The Lateness Of The Hour

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So, after seeing the Bing/Internet Explorer commercial on t.v., I decided that I really needed the song that they play in the commercial.  By the way, it’s called Too Close, and it’s done by Alex Clare.  I decided to preview the rest of the album, because I was curious as to what the rest of his music was like.  And I ended up with the whole album, which is his first.  I really like the song-by-song breakdown, so I think I’ll stick with that.

  1. Up All Night: It definitely sounds interesting, and I really like it!
  2. Treading Water: Love it!  It’s definitely one of my favorite songs on the entire album.
  3. Relax My Beloved: Another interesting sounding song.  I like it.
  4. Too Close: This is the one in the commercial, and I love it.  It’s my other favorite song.
  5. Humming Bird: It’s different than the others, but at the same time, it fits very well with every other song.
  6. Hands Are Clever: I really like, and there’s something fun about it.
  7. Tight Rope: I like it, but not as much as the others.  I think it’s my least favorite.
  8. Whispering: I like it.  That is all.
  9. I Love You: I like it, mostly because it doesn’t sound like anything else on the album.
  10. Sanctuary: I really like it.
  11. I Won’t Let You Down: I really like this one too.

Overall, I loved it!  It doesn’t fade into the background, and it’s very different than pretty much everything else I listen to.  I really haven’t heard anything like it before, and I give it a 4 out of 5.

Grave Mercy

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Book: Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers

Book Info: Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 528 pages; purchased for my Nook

Goodreads.com Summary: Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Luminous

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Book: Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

Book Info: Published by Penguin Group; 304 pages; purchased for my Nook

Goodreads.com Summary: As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.

When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela’s way home.

This is such a strange book, and I get why reviews seem to be so divided.

There is something very lyrical and beautiful about Metcalf’s writing.  And I can honestly say that I haven’t seen anything like this novel before.  I finished it a few days ago, and I can’t get it out of my head.  It makes you think about your place in the world, and the consequences that our actions have.

But the Flow and the people who live there seemed very distant.  I felt like they were just there, and the Flow seemed like a very confusing place.  It could have been described better, I think.  I didn’t really get a good sense of who anyone was or where she wanted it to go.  As unique as it is, I felt like Metcalf could have done more with it, because I felt like I was on the outside, looking in.

But I still enjoyed it, and thought that it was very creative.  I give it a 3 out of 5.

Endure

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Book: Endure by Carrie Jones

Book Info: Published by Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books; 272 pages; purchased for my Nook

Goodreads Summary: It’s all-out war (and no-holds-barred romance) in the climactic conclusion to Carrie Jones’s bestselling series. Zara is at the center of an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Evil pixies are ravaging Bedford, and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends; she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king . . . Unexpected turns, surprising revelations, and one utterly satisfying romantic finale make Endure a thrilling end to this series of bestsellers.

The end of the Need series by Carrie Jones has arrived with Endure.  I think this is my favorite book in the series, and what could be more interesting than an apocalypse involving pixies?

I wasn’t sure about Astley, but in this book, I really liked him.  I honestly had no clue who Zara would end up with, but I’m glad it’s Astley.  They do go well together, and I was surprised but not surprised, all at the same time.

I thought everything was wrapped up nicely, and it didn’t feel rushed at all.  It was great to see how much the characters changed from Need to Endure, especially Zara.  She went from reciting phobias, to leading an army, and really found out what she could do.

What’s interesting about this series, especially in comparison to a lot of other series I’ve read, is that you get recaps throughout the book about what’s happened before.  I like the lists Zara has throughout the book about what we know and don’t know.  I also love that we learn more about Norse mythology in the book, and I definitely want to learn more about it.

I think the only thing I didn’t like was Nick.  I thought he was a jerk, and it’s sad, because I did start out really liking him.

Overall, it gets a 4 out of 5.  It was a really good ending, and there’s a lot of action in it.

The Lady Elizabeth

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Book: The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

Book Info: Published by Ballantine Books; 473 pages; hardcover; from the library

Goodreads Summary: Following the tremendous success of her first novel, Innocent Traitor, which recounted the riveting tale of the doomed Lady Jane Grey, acclaimed historian and New York Times bestselling author Alison Weir turns her masterly storytelling skills to the early life of young Elizabeth Tudor, who would grow up to become England’s most intriguing and powerful queen.

Even at age two, Elizabeth is keenly aware that people in the court of her father, King Henry VIII, have stopped referring to her as “Lady Princess” and now call her “the Lady Elizabeth.” Before she is three, she learns of the tragic fate that has befallen her mother, the enigmatic and seductive Anne Boleyn, and that she herself has been declared illegitimate, an injustice that will haunt her. 

What comes next is a succession of stepmothers, bringing with them glimpses of love, fleeting security, tempestuous conflict, and tragedy. The death of her father puts the teenage Elizabeth in greater peril, leaving her at the mercy of ambitious and unscrupulous men. Like her mother two decades earlier she is imprisoned in the Tower of London–and fears she will also meet her mother’s grisly end. Power-driven politics, private scandal and public gossip, a disputed succession, and the grievous example of her sister, “Bloody” Queen Mary, all cement Elizabeth’s resolve in matters of statecraft and love, and set the stage for her transformation into the iconic Virgin Queen. 

