Monday, December 14, 2015

Book of the Week: 12/13-12/19: Rags & Bones - Melissa Marr


Welcome to this week's book of the week! Sorry, I'm a day late!  This week's book is a book I've recently finished (and by recently...I mean about 4ish hours ago). I've always had a soft spot for anthologies filled with stories from authors that I love, and this book definitely falls into that love of anthologies. 

Without further prattling from me, I give you this week's book of the week: 

Rags & Bones
New Twists on Timeless Tales
Editors
Melissa Marr and Tim Pratt


Seriously, this book is absolutely fantastic and filled with wonderful retellings of classic, timeless tales.  There are also included in this anthology, six absolutely wonderful illustrations that make me wish I could be a part of them (or at least draw as good as Charles Vess!  The artwork is just as good as the storytelling in this book, and it wouldn't be the same without those little pieces of illustrated heaven. 

Each of these timeless tales have been rewritten, reworked into a twenty-first century perspective and retold in the genre the author is most known for: science fiction, dystopian fiction, fantasy and even realistic fiction.  The Faerie Queen by Sir Edmund Spencer paired next to "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forester.  These are just two of the timeless tales that are reimagined in this wonderful volume.  We learn a little bit of some of these authors in the notes that follow each section, from the stories that inspired them, awed them, and even enraged them.  

I highly encourage you to check this book out! 

Thursday, December 10, 2015

December: To-be-read and Current Reads


Okay. 

Okay. 

I know it is December 10th, and I SHOULD have had this posted ten days ago.  I've been a touch busy, so shoot me! Also I'll be updating the list over there *points to the TBR list on the right* with all these books as well so don't get crazy on me! 

Anyway, as usual, my TBR pile for this month is quite long, as I intend on closing out the year with a BANG! Anyone surprised by this? Considering the amount of books I manage to read in a year?! Oh yeah, I'm working on that post to, along with a few other goodies for you guys! So, anyway...


This picture of course, does not include digital books, but those will be in the list below...I promise. 

1. I'll Give you the Sun by Jandy Nelson
2. The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
3. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
4. Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
5. Etiquitte and Espionage by Gail Carriger
6. The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas by John Boyne 
7. The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan
8. Destined by P.C. Cast & Kirstin Cast
9. Hidden by P.C. Cast & Kirstin Cast
10. Asylum by Madeline Roux (Kindle)


As per usual, I am reading more than one book at a time.  This, by now, should not surprise anyone.  One is usually digital, the other physical - right now, this is no exception. 

Current Reads include: 

1. Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah
2. Rags & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales edited by Marissa Marr & Tim Pratt

What are some awesome books on your TBR pile for the end of the year? 

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Wishlist Wednesday!


With Christmas a short 2 weeks away (16 days not that I'm counting or anything...) the next few Wishlist Wednesdays will feature books that are on my wishlist and may just end up on your wishlist.  A couple of these I wouldn't mind in digital, but there are a couple on this list that I want in physical copy so I can have them in my hot little hands! Let's see if you can guess which ones..


I recently finished this one, on loan from my local library.  HOLY HELL! I am absolutely in love with Stephen King's work and this has once again proven to be a stellar group of stories that I've absolutely fallen in love with. I will not read a single one of these stories after dark or before bed because well, I have enough trouble sleeping.  Twisted dreams inspired by Stephen King's stories, yeah, I'll pass. There was a reason he was not allowed to tell his children bedtime stories.  I highly recommend this anthology, and it is well worth the purchase price! 


Fourth book in The Lunar Chronicles, and I hate to say it I've not read Scarlet yet, and I need to before I even come close to adding this to my current list of books I own.  Either way, I have been looking forward to this book for ages.  To know that this series came out of a National Novel Writing Month work, absolutely blows my mind and continues to provide me with encouragement to actually continue to plug away at my own writing and maybe I'll be awesome like Marissa Meyer. 


