraculous reunions and heart-pounding rescues, this haunting second installment in the Lost Voices trilogy finds Luce eager to attempt reconciliation with humans—as long as war doesn’t break out first.

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks – May 2012 

Goodreads blurb: Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish. What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings.

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova – May 2012

Goodreads blurb: Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king. When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all. In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen – February 2012 

Goodreads blurb: After seventeen-year-old Felicita’s dearest friend Ilven kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it.

I am so excited for all of these sea creature/magic themed books! I haven’t seen many “mermaid” tales (hehe pun intended) worth reading so I am excited to see how these books turn out!

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey – December 2012 

Goodreads blurb: Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries. Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

I was first drawn to this book by its cover (I know, I know, don’t judge) and I have been anticipating it ever since I read its blurb on Goodreads. The idea of reincarnation and of course the love triangle really drew me in.

Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby – March 2012 

Goodreads blurb: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, friends and neighbors, allow me to change your lives! Step inside Mosco’s Traveling Wonder Show! You’ve read about them in magazines, these so-called human curiosities, this tribe of misfits—now come and see for yourselves. We’ve got a gent as tall as a tree, a lady with a beard, and don’t miss your chance to see the Wild Albinos of Bora Bora! Ask Madame Doula to peer into your future (only two dollars more if you want to know how you’re going to die). And between these covers behold the greatest act of our display—Portia Remini, the strangest of the menagerie because she’s a ‘normal’ among the freaks, searching for a new beginning on the bally, far away from McGreavey’s Home for Wayward Girls, where Mister watches and waits. He said he would always find Portia, said she could never leave . . .Oh, it’s not for the faint of heart folks. If you’re prone to nightmares or you’ve got a weak ticker, you’d best move on. Within these pages lies a tale of abandonment, loss, misfortune for the rich and glory for the poor (and a little murder doesn’t hurt). It’s a story for the ages, but be warned: once you enter the Wonder Show you will never be the same.

The cover is awesome, I love the circus theme and the fact that it’s “not for the faint of heart” means it sounds right up my alley!

Some of the books I am uber excited for don’t even have covers or blurbs up yet (sad face) but that just means I am obsessing over the websites of the numerous authors just waiting for an update!

Flame of Sevenwaters (Sevenwaters #6) by Juliet Marillier – November 2012

Probably my most anticipated book of 2012, there is no picture for this and the only information I can find is that it will be about the younger sister, Maeve. If I absolutely had to choose a favorite author, I would choose Juliet Marillier. I am reading Wildwood Dancing right now and I absolutely love it! I can’t WAIT for the next book in the Sevenwaters series!!

Fathomless (Fairytale Retellings #3) by Jackson Pearce – August 2012

This is the companion novel to both Sisters Red (which I didn’t love) and Sweetly (which I DID love) and it is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid!! Sounds quite intriguing and I am interested to see where Pearce takes another of the Reynolds children.

Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2) by Stacey Jay – Fall 2012

No blurb for this yet but I am intrigued to see how Stacey Jay re-writes Romeo’s character.

Mara Dyer #2 by Michelle Hodkin – Fall 2012

OH EM GEE I can’t wait for this book!! The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer left me with my jaw ON THE GROUND it was so amazing and such an “I didn’t see that coming” ending. According to the author’s website the cover art, title and blurb are coming SOON!!

That's it from me, what books are you looking forward to this year?

A Few of My Favorite Things (of 2011)

Though much of my free time is spent reading fabulous novels, I do turn my brain off every once in a while and enjoy some other means of entertainment. Though I numbered this list from 10-1 I have to remind you that it is nearly impossible for me to put any of my favorite things in any particular order so these numbers are not binding!! Even as I write this post I have been changing my mind on their order! Without further ado, here is my list of my favorite time passers from 2011:

10. Water for Elephants

I will be honest; I had little desire to see this movie as I am not a drooling fan of Robert Pattinson. However, I read the book a few years ago and absolutely loved it and I do enjoy the circus venue so I gave it a try and I am so happy that I did! I was very impressed by Reese Witherspoon and I actually found myself enjoying Pattinson’s portrayal of Jacob as well. Overall I believed it to be a great on screen portrayal of a very enjoyable book.

