ARC Book Review: Stitching Snow

Posted in Books by

Stitching Snow CoverBook: Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis

Expected Publication is October 14, 2014 by Disney-Hyperion|Expected Number Of Pages: 338

Where I Got It: netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my review in any way.  Promise!

Series: None (as far as I can tell)

Genre: YA Re-telling/Fairy Tales/Science Fiction

You can find Stitching Snow on goodreads & R.C. Lewis on Twitter, Facebook & her website

Goodreads Summary: 

Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back—but that’s assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane’s arrival was far from accidental, and she’s pulled into the heart of a war she’s risked everything to avoid. With the galaxy’s future—and her own—in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.

What I Thought:

So…I liked Stitching Snow, but not as much as I was expecting.  I felt like the story described in the summary is a different story than the story that unfolded.  And yet, there was much more to the story than I ever realized.

Stitching Snow very much reminded me of Cinder, so there may or may not be quite a few comparisons throughout my review.  Essie very much reminded me of Cinder, and Dimwit really reminded me of Iko, and Dane reminded me of Captain Thorne.  And her step-mom reminded me of Queen Lavana.

Basically, I’d describe the book as Cinder in space but with Snow White instead of Cinderella.

It’s not a horrible book- I did like it, and I like the idea of Essie fleeing to a different planet as a child, and surviving on a very different planet than the one she grew up on.  I like that she did what she needed to do to stop a huge war and take control of the crown.

It just wasn’t as compelling as I thought or hoped it would be.

Mostly, because this book seems to be a stand-alone and so the world-building and character development seemed minimal and glossed over.  We got bits and pieces of this world, but not to a level I would have liked. I think it’s because I went in expecting Stitching Snow to be a series- because, honestly, these kinds of stories usually are- so I was disappointed to see that the story was pretty much resolved by the end of the book.

I felt like nothing was really explained, and there were a few things about this world (Exiles and Transitioning, mostly) that were really confusing and made no sense whatsoever.  There are all of these different planets and the people that live on them have this history with each other, and yet, I could not tell you a single them about them.  And it’s the same with the characters, who didn’t really stand out to me.

It really is a shame, because I felt like some of the relationships could have had a lot more to them.  Like, Essie and her step-mom or Essie and her dad, and even her step-mom’s issues with her mom.

Everything felt really rushed to me, and I really do feel like Stitching Snow could have benefited from being a series, just to let everything develop over a slower pace.

Still, I like the overall story, and I’d definitely recommend to die-hard fairy tale fans and to people who haven’t read the Lunar Chronicles yet.  And if you have read the Lunar Chronicles, you may like it too, but maybe not as much.

What I Thought:

I liked Stitching Snow and the overall story, but I also wish that things didn’t feel as rushed, because I felt like the book had so much potential.  Stitching Snow gets 3 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

Posted in Top 10 Tuesday by

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

One of my favorite things about reading is that it lets me travel without leaving the comfort of home.  Granted, reading isn’t the same as actually going places, but books makes me want to travel to both fictional places and real places (and reading will just have to do until I can afford to travel).

  1. Hogwarts.  I am still waiting for my letter to Hogwarts.  Who wouldn’t want to go to Hogwarts or the wizarding world?
  2. Narnia.  As a kid, I would hide in the closet in hopes that I’d be transported to Narnia.  Narnia sounds amazing.
  3. Middle Earth.  I’m not a big fan of the Lord Of The Rings (but I will admit that I LOVE the movies) and yet I still find myself wanting to visit Middle Earth.
  4. Candyfreak by Steve Almond did make me want to visit all of the candy factories he mentions in the book.
  5. Paris.  All because of Anna And The French Kiss.  This book makes me want to go to Paris so bad.
  6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern makes me wish such a circus existed because I would to LOVE to visit a circus like this.
  7. India sounds like an interesting but bustling place because of Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.
  8. England…I can’t pick just one book that makes me want to go there, because there are so many!  I think it’s all of the books I’ve read about the Tudors…
  9. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han makes me want to visit a place like Cousins Beach and spend the entire summer there.
  10. New Orleans is a place I want to visit, notably because of the Arelia LaRue series and Out Of The Easy by Ruta Sepetys.