This one, previously featured in Rogues edited by George R.R. Martin, and already on my read list has been published recently (last month) as it's own stand alone novella.  I have found that I am hit or miss with Gillian Flynn's work, mainly because I've been left feeling kinda weird after finishing the last two books I've read by her.  However, I actually really, really liked this particular story and would be please to own this one. 


This.  Book.  Makes.  Me.  Happy.  Seriously! The Gods of H.P. Lovecraft! GIVE ME NOW! This anthology releases in TWO DAYS! December 11, the twelve deities of the Lovecraftian mythos are set free in these pages!  

Cthulhu (Adam Nevill) – Yog-Sothoth (Martha Wells) – Azathoth (Laird Barron) – Nyarlathotep (Bentley Little) – Shub-Niggurath (David Liss) – Tsathoggua (Brett Talley) – The Mi-Go (Christopher Golden & James A. Moore) – Night-gaunts (Jonathan Maberry) – Elder Things (Joe Lansdale) – Great Race (Rachel Caine) – Yig (Douglas Wynne) – The Deep Ones (Seanan McGuire).  That line up, it just makes me very happy! Besides, who doesn't love a little Lovecraft with their holidays? 


WORDS.  I NEED TO FIND WORDS. This book, much like the Gods of H.P. Lovecraft, makes me SQUEE like a good little fangirl.  Guillermo Del Toro...*swoon* I'm seriously addicted to this man's work.  His movies.  I've got at least 2 books of his on my wish list, among other things.  Seriously, I will love the person for ever who gets me this book...like not even remotely joking! 



Sunday, December 6, 2015

Book of the Week: Dec 6-Dec 12: Confess by Colleen Hoover



Welcome to this week's Book of the Week! YAY! Yes, I know there was absolutely NOTHING for the month of November...see my radio silence post for that apology! However, it is now December and things are rolling again! We have new decor for the holidays and I'm so very, very happy right now! 

So, as you can tell from the title of this post, this week's book of the week is Confess by Colleen Hoover!  


This book made me ugly cry, like seriously.  It is so very, very good.  I've not yet found the words properly to review this book, so there is no review to link to you.  Though, it says something that this books is among the winners of the Goodreads Choice for 2015!  

This is one that I'd originally read on Kindle, checked out through my local library and ultimately I think it is one that will eventually grace my bookshelves either physically or digitally I've not yet decided. 

I highly urge you to check this book out, and be warned you will need tissues!  Seriously! 


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

November Round Up



The month of November is usually a quiet one around here, mainly because I'm not reading other people's words I'm reading my own as I work on my NaNoWriMo project.  This month was no exception, though I did manage to read a few books written by others, mainly while I was sick and my own writing project stalled out at about 30k words somewhere in the middle of week 3 (which is when the cold hit). 

Beyond that, I've quite a few books lined up for December, and I'm hoping to round out the year with a few reviews written too because I've been slacking there as well.  Anyway!

Let's get started with the round up for this month!

WHAT I READ:
  1. These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1) by Amie Kaufman
  2. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
  3. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
  4. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
  5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
  6. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - Robin Sloan
There was but one blog post this month and that was me explaining my radio silence for the duratin of the month, which is rapidly coming to a close. I am hoping that I will be able to spend the end of the year further indulging my love for reading as well as my love of sharing things with all of you! Here is to a great month of December!



Friday, November 20, 2015

Radio Silence: November Edition


Right, so I'm guessing you've figured out that I've been somewhat quiet this month.  Well, for me, that's kinda the norm.  Simply because I usually try my hand at National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and usually end up at least hitting my 50k word count goal.  Is the story complete, usually not, but at least I think it's a decent story.  

This year I'm currently re-attempting a story idea from a couple of years ago.  This year, however, I'm actually liking how the story is going, and while I did not get hit with the week two blues, I'm currently fighting them this week, as week 3 rapidly comes to a close and I find myself about 6k shy of where I should be.  How will I be spending this weekend? You guessed it: writing. 

As you can also see, by my currently reading list, I have greatly diminished the amount of books I am reading this month.  Simply because my focus is on writing my own story rather than reading the stories of others.  Rest assured, that things will pick up again for Christmas (including new decorations and perhaps a new look for the confessional) and the new year.  I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things, once November is over. 