Alison Weir uses her deft talents as historian and novelist to exquisitely and suspensefully play out the conflicts between family, politics, religion, and conscience that came to define an age. Sweeping in scope, The Lady Elizabeth is a fascinating portrayal of a woman far ahead of her time–an orphaned girl haunted by the shadow of the axe, an independent spirit who must use her cunning and wits for her very survival, and a future queen whose dangerous and dramatic path to the throne shapes her future greatness.

I really liked this book.  I’m a big fan of Alison Weir, and I thought it would be nice to read it after reading Innocent Traitor.

It felt a lot more historical accurate than some of the other historical fiction books out there.  This is most likely due to the fact that she’s well-known for her books on Tudor history, and while I’m not going to nit-pick about how historically accurate a book is (or isn’t), it was nice knowing that Weir’s book would be well-researched.  It’s definitely full of details that made everything come to life.

It was an enjoyable read, and nice to read about Elizabeth’s life from a young age, until she becomes queen.  You really get her innermost thoughts and her struggles with the different people and events going on around her.  I liked seeing her relationship with Mary, and how much Mary struggled with how to deal with Elizabeth.

I give it a 4 out of 5.  I really liked reading it, and there were times I almost forgot I was reading fiction.

Insurgent

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Book: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Book Info: Published by HarperTeen; 314 pages; read on my Nook

Goodreads Summary: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Here’s the thing.  I really liked Insurgent.  It was action-packed and Roth did a pretty good job of moving things along.

But.

There are still some things that are slightly confusing.  Like, how are they not at civil war?  With the way Divergent ended, you’d think they’d all be fighting amongst themselves.  But instead everyone is refusing to fight.  Seriously?  All of a sudden, no one wants to fight?  What on earth is that?

I’m still not sure what why being Divergent is so special.  It seemed like it was this rare thing in Divergent, but then we find out that there are a lot of Divergent amongst the factionless population.  And then we find out that Tris is rare among the Divergent because she leans towards 3 factions, instead of the standard 2 factions.  The factionless seemed like such a small population in Divergent, and all of a sudden, they’re a lot bigger?

I sense a lot of inconsistency.  She built up this entire world in Divergent, and pretty much ignored the “rules” of that world.  The ending was infuriating, because she wrote this really interesting world, only to have it be an experiment?  I thought that was really lame, and the “it was all a dream” ending is not acceptable.  It’s just not.  Seriously, what the point of creating this world, only to ignore and have it be an experiment?

I’ll still read the next book, because I really want to see how Roth explains the cliffhanger at the end.  I’m hoping Tris and Four work themselves out, because I just didn’t like Four in this book.  Tris was reckless and completely unlike the girl we met in Divergent, but I can understand her change in behavior.  I get that Four was abused, and it was horrible for him, but it got really tired by the end of the book.

That being said, I still really enjoyed, especially if I look over the inconsistencies.  Roth writes action scenes very well, and it was nice to see where the other factions are headquartered and what the people in each faction are like.

I give it a 4 out of 5.  I really liked it but there were some annoying inconsistencies.

Top 10 Authors I’d Like To See On T.V.

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Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  People from all over create their own Top 10 list based on the topic of the week.

Today’s topic is the 10 authors I’d like to see on t.v.  It’s actually a freebie week for top 10 tuesday, and from what I can figure out, we can do whatever list we want.  But I decided to stick with the original topic.  I couldn’t think of another topic.  I kinda liked the old topic anyway, so here we go!

  1. J.K. Rowling: I think it would be cool if she had her own reality t.v. show and the cameras just followed her around.  It would have been really cool if it was when she was still writing Harry Potter and what that was like for her, but either way, I’d still watch.
  2. Suzanne Collins: I know including her on this list is really weird, given The Hunger Games is about the ultimate reality t.v. show.  But I think it would be cool to see her on something like Survivor, just to see how well she’d do.
  3. Alison Weir: I’d love to see her do a special on The History Channel, or even something on PBS.  I haven’t seen the David Starkey one, but I know he did one.  So why not Alison Weir?
  4. David McCullough: I’ve read one of his books, and am currently reading John Adams and 1776.  Like Alison Weir, I think it would be interesting if he did something on The History Channel or PBS, if he hasn’t done so already.
  5. Rick Riordan: I’d love to see him on Jeopardy or Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?  Just based off the Percy Jackson series, he seems like he would know useless, random trivia.
  6. Rachel Caine: Her Morganville Vampires series should totally be a t.v. show.  Technically, I’ve already mentioned this, and technically, it is a series I’d like to see on t.v., instead of an author.  But I would so watch this.  And quite frankly, I just felt like it.
  7. Joy The Baker: She needs her own cooking show.  Technically, she is an author, since she has written a cookbook.  And the Pioneer Woman has one, so why not Joy?
  8. Stephen King: He needs to do something relating to ghosts or the paranormal or something.  He writes some really creepy stuff, and who better to have a paranormal show than him?
  9. The guys who wrote the If…Questions For The Game Of Life books: The ones with questions like, “If you had to lose one of your five senses, which would you give up?”  I think they need to host some kind of game show.  I don’t know what kind of game show, but I think they need to host one.
  10. Marion Zimmer Bradley/Diana Paxson: I think- if Bradley were still alive- she would be a good narrator for something involving Arthurian legend or something else stemming from her Avalon series.  Paxson would be my 2nd choice, since she picked up the series after Bradley’s death.