Audio Book Review: Dangerous Creatures

Posted in Audiobooks, Books by

Dangerous Creatures CoverBook: Dangerous Creautures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, narrated by Khristine Hvam

Published May 2014 by Hachette Audio|Run Time: 9 hours, 41 minutes

Where I Got It: audible.com

Series: Dangerous Creatures #1

Genre: YA Paranormal

You can find Dangerous Creatures on goodreads & you can find Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl on their websites

Goodreads Summary: 

Ridley Duchannes is nobody’s heroine. She’s a Dark Caster, a Siren. She can make you do things. Anything. You can’t trust her, or yourself when she s around. And she ll be the first to tell you to stay away especially if you’re going to do something as stupid as fall in love with her.

Lucky for Ridley, her wannabe rocker boyfriend, Wesley Link Lincoln, never listens to anyone. Link doesn t care if Rid’s no good for him, and he takes her along when he leaves small-town Gatlin to follow his rock-star dream. He teams up with a ragtag group of Dark Casters, and when the band scores a gig at a hot Underground club, it looks like all of Link’s dreams are about to come true.

But New York City is a dangerous place for both Casters and Mortals, and soon Ridley realizes that Link’s bandmates are keeping secrets. With bad-boy club owner Lennox Gates on her heels, Rid is determined to find out the truth. What she discovers is worse than she could have imagined: Link has a price on his head that no Caster or Mortal can ever pay. With their lives on the line, what s a Siren to do?

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthors of the Beautiful Creatures novels, are back to cast another magical spell. Their signature blend of mystery, suspense, and romance, with a healthy dose of wit and danger, will pull fans in and leave them begging for more.

What I Thought:

When I heard that there was going to be a Beautiful Creatures spin-off, I knew I had to read it.  And while spin-off series make me a little nervous, I am glad to say that I really liked Dangerous Creatures!

I was definitely curious about what would happen after the events of Dangerous Dream, the prequel novella. I kind of wish I had listened to it ahead of time for a refresher, but thankfully, you don’t need to read the prequel to know what’s going on. Although, if you haven’t read the original series, you might want to because it’s awesome, and because the world will make more sense.  (It does stand well on its own, though).

I am glad that Ridley and Link get their own story, and the world they get caught up in.  It was really weird seeing them on their own, with no Lena or Ethan or Amma or John or Liv or any of the other characters, but I feel like we’re getting a different side of the Caster world.  Of course, I do miss Gatlin and everyone there, and I didn’t quite fall in love with the new characters the way I fell in love with the characters from Beautiful Creatures, but I’m hoping that I’ll warm up to them by the end of the series.  At the same time, new characters fit with the story, and with a new series, it would be a little weird to have those familiar characters have a major role in the story.  (Still, they could pop up later on, given certain things that happen in the beginning).

I do love that we see the Caster world outside of Gatlin and how much of an effect Lena’s actions had on the entire Caster world, and not just the one in Gatlin.

What I like about Ridley being the narrator of the book is that we see how hard on herself she is.  I really felt for Ridley, and being a Siren has a lot of downsides I didn’t really think about in Beautiful Creatures.  This is a darker world, and I like that it’s darker than its parent series.  Ridley is definitely damaged and broken in her own way, and this dark Caster world…Ridley does seem to fit into really well.

And Link…I’m not sure how I feel about him.  Honestly, Ridley and her story took center stage…and I didn’t pay that much attention to Link, even though they travel to New York together and have quite the…adventure…there.  It’s such a great book for the fans of Beautiful Creatures.  It’s definitely a whirlwind, and I’m looking forward to the next book, because I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Ridley and Link, especially with that cliffhanger of an ending!

As for the narration, I thought Khristine Hvam was a great choice as a narrator!  I also liked that Kevin Collins made a few random appearances, singing as Link, and part of me wishes we got a bit more of Link singing.