I love you all and miss you all! 

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Review: The Weavemaker by Paul Wigmore




"Or what, you're gonna tickle me with your little tickle machine again? Oh please don't do that...it hurts my sides to laugh so much." -Saul, The Weavemaker

I recieved an ARC of "The Weavemaker" by Paul Wigmore, in exchange for an honest review.  

I have been among those desperately awaiting this book, and when Paul started posting teasers on Facebook, I was more than completely hooked and anxiously awaiting the release of this book.  Or apparently an advanced reader copy, placed in my hot little hands! You can find links to pre-order "The Weavemaker", which releases THIS SATURDAY 10/31, and to purchase "The Tapestry" at the end of this post, and I HIGHLY recommend that you do get your hands on both of them! 

I've diverged from my usual format of writing reviews, simply because I'm still struggling to find the words to express my love for this whirlwind nightmarish novel.  This book has provided me with the reasons I absolutely love reading the horror/thriller genre.  For those who have read Wigmore's first publication, "The Tapestry," you will not be disappointed with the return to this particular universe.  No, you won't be disappointed at all. 

There are moments in this book that have had me laughing out loud, and many that have once more reminded me why I do not read this particular genre once the sun has gone down and the moon has risen into the sky.  Some books are best left for daylight reads only, and this definitely fits the bill.  

This story takes place where "The Tapestry" left off, bringing us right back into the action as Saul attempts to heal himself and fully regain his power and ultimately take control of the between. This book, much like "The Tapestry," is not for the faint of heart or those who cannot handle a bit of gore in their horror stories.  

I think one of my favorite relationships and interactions in this book is that of Seb, Sophia and Clara.  The three of them interacting together, as well as with the rest of the universe is something that I absolutely adore.  Sophia, Seb's daughter and his princess, is smart and absolutely spot on to help through the chaos that her world has become.  

When Sprite comes into the picture, I can't help but laugh a bit at him and his interaction with Seb, Clara, and Sophia.  Sprite dresses as he's perceived, and is quite snarky but in a polite, matter of fact way at least in my opinion. 

Saul...well, how do you describe Saul.  Pardon my language, but the best way to describe Saul is this. A twisted fuck.  Then again, what does one expect from a demon hell bent on controlling the between and getting a hold of the Tapestry?  Nothing short of absolute mass chaos and murder.  The things that Saul can make a person do...to want to do.  That he brings out in others will send chills down your spine. 

Many of the fantasy novels I've read have used vastly different creation techniques, however, I have found my favorite creation device in Wigmore's stories.  The tapestry is a unique world creation device, and the fact that it allows for so much more to be added into the story is all the more a delightful device to use.  The way that the threads align to create each and every person, good or bad - the relationships that spark among the living threads of the tapestry.  It is enough to make one truly wonder if our world is a Tapestry. 

Once again, I am left singing Paul Wigmore's praises.  He has crafted a novel that has floored me and once again left me thankful that Saul is safely contained within the pages of the novels and not roaming the real world.  

Thank you again Paul for allowing me to be among the first to read this fantastic story and I very much look forward to reading more of your work. 

Purchase Links:

Sunday, October 18, 2015

BotW: 10/18-10/24 - Malice by Griffin Hayes



This week's book of the week is one that is near and dear to my heart.  I am a huge horror fan as most of you know, and there are quite a few fantastic horror authors that are out there.  However, I've been a huge fan of this author and honestly own quite a few of (if not all) of his works on Kindle, and even was lucky enough to be gifted a copy of my favorite novel of his in paperback, signed.  

This author is absolutely wonderful, and I'm glad to share his work with you and feature this novel with you this week here at Confessions!  So, without further adieu, I give you this week's Book of the Week: 

Malice
Griffin Hayes


I highly recommend reading this book during daylight hours, or if you read it in the dark do not do so before you are going to bed.  I will not be blamed for your recklessness of reading this too close to bedtime! You have been warned! 