So, that’s my list for this week.  It looks like we have quite a few history channel specials, plus a cooking show, and then some random t.v. shows.  Who are some authors you’d like to see on t.v.?

Little Broken Hearts

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I finally listened to Little Broken Hearts.  It took a little longer than expected, but I did it.

  1. Good Morning: It is very calming and relaxing, and it sounds pretty.  I really like it.
  2. Say Goodbye: It sounds interesting, and it is very pop.  I love it!
  3. Little Broken Hearts: I like it.  That is all.
  4. She’s 22: The song title is really interesting, and I really like the song.
  5. Take It Back: I really like it.  That is all.
  6. After The Fall: It’s just okay.  It’s one of my least favorite songs on the album.
  7. 4 Broken Hearts: It’s okay.  One of my least favorites on the album.
  8. Travelin’ On: I didn’t like this song, and it’s my least favorite song on the album.
  9. Out On The Road: This is not a memorable song, and as such, it is just okay.
  10. Happy Pills: I really like it, and for a 1st single, it’s a really good choice.
  11. Miriam: Just okay, not very memorable.
  12. All A Dream: I kind of like it but it’s also okay.

Overall, I really like it, and it’s good to have on in the background.  It’s interesting to see her moving away from the jazzy stuff and more towards pop, but it’s also nice to see her do something different and yet stay with what we know her for.  If I have to give it a rating, I think I would give it a 4 out 5.

An Obsession With Color

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Here’s one of my favorite things in the entire world: nail polish.  I love it, and it makes me feel so much more colorful.  I’ve always loved nail polish, and I think it was middle school when my love of my nail polish took off.

I used to wear colors like this:

And now I wear a lot of colors like this.

But I don’t mind sparkles

Or bright colors:

There’s nothing wrong with a sunny/Hufflepuff yellow.  Nothing at all.

Or hot pink.

So, I know looking at pictures of my nail polish collection is probably boring.  Or something.  But sometimes, it’s hard to pick a color.  What color fits my mood?  What color am I tired of wearing?  Should I buy another bottle?  Actually, more nail polish is something I probably don’t need.  But it’s one of the few make-up type things that I just love.

(Don’t get me going about lip gloss.  That would probably be even more boring than talking about nail polish).

There’s just something about picking out the right color at the store.  Or mulling over my color choice for the week.  So many possibilities, and it does add some color to my life.  Why I latched onto nail polish, I don’t know, but there could be worse things, right?

Honestly, I don’t get the whole going to have someone else do them, because it’s so much easier (and probably cheaper) to do it myself.  I guess it’s the whole  someone else is doing it thing?  I have no clue.  But I like doing it myself.

On that note, I want to wish all the mom’s out there a Happy Mother’s Day.

Destined

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Book: Destined by Aprilynne Pike

Book Info: Published by HarperCollins; 320 pages; read on my Nook

Goodreads Summary: Tamani looked at her gravely, and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear.

He hesitated for an instant, then his hands found the sides of her face, pulling her to him. He didn’t kiss her, just held her face close to his, their foreheads resting together, their noses almost touching.

She hated how much it felt like good-bye.

Laurel now knows the truth: Yuki is a rare Winter faerie, the most powerful—and deadly—of all, and Klea plans to use her to help conquer and destroy Avalon. But Klea’s reach extends far beyond one wild Winter faerie. With Tamani, David, and Chelsea by her side, Laurel prepares to face what may be Avalon’s final days, in the stunning conclusion to the Wings series.

This was an amazing conclusion to the Wings series!  I really enjoyed reading it, and it was bittersweet.  There was a lot of action, and while it took place over the course of a day or two, it felt like it was a lot longer than that.  It moved reallly well, despite the fact that Laurel isn’t a fighter, and spends a lot of time watching everyone else fight.

Everyone gets their own ending, one of which was really surprising.  I’m definitely glad that we’re not left wondering what happens to everyone at the end of the book.  I’m glad it ended the way it did, with a letter from the guy who didn’t get chosen.  I won’t ruin it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet, but it really was a good (and surprising) ending.

The series has gotten a lot better since Wings came out, and it was great to see how the characters changed over the course of the series.  While Destined is definitely the best in the series, the series overall was so fun to read!  I like that I had no idea who Laurel was going to pick (love triangle wise) until the end, which is a nice change from the usual love triangles where it’s obvious who the character is going to end up.

I give it a 4 out of 5.  I loved seeing Avalon more, and while it was slightly predictable at times, it was a great ending to the series.