Let’s Rate It:

Dangerous Creatures definitely doesn’t disappoint!  It’s a very different series than Beautiful Creatures, but I like that it’s such a different story.  I really felt for Ridley, and I’m hoping we get more of Link and the new characters in the rest of the series.  Dangerous Creatures gets 4 stars.

Book Review: Isla And The Happily Ever After, WITH SPOILERS

Posted in Books by

Isla And The Happily Ever AfterBook: Isla And The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Published August 2014 by Penguin|258 pages

Where I Got It: Nook store

Series: Anna And The French Kiss #3

Genre: YA Contemporary

You can find Isla And The Happily Ever After on goodreads & Stephanie Perkins on twitter, tumblr and her website

 Goodreads Summary: 

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

What I Thought:

SO: SPOILERS ARE AHEAD, BECAUSE I CAN’T TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK AND NOT MENTION SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS AT THE END.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  I also apologize in advance for all of the caps I may or may not end up using…

OH. MY. GOD, YOU GUYS.  THIS BOOK.

It’s amazing.  Seriously amazing.  I can’t remember the last time I loved a book this much, and I am so glad to be excited about a book again.

Isla did this.  I love it as much as I love Anna And The French Kiss, and I love that book something fierce.

I just love Isla and Josh together, and I’m so glad we got to back to SOAP and revisit some characters that we got to see a little bit of in Anna.  I’m so glad they got their own book and story, because they are perfect together.  And they’re nearly as adorable as Anna and St. Clair.  Nearly.

All I feel like doing right now is squeeing.  With lots of arm flailing.  This is that kind of book.  I’m also that kind of person, and this book just brings that out even more than normal.  Just imagine me doing a happy dance.

Especially with the ending.  Because OH MY GOD ANNA AND ST. CLAIR GOT ENGAGED AT THE END OF THE BOOK.

WHY IS THERE NOT ANOTHER BOOK?  Because I have never wanted a sequel more than I want one right now, just to see Anna and St. Clair get married.  I think, of the three books in this “series,” Anna and Isla are my favorites.  I am thankful that Cricket and Lola and Calliope are what bring St. Clair and Anna back to Paris, but I still much prefer Anna and Isla.  (And St. Clair and Josh, of course).

Isla and Josh have their issues, which were frustrating at times, but I also loved seeing how hard it was for them.  They have such an intense relationship- it’s an intensity we never saw with Anna and St. Clair or with Lola and Cricket.  And Isla is such a different person than Anna or Lola- definitely more moody, I think.  And much more unsure of herself, which I actually  really liked, because I can so relate to her being unsure of what her future holds.

This book is special.  REALLY SPECIAL.  This is a book you really need to read.  It was a long wait for Isla, but it was so worth it. So very, very worth it.

I am glad that things worked out for Isla and Josh, who are are different than I ever imagined they would be when they first appeared in Anna.  Who knew that Josh was so talented?  I knew it was there, but I didn’t realize how much until this book. And Isla…I’ve already talked about how much I relate to her, and I just love her.  SO MUCH.

And I’m actually really glad that the covers were redesigned, because this cover?  Something about it makes me think of romance and happy endings and it’s just BEAUTIFUL.

Let’s Rate It:

So…in case you couldn’t tell, I LOVED Isla And The Happily Ever After.  LOVED.  IT.  It makes me wish I could give it many, many stars.  Okay, I might not be able to do that on goodreads, but this is my blog, and I’m giving every damn star I can possibly give it.  Officially, it gets 5+ stars!

Currently Obsessed With Interlude #3: The Article Edition #2

Posted in Currently Obsessed With by

In my last Currently Obsessed With post, I said I was going to do a separate post for all of the articles I’ve come across because I couldn’t make up my mind about which ones I wanted to share.  So this is said post!

Before I get started, I thought I’d share how I pick out the articles I share.  Throughout the month, I bookmark (or star in my bloglovin’ feed) different articles and blog posts I come across.  Once it’s time to do my currently obsessed with post, I pick the handful that were super interesting to me.