I have owned this book for several years now, and have my review posted here on the blog, you can click here to find it.  

Set in Millingham, Massachusetts, there are several unexplained suicides happening.  There is a common thread to all of these deaths.  The authorities have no idea how or why the victims are killing themselves, or more importantly - why they are gouging out their eyes.  

Lysander Shore, a seventeen-year-old, knows that the deaths aren't suicides.  He knows that there is a serial killer stalking Millingham.  The killer has a list, a list dating back 350 years, and as Lysander continues to dig - he soon realizes he is next.  

The writing in this book is phenomonal, and I've always been a sucker for a story that leaves my skin crawling and leaves me afraid to turn off the light for fear of what goes bump in the night.  

If you are looking for a fantastically dark and twisted story, I highly suggest Griffin Hayes' Malice

Sunday, October 11, 2015

BotW: 10/11-10/7: Ready Player One


Welcome back to the book of the week! Took a couple of weeks of, mainly due to real life being an absolute and total nightmare.  Now, things are settling down and I'm getting things back up and running! This week's book is one that I've read on my Kindle and listened to in audio, because I absolutely love it.  It's narrated by Wil Wheaton, an actor and geek that I absolutely LOVE! 

Ready Player One
Ernest Cline


If you are a child of the 80s, lover of video games, and pop culture in general - this book is absolutely the book for you! It's stunning and by far one of my favorite reads! I highly recommend this book, and I'm even including a guest review which will hopefully inspire you to pick up this book - no matter what format! 

Guest Reviewer: C. S. McClendon

Review:Ready Player One

In 2011, Ernest Cline broke on to the scene with his first novel.  Yes, I know I am a bit late on the band wagon, but having only just discovered the audio you'll have to cut me a little slack.  I have now read the book four times, most of those back to back.  I find Cline's writing refreshing, and easy to slip into, particularly for someone who, like me, depends so heavily on various audio formats.


The book reads almost as if it was meant to be an audio track.  When Cine mentions a song, or t                                                           he sound track of a particular game (both liberally salted throughout the book) I can all but hear the sounds of the 80's, the decade when Both Cline and  I did most of our growing up.  This book, for a that it is a work of Science Fiction, set in the not so distant year of 2044, does a fantastic job of transporting the reader back to the 1980's, and making us feel a surge of nostalgia for those lost years


I love to read dystopian fiction.  It is a favorite genre of mine, from 1984 to the Hunger Games series.  I have read wonderful dystopia, as well as having fought my way through books of the genre that make me feel like I have just spent a week reading stereo instructions.  Ernest Cline, manages to create a world that I both love and fear. I can see us as a race, landing ourselves in the dark,  rusty jungle of the Portland Avenue stacks if we aren't very careful.  Cline has brought us  a world that could easily be waiting just around any corner.
***

If you spend any significant time reading audio books, then you know as well as I do that the writer is only one part of the puzzle.  The right narrator can take even a bad book, and lift it up out of the mud to make it enjoyable.  On the other side of that same coin, a poor narrator, one who isn't on his game, can take even the best story, and scare a reader off of it for good.
In this performance of Ready Player One, Wil Wheaton, who is a child of the 80's himself most certainly brings his A game.  From the first few words, the reader, (or listener in this case) is able to hear the voice of Wade Owen Watts.  With slight changes in his inflection, and a skilled actor's ear for accents and dialect, Wheaton brings to life the full cast of Cline's characters, both the heroes we want to cheer for, and those few oily villains we want to see take a shot to the back of the head.


Working together, Ernest Cline and Wil Wheaton bring the reader a work of cyber-punk art that every audiophile's collection will be enriched by.
***

I won't lie.  This story, for all that I was several years late in finding it, has very quickly become one of my favorites.  You can tell by the fact that I have already reed it several times over.  I knew within the first half hour of this nearly sixteen hour work of audio dystopia that it was going to be one that  I was going to have  trouble putting down, even when it was time to go to bed at night.