9. True Blood 

Being a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse series I was very excited to hear when HBO picked up the rights for the show. The series didn’t disappoint me until this season, I didn’t like the way in which Bill was made king and I found Eric’s character to be much more loveable in the books. Despite my misgivings the show totally redeemed itself in the season finale. **spoiler alert** First of all I shed serious tears over the loss of Jesus and I found myself “OH MY GODing” when Steve Newlin appeared AS A FREAKIN’ VAMPIRE and Alcide finds a hole in the cement insinuating that RUSSELL IS BACK BAYBEE!! I am so extremely excited for next season, though I hope Sookie and Bill are a little less annoying.

8. The Muppets 

Who doesn’t love the Muppets and their crazy ways? This movie was hilarious, though I think it spoke more to me than the 5 year olds in the audience. Jason Segal and Amy Adams were amazing next to the classic Muppet characters and there were quite a few awesome cameos throughout the film. Though Muppet Treasure Island is still my favorite Muppet movie (Tim Curry as Long John Silver, looove!) this movie is a close second. Mahna Mahna!

7. New Girl 

Love, love, love to Zooey Deschanel and her quirky self! This show literally makes me LOL and I find myself relating to Deschanel’s character in some way in almost every episode. I adore her roommates and can’t help but long for her to fall in love with Nick though I know it would ruin many aspects of the already amazing show!

6. Jane Eyre 

I was wary to see how Mia Wasikowska portrayed Jane Eyre on the big screen since I didn’t really love her in Alice in Wonderland but she pulled off the haunting character beautifully. I was also very impressed by Michael Fassbender, though I may be a bit biased because he is delish and I tend to fall for those dark, brooding characters more often than not. Overall this was a wonderful portrayal of the novel and I was extremely impressed.

5. Once Upon a Time 

The characters in Once Upon a Time are stuck in the “real world” due to a curse put on them by the evil queen, portrayed flawlessly by Lana Parrilla. The show may have started off on a somewhat lame foot but the producers knew what they were doing and they ended the fall season on an “OH EM GEE” note that really plucked the heartstrings. I am very excited for the second part of the season to start (this Sunday!!) and I definitely recommend it to anyone loving a good fairy tale with a twist.

4. Zelda: Skyward Sword 

I am a long time Zelda fan and have been since I was just a little tyke pressing random buttons on my dad’s Super Nintendo controller so it is no question that I was eagerly anticipating this new release in the Zelda franchise. I was wary when I saw the preview, afraid that the graphics were too animated and cartoon-like but thankfully I was wrong and Nintendo delivered another nearly flawless chapter in the Zelda series. Though I am only in the second temple and have not put in a lot of hours yet, the game is pretty awesome. The game is designed so your enemies can learn your swordplay and use them against you so the fights are more complicated than simply running into an enemy and swinging your Wii remote frantically, this makes for a more intense and more enjoyable game play.

3. Game of Thrones 

I first saw the trailer for this show as I was watching True Blood on HBO. A rider on a white horse flies through the woods at top speed and the words “Winter is coming” come over the screen with ominous music playing in the background. I was immediately enthralled, “Winter is coming? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!?” I started searching for the phrase via Google and found links to all kinds of juicy tidbits, along with the information that I had MONTHS to wait for the release of the new show. Well, after months of waiting HBO delivered and like so many times before they did not fail me! Every episode left you hanging and needing more and the finale was full of jaw droppers. I can’t wait for next season!