And last month, I found that I came across quite a few things I wanted to share!  So here they are…

  1. A Banned Books Infographic by the Huffington Post.  I found that the map showing the number of challenges each state had to be particularly interesting.  I hate to say it, but it’s not surprising (to me) that Texas had the highest number, and quite honestly, I expected the south and midwest to have more challenges than the rest of the country.  I know it’s horrible to stereotype entire regions of the country and that I shouldn’t do it, but still…I was definitely surprised and intrigued.
  2. I have one major issue with this article about why reading is a good way to spend time.  Notably, that reading is learning. It just frustrates me that it seems implied that reading is the only way to learn.  There are other ways to learn things besides reading.  Also, you can be curious about the world and not be a reader.  You can also be comfortable on your own and not be a reader.  Also, you can be intelligent and not be a reader, because I feel like like there are different kinds of intelligence.  Now that I’m done with my mini-rant, I do like that it’s about why reading is awesome.
  3. Back to banned books, I love this post over at Book Riot about Banned Books Week.  I never thought about it like that, and to be honest, I always forget about it until it’s over.
  4. Also: Diversity In YA has an interesting post about diversity and book challenges.  I have no thoughts on this one, but it’s still interesting to check out.
  5. Speaking of diversity, I love this blog post about authenticity and diversity in literature.  Diversity in the book world really is a topic in and of itself, but this post in particular struck a chord with me.  I don’t read as diversely as I should, and I wouldn’t even know where to start (but Diversity In YA will likely be a big help and a good resource).
  6. This article over at The Guardian about how young adult novels speak to people whereas adult novels don’t really frustrates me!  As much as I love young adult (I mean, most of what I read is YA, after all), it doesn’t mean adult books don’t speak to people.  I definitely feel like the author of that post is making assumptions about adult books the way that some people make assumptions about YA.  But it’s still worth checking out, especially with recent articles about how reading YA is something to be ashamed of.
  7. This is a really interesting interview about how Harry Potter, Twilight and 50 Shades have influenced the lives of several young women.
  8. A million times yes to this blog post about strong women.  This is another one that could fill goodness knows how many posts, but I agree that all kinds of women are strong and have stories that need to be told- and that certain stories aren’t better than others just because a female character has characteristics we don’t like.
  9. And a final- but completely fun and awesome note- I LOVE this article about the stall that lived.  It totally made my day when I read it.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books For People Who Like Character Driven Novels

Posted in Top 10 Tuesday by

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Books For People Who Like Character Driven Novels

To be honest, I had to think about this one for a while, because I don’t pay a lot of attention to whether a book is more character-driven or plot-driven.  But after looking through everything I’ve read the last few years, I managed to come up with a few.

  1. You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle.  I listened to this one recently, and was struck by how much each character stood out, despite the fact that there are so many of them!
  2. Tampa by Alyssa Nutting.  I can’t believe that I’ve mentioned this one for the second time in as many weeks,  but you really get into the characters head, as disturbing as it is.
  3. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.  One of the things that has jumped out at me while reading Code Name Verity is that it’s more about the narrator telling her story than it is about what’s actually happening.
  4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  I feel a little weird putting this one on my list, as I didn’t actually finish it, because from what I did read, it did seem to be more about the characters.
  5. The Homecoming Masquerade by Spencer Baum.  Yes, you announce you’re in the running for a shot at immortality by wearing black to homecoming, but it really does go into all of the characters and their motivations.
  6. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.  It really is about Cath figuring out who she is, and I could so relate to her story.
  7. The Trial Of Dr. Kate by Michael Glasscock.  I’ve really enjoyed his Round Rock series, and this one in particular really highlights the people in this small town.
  8. A World Away by Nancy Grossman.  I’m not sure if this one counts as character-driven, but I liked seeing Eliza experiencing new things for the first time.
  9. Every Day by David Levithan.  I’m not a big fan of the book, but I think it’s an interesting read when your identity changes every day.
  10. The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir.  Really, any of her historical fiction books would work, but this is one of my favorite HF books by Weir.  It’s such a good (fictional) look at Elizabeth, and it felt very much like everything actually happened, even though some of it is fictional.