From the very first pages, I knew that Wade Watts was a kid just like the awkward geek that I was, and in a lot of ways, still am. As a member of the 99%, Wade finds himself in a game that quickly turns into a fight not only for his own future, but for the future of the world as he knows it.  Can he turn a single lucky break into a victory against the evil minions of I.O.I, the Sixers, who have shown themselves more than willing to stop at nothing to win, and who are not afraid to kill to win?  Can he save both his world and his friends?  These are only some of the questions we hope to find answers to as we draw toward the end of the game whose winner will have the power to change the worlforever.  Will Wade and his friends find a way to win the game?  Will they all survive to see the end?  Nothing is certain.  It is all up for grabs, and if you are like me, you will find yourself racing to the end to find the answers.


So I leave you with a question of my own....  Are you Ready, Player One?


Thursday, October 8, 2015

Halloween Countdown: 23 Days


Okay, so yesterday I shared with you some of my favorite Stephen King books.  Today, I'm going to share with you a glimmer into one of my favorite Halloween movies.  This, is one of my favorites and it isn't entirely one that is all that scary, but it's one that I watch repeatedly watch much to the annoyance of the people that I live with.  However, I don't have a copy of it anymore, and I'll have to remedy that! 


This is probably right here on the top of my list a far as Halloween movies go! The soundtrack, the story...ALL OF IT! Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy are my absolute fave trio of witches!  That and Thackery grew up to become Timothy McGee on NCIS! 


Bette Midler's version of "I Put a Spell On You" is by far one of my favorite versions of this song from the movie!  I can't help but dance in my seat and sing along when it comes on! Decidedly love it, and gets me in the spirit of Halloween even more! 


This song was written specifically for the movie and having Sarah sing it is something that makes it even creepier because of the haunting quality of her voice.  It sends shivers through my spine, hearing this haunting call to summon the children to become sacrifices to ensure that the Sanderson sisters can stay alive beyond that single Halloween night. 


Thackery Binks has some spunk and unfortunately that is what gets him in the most trouble! However, the spell is so fun to hear, and I have no desire to piss off the Sanderson sisters! 


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Wish List Wednesday!



Welcome to this week's Wish List Wednesday! Where I share with you some of the books that I desperately want to add to my shelves! Seriously, most of what you see will be stuff from when a couple weeks ago I was left completely attended in a Barnes & Nobles! So, with that said, this week it won't be books, but it will be some of the Funko Pops that I absolutely fell in love with and want to use to decorate my shelves! 




Love meh all of these! Really! The Captain Mal and Zoe are requirements simply because I am a Browncoat and absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Firefly!  I am deeply saddened that it is damn near impossible to get a 2nd season of Firefly - even though dear Wash did not survive *sadpanda* 

Halloween Countdown: 24 Days



This month is by far one of my absolute favorite!  It is the month of Halloween, and probably my absolute favorite holiday (well aside from Christmas of course!).  This month I will be sharing with you some of my favorite spooky stories, movies, and various other things! Why? Because it makes my heart happy and I'm all about Halloween and things that go bump in the night!

Over the next few weeks I'll be featuring my top five favorite authors in this genre, and these are in absolutely no particular order, they are just my absolute favorites: 


Stephen King
Joe Hill
Paul Wigmore
Griffin Hayes
Ted Dekkar 

Who doesn't love a good Stephen King book? I mean really! Something that makes your skin crawl, makes you look over your shoulder, worry about who is knock, knock, knocking on your door! 

I have several favorites by this author, and I'll just share a few of these titles with you as recommendations for this ghoulish season!  Just remember, just don't read them before bed!  You've been warned! 


Redrum! Redrum! This book, coupled with the paranormal event hosted at The Stanley Hotel where this book is centered absolutely top my list of Stephen King favorites.  This is a book that I constantly re-read and immerse myself in the terror  that builds within the pages.  I'm also a fan of the movie, as well as the sequel to this book Doctor Sleep. 