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 

How can this movie NOT make my favorite list? As I did for each film in the franchise, I nit picked my way through each scene and obsessed over the parts that were even slightly changed but I have to admit that even with the slight adjustments, the movie was ahhhhmazinggg and I was very impressed. Like so many fans, I cried when it was over. Not just because the movie was sad but because these books and movies were such a HUGE part of my life as I grew up, and now they were over! I definitely bought the blu-ray the day it was released and had a Harry Potter marathon as I finished up my last finals of graduate school ever. Ahh memories!

1. American Horror Story 

This is probably my favorite show of all time; it’s so unbelievably awesome that I can barely describe its awesomeness. From the first few minutes of the first episode it had me going through a rollercoaster of emotion. It was beyond freaky and confusing yet at the same time was 100% intriguing and every episode had me trying to decipher what the eff was going on in that house! As the show progressed it brought new characters, like The Black Dahlia (!!) and answered questions as it created even more confusion. I looooved the characters, Jessica Lange deserves a plethora of awards for her portrayal of Constance. I seriously had a crush on Tate though he is quite messed up. I like to think of him as layered, though he has mostly been described as evil. Eh, po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe…The producers said that each season will be completely different, possibly even taking place in a different setting, so I am very excited to see what comes up next. If you like scary movies and especially if you are often disappointed at how they are lacking, then this is a show for you!

My Favorite Books of 2011!

I had hoped to get these lists out before the New Year started but alas, the holiday festivities took precedence and (shame on me) my blog was put on the back burner! Keep in mind I am extremely fickle when making “favorite” lists, I can’t choose a favorite author, movie or book and when asked this question I constantly cheat by claiming that “there are too many to choose from” as to avoid my own personal Sophie’s Choice. With that in mind, I decided to only choose five of my top books from this year and only chose books that I have reviewed on the site thus far, that limited me quite a bit and frankly made my choices a bit easier to make! Without further ado, my favorite (reviewed) books of 2011:

5. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children 

By Ransom Riggs

This book was fascinating in so many ways, the pictures not only complimented the text but they stood on their own as their own individual stories. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a many layered story that starts off with an almost horror aspect that keeps you turning the page and looking for more as the story ends.

4. A Tale Dark and Grimm 
By Adam Gidwitz

I loved this book. The narration style was hilarious with some aside statements made to both parents and children as well as to the characters in the story. The narrator tells the reader how it is, even if it is not always happy and positive. In fact, the narrator often explains how bloody and terrible the situations coming are going to be and "prepares" them for what is to come. It is no secret that I love a good fairy tale re-write, and although my first impression was that this story would be too juvenile for young adult (or adult) readers, after reading it I found it to be a refreshing change and relatable to readers of all ages.

3. The Child Thief

By Brom

Brom completely re-imagines the tale of Peter Pan, turning it into a thoroughly detailed and layered story. The question of who (or what) is evil is presented and as a reader I found myself wavering between the two, into an almost gray area. Brom tells the tale of horror, betrayal and dedication through a child narrator named Nick, a narrator I quickly fell in love with. The illustrations are amazing and give the story even more of an otherworldly effect.

2. Fables

By Bill Willingham

Bill Willingham has completely re-created the characters from popular fairy tales. Snow White is Deputy Mayor of Fabletown and her prince of old is not so charming. The story arcs are diverse, ranging from murder mysteries to a political war with a surplus amount of back-story on your favorite fairy tale characters. I can’t get enough of these and I am quickly reading through his other novels as I wait patiently for the next installment in his Fables series.

1. The Night Circus 

By Erin Morgenstern

I absolutely loved this book. The imagery in this book was beautiful and the love story was absolutely heart wrenching. Celia and Marco’s first kiss was magical and it set the standard for their love affair in a beautiful way. Erin Morgenstern writes with such detail that it really feels as if you are transported to the center of the ice garden where Celia sits, longing for Marco. I first listened to it on audio book, read by Jim Dale (!!) and then went out and bought the hardcover so that I can read it over and over again!

That's it for me, what were your favorite books from 2011?