Currently Obsessed With: Fall T.V.

Posted in Currently Obsessed With, TV by

Currently Obsessed With is a monthly (but sometimes more) feature where I talk about what’s going on in my life and what I’m obsessed with!

So, in my last currently obsessed with post, I mentioned that I was going to do a much needed separate post on t.v., since I’ve been watching A TON of t.v. (And the article edition is coming soon, I just need to sort through everything!)

It’s going to be a long one, because I swear I’m watching ALL OF THE SHOWS, even though I’m nowhere near it.

What I’m Watching On Netflix:

I’ve been watching American Horror Story– just season 2, since I watched season 1 ages ago, and season 3 isn’t available yet.  Which I don’t mind, since each season has no relation to any of the other seasons.  I’m really excited about the next season, which starts up this week!

I’ve also been watching Hart Of Dixie, and I can’t believe I’ve only just started watching it! I’m not completely caught up, since I’ve only seen the handful of Season 3 episodes that are on Hulu Plus, so I’m just waiting to see if it’ll show up on Netflix.  I’m going to watch it regardless of whether I’m caught up, but it would be nice to see the entire season.

And I’ve also been watching Walking Dead, and I’m hoping to be caught up with that one before season 5 starts, but I’ll watch season 4 and 5 at the same time if I have to.

For some bizarre reason, I got super-excited that all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls is available on netflix. This doesn’t make a lot of sense, since I own all 7 seasons on DVD, but on the plus side, I can now watch it on my Nook and my laptop, so maybe I’ll be watching and posting those recaps more regularly.

And now, for Fall T.V., where things may or may not be spoiler-y, so read at your own risk.  

Sunday:

Once Upon A Time: I LOVE that Frozen has come to Storybrooke!  I love the scene where Emma is talking to Regina, and I really wish they played Do You Want To Build A Snowman in the backgroud, because I totally love that scene.  And Marshmallow!  And the scene between Belle and Rumplestiltskin, and the music from Beauty And The Beast!  I’m so excited for this!

Resurrection: I’m actually not sure if I want to keep watching it, so I’ll have to see.  This may be a show I end up dropping, considering I haven’t seen the premiere yet.

Revenge: I am so glad it’s back!  Things will certainly be interesting, with Emily and Victoria, especially.  I feel like I need to go back and watch the entire season for a refresher.

Monday: 

Sleepy Hollow: I could not stay awake during the premiere, which was just as well, because I remember being really confused about what was going on.  I literally watched season 1 just to figure out what the heck was going on.  I’m not sure how I feel about the new sheriff or anything that’s going on.  Is it bad that I feel like I need to watch the first couple episodes a few more times to make sense of everything?

Blacklist: James Spader is still awesome.  He’s a really good bad guy, and I’m curious about where this season will take us, especially with Keene’s husband being dead…right, he died last season?  Maybe I need to go back and watch the finale (because I definitely don’t have time to watch the entire season right now) for to remind myself of what happened.  Also: I need to finish last weeks episode.

Tuesday:

NCIS: It’s interesting that a guy connected to Ari, from season…2?  Ziva’s brother, from when she first came on?  I’ve only started watching a few seasons ago, and it’s only because of random episodes on USA, so I’m not sure what season that’s from.  What it with his fixation on Gibbs?

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: FitzSimmons is not the same with Fitz, and no Simmons.  It’s breaking my heart, it really is.

Wednesday: 

Nashville: I’ve been catching it on Hulu, because for some reason, I cannot handle these 10 pm shows (mostly, but we’ll get to that later).  Reina is totally with the wrong guy, and Juliette realizing that the baby is likely Avery’s, which will probably change her mind about having an abortion…actually had me staring angrily at the computer screen.  I’ll probably have more thoughts in a few more episodes.

Thursday:

Grey’s Anatomy: Meredith is a character I normally like, but she’s pretty damn annoying right now.  I know Christina being gone is hard for her, and she wasn’t going to like anyone who came in, but I really hate how she’s treating Pierce.