As if clowns were terrifying enough, we venture into Derry, Maine and meet Pennywise the Dancing Clown.  Terrifying.  This book is another one of my favorites, and it pretty much solidified my fear of clowns all over again in the thousand pages of this book.  It also makes me never, ever, ever visit Derry, Maine! This movie is again, right up there with my absolute favorites when it comes to spine-tingling, hide under the blanket thrillers! It also is pretty much the only role, where Tim Curry absolutely terrifies me. 


Okay, I've mentioned before my absolute lack of desire to visit Derry, Maine.  This book, revisits the boys from It, twenty-five years later. Things in Derry are no different than they were twenty-five years ago as those four boys, now men, reunite in the woods for their annual hunting trip.  This time, it's to deal with a creature from another world! As if we needed a second warning not to visit Derry, Maine.

What are some of your favorite Stephen King reads? 

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Wish List Wednesday!


Welcome to Wish List Wednesdays!!!

In the coming weeks I will be featuring a few books that I desperately want.  Well, not only books, because I have a slight obsession with Funko Pop figures (though I don't actually OWN any of them yet).  So, most of the pictures, and books and things I will be sharing were from a recent trip to Barnes & Nobles where I was left unsupervised. 

We all know how good an idea that is!  Well, at least I didn't have any money with me to use or it really would have been a bad idea since they still had their classics on sale for Buy 2 Get 1 Free and I absolutely love their classics. 

Either way!  Let's get on with the show! 



If you know me personally, you know I love to cook, bake, etc.  This cookbook got added to my list simply because of who is on the cover!  Pauley Perrette is by far one of my FAVORITE actresses and Abby is my absolute favorite character on NCIS! I've looked through this book and seriously want to try some of the recipes that are within its pages!  


Seriously, who doesn't need a good Taste of Home Cookbook! It's so pretty, and it makes me want to spend all day in the kitchen creating tasty, tasty things from within its pages! 


Seriously, if you are offended by gratuitous use of the word fuck, then you are definitely not going to go for Thug Kitchen.  However, if you like good food....you will LOVE Thug Kitchen.  I've been looking at this cookbook for a little while now and I follow the blog, I now want the cookbook!  Sharing a link to one of my fave recipes from this cookbook: Thug Kitchen: Breakfast Tamale


Sunday, September 27, 2015

Book of the Week: 9/27-10/3


Hello lovelies!  Welcome to the start of another week! Another Sunday, which means it's time to share with you this week's book of the week!  This week also heralds the start of my FAVORITE month of the year...OCTOBER!  The month of Halloween...so please refrain from being surprised when my books of the week/book of the month for next month are mostly from the horror genre!  This week's however is not, so worry not readers! 

This week's book is a book that I've recently finished reading and I actually found that I liked quite a bit.  Hopefully you'll like it as well! Without further adieu here is this week's book of the week! 

Stork
Wendy Delsol



First of all, let me just say how absolutely GORGEOUS this cover is!  It is so pretty, so fresh, so white and so delightful to look at.  I've even had a friend say that the cover model looks like a young Tori Spelling, and I'm almost inclined to agree with her. 

This book also comes with a series commitment...yes, it is book one of three! I will be getting the other two books at some point and reading through those.  

Stork is Wendy Delsol's debut novel, and gives a nod to Hans Christian Anderson as well as Norse lore.  Katla LeBlanc has moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota, and soon discovers that she is a Stork.  Part of a mysterious society of women, that is tasked with a very unique and interesting duty.  

This is only part of Katla's struggles as a transplanted teenager, she is still struggling to find her flock at school - and of course boys are involved.  There is Wade, the jock she messed around with and now ignores her, and there is also Jack, the farmboy editor-in-chief at the school newspaper. 

There are things about her life that she doesn't know, things about her past that she isn't entirely aware of.  However, as homecoming approaches, there is something that is discovered that binds her fate to Jack's in a way that neither of them could even begin to fathom.  

I greatly enjoyed this book, and I do hope that you will as well if you get a chance to read it! 

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Magnificent Milestone! 200th Post!!


When I created this blog, originally over on wordpress, I wasn't entirely sure it would go anywhere, be anything.  I figured it would be a place for me to randomly post reviews of books that I loved and maybe share them with a few people.  Now, I have a small following and honestly I have enjoyed each and every moment with all of you!  This is as you can tell by the title, my 200th post! 

I am still trying to figure out what I am going to do for this monumental occasion, but I think for the most part I want to say thank you.  Thank you for following me either here, on facebook, twitter, tumblr, goodreads, or instagram.  I think the only place I'm not really is Youtube, and in the future that might change, I've not yet decided.  

I have always been passionate about books, about everything book related and I love that I've found a community that I can share that with! I've met so many wonderful authors and delightful people that I am friends with and that I have met along this journey.  I am hoping that the next 200 posts are just as fun and filled with delightful book recommendations and things as the last two hundred posts. 

I know I've not written as many reviews as other bloggers, but that will be changing in the coming weeks, months, etc.  I have a few reviews that I have in the works! 

Here is a little flashback, of my very first post when I created this blog just over three years ago! My First Post! It was my announcement that I had left wordpress in favor of blogger, and ultimately I have never been happier with the decision! The ease of use here has been something that has made this easier and easier for me to get my content to those that follow me! 

My next milestone will more than likely come in about the next 25-50 posts and that will be my hundredth review!  Currently, I'm sitting at seventy-seven!  Just twenty-three short reviews away from getting that next milestone! 

Again, I want to say thank you to everyone that follows me here and on my various social medias for updates on books, and the things that I'm reading and reviewing!  Here is to another hundred posts and more! 

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Book of the Week: 9/20-9/26:


Welcome to this week's Book of the Week! I know, I've been a bit lax, however I am slowly clawing my way back into the proper way of things and getting my groove back! The above quote is by far one of my favorite from as many of you know one of my favorite authors.  

I am hoping that this week is a touch less sucky as last week, and I can actually focus on getting things done and properly posted here!  Anyway, that's not the real reason you are here - to hear me ramble and prattle about...you want to know what this week's book of the week is!  Let's get down to it...

All the Bright Places
Jennifer Niven


This.  Book.  Seriously, is one of those that I couldn't put down, I didn't want to put down even as tears streamed down my cheeks.  Yes, I highly give this book a tissue warning, because you will need it.  I've not yet written a review for it, and have not yet decided if I will add a review for it....however, this book has left its mark on my soul and it is not something that will soon be forgotten.  

Theadore Finch is enthralled by death, and thinks of various ways to kill himself.  However, each time something good, something bright happens and it stops him.  

Violet Markey, however, lives for the future.  She dreams of the day when she can leave her Indiana town and the grief caused by her sister's recent death.  

Opposites in many ways, they meet on the belltower, and ultimately begin a project to find the natural wonders of their state.  Who saves who is unclear, however it is only when they are together are they allowed to be themselves, stop counting the days until graduation, and find comfort in the other. 

However, as Violet's world expands, Theodore's shrinks...what happens to them...well you'll have to read and find out. 

I will also toss this book into my trigger warning pile, simply because of the mental health issues that are present within these pages.  This is a book I will read again, when I think I can do so without turning into a sobbing mess (though even with that potential I will still re-read this book as often as I can get it from my local library).  

I highly encourage you to check this book out from your local library, pick it up at your local bookstore, or order it from an online book provider! 


Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Update: I'm still alive...I swear.


Where the hell have I been for just over a month? 

Trapped in my own personal hell.  I've been stressed beyond reason and haven't been able to find relief in pretty much anything.  I've not been able to write. I've not had the inspiration to pick up my camera and take pictures.  I've not had the inspiration to do much of anything...including read.  I think I read a whole two books in the month of August, which is why most of the books carried on into September as the TBR for this month. 

Am I fully back into the swing of things? 

This is a tricky question, because I want to say yes, but I also know that most of the issues that I have are not yet fully resolved and I do not have a definitive date as to when said issues will be resolved.  However, I do think that I might be able to slam out a couple of good posts and see if I can actually drag myself kicking and screaming out of this nightmarish funk that I seem to be trapped in! 