Scandal: This show is so addictive!  I’m glad Olivia’s back in D.C., and I’m wondering if we’ll see more of her father.  And Mellie!  I feel so much for her right now.  And…I just don’t know what else to say, but I think it’s going to be a slightly different season than the previous ones.

How To Get Away With Murder: I am not sure what to think!  It feels like there are so many story lines, and I’ve had to watch the episodes a couple times to figure out what was going on- because it feels like there are so many different things going on. I’m actually curious to see how it’ll all come together.  I do like Viola Davis’ character, and Wes is pretty awesome! Considering it’s on at 10, I’ve managed to stay mostly awake, but even that didn’t help me keep up with the different story lines.

Reign: I really like it, but…I don’t know.  I’m not super enthused about it yet, so I’ll probably give it a few more episodes to see if it catches my interest again.  This may be another show I end up dropping…if I do end up dropping something!

An Assortment Of Thoughts:

So, I’m definitely watching a lot of t.v. right now, and for the most part, I can’t seem to drop anything to save my life.  I actually want to go back and watch a few shows from the beginning, like Once Upon A Time and Grey’s Anatomy and NCIS, because I feel like I’m overdue for all three shows.  Especially NCIS, because I came to it so late.  At least you can jump in with it at any time, because I really can’t afford to get it on DVD for the older seasons.

I’m also looking forward to Downton Abbey coming back, but at least that’s a few months away!  Seriously, I feel like I’ve had to re-watch so many episodes.  Partly because I had trouble staying awake during most everything, but also because I’m feeling fuzzy on stuff because there are so many things to keep track of.  I think I need a week or two to get back into keep up with what feels like ALL OF THE SHOWS, instead of 1 or 2 shows like I’ve been doing all summer.

I hope everyone is enjoying all of the awesome t.v. that’s on (whatever it may be).

Currently Obsessed With: September Was Just Weird

Posted in Currently Obsessed With by

Currently Obsessed With is a monthly feature where I talk about my favorite stuff and interesting things from the last month and also where I talk about what’s been going on in my life!

Nails & Beauty:

So far, I really like the customizable Maven box from Julep!  The September box was my first box after upgrading, and I’m actually glad that I upgraded my Maven box, because the ability to customize to my box is really great when there’s a color I’m not sure about or a color I KNOW I don’t want.  For September, I knew I didn’t want one of the polishes and that actually worked out great, because I was in desperate need of their Freedom Polymer top coat.  I was really happy that I was able to swap out the color I didn’t want for a top coat I really needed.

Maven Sept 2014

Left To Right: Ryan, Mahima, Freedom Polymer Top Coat

I really liked Ryan, which has a matte finish to it.  And I was really intrigued by Mahima, which is gold but not a sparkly, metallic or chrome gold that I’m used to!  I wasn’t sure about it as a creme nail polish, but I was reminded very much of gold leaf that’s used in paintings from hundreds of years ago.

Left To Right: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

Left To Right: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

Remember last month, when I talked about the Urban Decay Naked3 palette?  I actually like it a lot! The colors are really neutral, and they’re great for everyday use.  I’m sure someone who’s much more comfortable and confident in their make-up applying skills would be able to create some awesome looks from it, but it’s great for people (like me) who want something really simple in the morning. My only issue is that some of the colors don’t show up really on someone with really fair skin, to the point that even I had trouble telling if I had any on or not.  Granted, I’ve only tried Dust, Burnout, Buzz, and Liar, and Dust and Buzz are my favorites.  Still, I really like the colors, and it’s one of my favorite palettes that I’ve actually used.

Crochet:

I’ve been crocheting a bunch this month!  I tested out a crown pattern for a friend, I made a bunch of face scrubbies, a scarf, I finished the cowl I was working on and I started a washcloth.  I like that the scarf is really textured and wavy, which doesn’t show up very well in the picture.  As for the cowl, I like the color, but I don’t like it as one solid color- it definitely needs a stripe of color every once in a while.  And when I tried it on…it felt like I was being choked a little bit, so I don’t know if I maybe needed to add some extra stitches, or if I maybe need to block it, or if that’s how cowls are supposed to be…I’ve never worn a cowl (or made one, for that matter) so I have no clue if it’s just how cowls are or if it’s the pattern and needs to be a little bigger or what’s going on.