When will the new posts start flowing? 

Well, lovelies...what if I told you I'm already gearing up on a few things including some reviews that I need to get done! Shocking I know! These are the things that I am currently getting tossed into the queue to get up in the coming weeks: 


  • Book of the Week for 9/20, 9/27, 10/4
  • Book of the Month for September
  • Month in Review for September
  • Top 10 Tuesday for 9/22, 9/29
  • Wishlist Wednesday for 9/23, 9/30
  • Various reviews (won't know which books til I write em)
I might throw a few more things into the mix as well, but that is yet to be seen and completely dependent upon my whims and wants!  However, I know most of these won't take long to get together because I do them so often!  It's the special stuff that will take a bit longer :D 

So....while I've been gone...what have my lovelies been reading? Inquiring minds and all that! 

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Vol. 2


It's TUESDAY! You know what that means! Another Top Ten Tuesday! This week's Top Ten is focusing on Series...some of my favorites..from duos, trilogies, quartets, and series that are already up into the double digits.  With these, I have absolutely zero commitment issues, and dive in head first! These are in no particular order, and the order does not reflect my level of adoration for these series...other than the fact that I love them all equally and think they are fantastically awesome!

TOP TEN SERIES

1.) The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
2.) Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
3.) Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy - Lani Taylor
4.) A Song of Ice and Fire - George R.R. Martin
5.) Lord of the Rings Trilogy - J.R.R. Tolkein
6.) Lexy Cooper Mysteries - Christa Charter
7.) The Sandman - Neil Gaiman
8.) Black Dagger Brotherhood - J.R. Ward
9.) The Wicked Years Quartet- Gregory Maguire
10.) The Giver Quartet - Lowis Lowry

What are some of your favorite series? I am always looking for more series to dive into.  Those series that I love that didn't make this particular list include: 
The Dwellers Saga - David Estes
House of Night - P.C. Cast
Anita Blake Series - Laurell K. Hamilton
The Fever Series - Karen Marie Moning

And countless others that I cannot even call to memory that I've read and re-read multiple times. 

Monday, August 3, 2015

Monday Article Menu: Vol. 2

Welcome to another Monday Article Menu! This week I've got about 4 or so articles to share with you they range from a couple of different topics including horror books, a literary road trip map, and why female authors create better dystopian landscapes than male authors.  I found all of them quite interesting.

1.) 23 Underrated Horror Books

This article came through one of my BuzzFeed Books emails, and I am one for horror books.  Those books that are filed on the shelf labeled "Do NOT Read After Dark," and the ones that so expertly worm their way into your psyche and haunt you days, weeks, months later.  There are some very, very good books on this list, and sad to say I've only read one of them...*hangs head in shame* I will have to remedy that very, very soon.

2.) It's the End of the World as She Knows It

This article posted in the New York Times offers a touch of insight on why the mind of female authors have created better dystopian/post-apocalyptic landscapes than male authors.  This is not necessarily saying that some male authors haven't created stellar landscapes in this genre.  However, women tend to not venture as much into the commonly used male holy trinity of rape, murder, and cannibalism when faced with this single-minded "Eye on the Prize" philosophy in this particular type of genre. I highly recommend giving this novel a read, and feel free to share your opinions about the topic!

3.) The Obsessively Detailed Map Of American Literature's Most Epic Road Trips

This is an article paired with an interactive....yup, I said it...interactive map!  It's awesome!  I highly recommend checking this out and following the various routes from a dozen books that literally span the length of North America at various points in time.  It's cool to see some of these trips visualized, and I will be adding probably all of these books to my TBR pile because I've not read a single one of them. I know, shame on me!

4.) Libraries of the Rich and Famous - Part One

Okay, so I've already mentioned that I adore BookRiot and listen to their podcasts on a regular basis.  Here is another article/photo set that I've stumbled upon and Holy Library Porn Batman! I mean seriously, some of my favorite actors/actresses/musicians sharing a glimpse into their libraries!  I want to seriously know what's on some of their shelves!