Crochet Sept 2014 Collage

And I abandoned that green shell hat I was working on.  It seemed like it was going to be way too big, and it seemed like each row took FOREVER to do…once I got to the shell part of. One of these days, I’m going to have to completely frog it, so I can use the yarn for something else.  I also tested a pattern for fingerless mitts…well, I got through the one, and now I just need to do the other one.  Hopefully it’ll start cooling down so I can start working on my blanket again too.  Plus, I have my eye on a few other projects, so there may be more news on that front.

Books:

Book Haul Sept 2014

I got Seriously Delish, which is a cookbook by Jessica Merchant…who also has a totally awesome food blog.  I haven’t made anything from it yet, but everything looks so good!  And I want to make almost every single recipe in the book, which is super-rare for me.  I also got Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein, and I’m really curious about this Code Name Verity companion novel, especially since I’m reading Code Name Verity right now.

I’m also starting to come out of my reading slump!  Talking about it helped a lot, and I’m starting to get back in the swing of (reading) things.  Seriously, my reading habits are starting to get back to normal, so I think the worst of it is over.

T.V.:

I have been watching so much t.v. that I’ve decided to do a completely different post about it that’s coming up in the next few days.  I will say that it’s partly because fall t.v. is back and partly because I’ve been watching a couple shows on netflix.

Around The Internet:

I’ve come across a lot of interesting things this month, and while I only pick a few to share every month, this month I’ve decided to do a separate post because there are quite a few articles I have thoughts about, and I just want to talk about them a little more.

I will say that I’ve made these crescent sausage bites before, and they go over sowell, and these Nutella brownies are completely awesome.  And I was intrigued by this crock-pot BBQ chicken.

Podcasts:

So, I actually have NO music for this month.  My listening to stuff time has been really sporadic lately, and whatever listening time I do have is trying to keep up with a small number of the podcasts I managelisten to.  I hate having to cut down on the number I listen to, but the time just isn’t there right now.  Anyway, I thought I’d share a few of the ones that I’ve been listening to.

  1. Welcome To Nightvale.  I know I’ve mentioned this one before, but it’s not going to stop me from mentioning it again! If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Night Vale, you should check it!  It’s what you’d get if you mixed Stephen King, those conspiracy theories people who are on History Channel shows and NPR were mixed together.  I’m sure other people have better descriptions than me, but it’s delightfully weird.
  2. The Book Riot podcast.  I’m a big fan of Book Riot, and their main Book Riot podcast is fun to listen to.  They talk about all kinds of book-ish things, and I’ve heard of some really cool books and news stories because of their podcast.
  3. Alohomora.  I love this Harry Potter re-read podcast.  I look forward to every episode, because the discussion is always interesting, and brings up things I never thought of before.
  4. We’re Alive.  I’m really sad that this audio drama podcast is over, but I’m looking forward to see if/what the people behind it come up with next.
  5. The History Chicks.  It’s been a while since they’ve had an episode, but I like that each episode is an overview on different women from history, with the occasional fictional woman thrown in. I also love that each post on their website talks about each woman and has books, movies and resources on each woman they talk about.

Hope everyone has a great October!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books That Were Hard For Me To Read

Posted in Top 10 Tuesday by

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Books That Were Hard For Me To Read

There are a lot of books that are hard for me to read, for many different reasons.  Whether it’s because I’m bored or because of the subject matter, some books are just really hard to get through.

  1. Tampa by Alyssa Nutting.  This one is the first that came to mind, because it’s about this teacher who seduces one of her students…there was a point where I was going to DNF it, but in the end, I managed to finish because I wanted to see if she’d face any consequences if she got caught.
  2. A Game Of Thrones by G.R.R. Martin.  I had to force myself to finish it, because the detail and length were overwhelming and intimidating.  Not to mention, I was really bored reading it.
  3. Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley.  Now that I think about it, it was hard to read, because of how real it felt, and how much I could picture everything happening- but it’s also a story I hope we don’t forget.
  4. It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han.  Of the 3 books in the series, the 2nd one was the hardest, because I couldn’t stop crying long enough to read it.
  5. Some Boys by Patty Blount.  Because it’s horribly unfair that everyone will turn against a girl just because they don’t want to believe that the town golden boy is capable of rape.
  6. Out Of Breath by Rebecca Donovan.  Mostly because Emma’s story, and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her aunt, was so heartbreaking that all of the crying made it hard to read.
  7. This Much Is True by Katherine Owen.  It’s such a heartbreaking, angsty story that was hard to read at times, but it was so worth it.
  8. If I Stay by Gayle Forman.  Because a book about a girl deciding to live or die is a hard book to read.
  9. And The Band Played On by Randy Shilts.  I know what AIDS is like now, but it was hard to read a book about the first few years of the AIDS epidemic.
  10. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher.  I felt like Hannah was far too willing to blame everyone else, and it made the book really hard to read, but I did like the message that your actions and words have more of an impact than you realize.

Audio Book Review: Spook

Posted in Audiobooks, Books by

Spook CoverBook: Spook by Mary Roach, narrated by Bernadette Quigley

Published May 2008 by Brilliance Audio|Length: 8 hours, 34 minutes

Where I Got It: audible.com

Series: None

Genre: Adult Nonfiction- Science/Humor

You can find Spook on goodreads & Mary Roach on twitter and her website

Goodreads Summary: 

The best-selling author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadaversnow trains her considerable wit and curiosity on the human soul.

What happens when we die? Does the light just go out and that’s that—the million-year nap? Or will some part of my personality, my me-ness persist? What will that feel like? What will I do all day? Is there a place to plug in my laptop?” In an attempt to find out, Mary Roach brings her tireless curiosity to bear on an array of contemporary and historical soul-searchers: scientists, schemers, engineers, mediums, all trying to prove (or disprove) that life goes on after we die. She begins the journey in rural India with a reincarnation researcher and ends up in a University of Virginia operating room where cardiologists have installed equipment near the ceiling to study out-of-body near-death experiences. Along the way, she enrolls in an English medium school, gets electromagnetically haunted at a university in Ontario, and visits a Duke University professor with a plan to weigh the consciousness of a leech. Her historical wanderings unearth soul-seeking philosophers who rummaged through cadavers and calves’ heads, a North Carolina lawsuit that established legal precedence for ghosts, and the last surviving sample of “ectoplasm” in a Cambridge University archive.

What I Thought: 

Of the Mary Roach books I’ve listened to (Stiff and Gulp), I thought I’d give Spook a try.  It seemed interesting and quirky enough, which seems to fit Mary Roach’s style, but it wasn’t as compelling or as interesting as I thought it would be.

I like that she took a more scientific approach to the afterlife, and the book has her trademark humor.  I definitely couldn’t help but laugh a few times.  Nothing really stood out to me as particularly interesting or memorable- other than the first chapter, where she spends time with someone in India researching reincarnation, the chapter where she spends some time at a medium school and how she felt out of place, and the bit about how people who had near-death experiences/out-of-body experiences kept seeing shoes.

I liked that each chapter was devoted to something different, and I liked that she focused on how people used to see death and the afterlife.  But I also felt like it was much more skewed to the past than the present, and I wish more of the present was included.

As for the narration, I really liked Bernadette Quigley!  I really pictured Mary Roach with Quigley narrating.  Quigley does do the occasional accent, and I can see that irritating some people, but it didn’t really bother me.

Let’s Rate It:

Overall, Stiff turned out to be just okay.  It’s interesting, but not a lot was very memorable to me, and I’m not sure if a scientific approach to the afterlife is necessarily the best approach.  Roach does bring a lot of humor to the topic, though. Spook gets 2 stars.