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ARC Book Review: The Forgotten Ones

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The Forgotten Ones CoverBook: The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard

Published August 2013 by Indie Inked|Pages: 132

Where I Got It: I got an e-ARC from netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my review.  Promise!

Series: The Danaan Trilogy #1

Genre: New Adult Paranormal

You can find The Forgotten Ones on goodreads & Laura Howard on Twitter, Facebook and her website

Goodreads Summary: Allison O’Malley’s plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison’s mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn’t trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother’s sanity.

If there’s something I love, it’s a story that centers on fairies.  And I was pleasantly surprised that The Forgotten Ones is not your typical fairy story.

I really liked how Allison’s dad became immortal because he spent too much time in fairie.  As far as I can tell, Allison is not a fairie, which is definitely different, but a different that I’m intrigued by.  And Allison’s mom?  I totally didn’t see a certain plot point coming.  At all.  Actually, I have random thought about her mom: for some reason, the portrayal of Allison’s mother as a schizophrenic who’s heavily sedated and can’t go anywhere without being sedated bothered me, and I have no idea why.

The Forgotten Ones is pretty short, but it moved at a pretty good pace, and I felt like things were wrapped up really well, while also leaving things open for the next book.  It’s because things get fairly resolved that I wasn’t annoyed by the length of the book.  It doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, which is also nice, but given that last line, and everything that happened in The Forgotten Ones…let’s just say that I really want to know what that means for the characters after finishing the book!

I’m feeling pretty neutral about the characters.  The fairies seem pretty interesting, and I wanted to know more about them!  At the same time, I liked what we did learn about them, and I’m sure there’s more to learn!  Other than that…no one really has made a lasting impression.  I will say that I think the length played a part in this, because I felt like I didn’t really get to know the characters, and maybe a book that was slightly longer would have helped in their development.  Hopefully, we’ll learn more of them in the next book.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked The Forgotten Ones, and how it’s a different take on fairies.  It’s pretty rooted in Celtic mythology, which seems pretty rare in fairie novels.  Still, I wish I knew the characters a little bit better, but I really am hoping to learn more about them.  The Forgotten Ones gets 3 stars.

ARC Book Review: Manor Of Secrets

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Manor Of Secrets CoverBook: Manor Of Secrets by Katherine Longshore

Expected Publication is January 28, 2o13 by Scholastic|Expected Number Of Pages: 339

Where I Got It: from netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my opinion.  Promise!

Series: None

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

You can find Manor Of Secrets on goodreads and Katherine Longshore on Twitter, Facebook and her website

Goodreads Summary: Lady Charlotte Edmonds: Beautiful, wealthy and sheltered, Charlotte feels suffocated by the strictures of upper-crust society. She longs to see the world beyond The Manor, to seek out high adventure—and most of all, romance.

Janie Seward: Fiery, hardworking, and clever, Janie knows she can be more than just a kitchen maid. But she isn’t sure she possesses the courage—or the means—to break free and follow her passions.

Both Charlotte and Janie are ready for change. As their paths overlap in the gilded hallways and dark corridors of The Manor, rules are broken and secrets are revealed. Secrets that will alter the course of their lives…forever.

In a lot of ways, Manor Of Secrets is a pretty typical story of a well-to-do girl who no longer wants to live the life that she’s accustomed to.  But it also surprised me, in a TOTALLY good way!

I really liked how Charlotte and Janie became friends and how they both managed to find some adventure and romance.  They definitely wanted to change their lives (especially Charlotte), and I liked seeing how they both had a better understanding of the world around them by the end of the book. They really came into their own by the end of the book, and I liked seeing that against the backdrop of a world that is changing while living in the bubble of a world that is resistant to change.

There’s definitely a Downtown Abbey feel to the book, so I would definitely recommend it to any Downtown Abbey fan.  There’s quite the cast of characters, and there is very much a divide between the staff and the family.  Everyone has their place, and those roles are challenged a little bit throughout the book.

It’s definitely a fun, quick read, and I’m kind of interested in the difference between upstairs servants and downstairs servants. That was definitely one of the more interesting parts of the book, because I don’t normally think about the hierarchy of servants.

I felt like Manor Of Secrets was predictable at times, especially with a big revelation coming towards the end of the book, but I found I didn’t mind, because Manor Of Secrets was so enjoyable.

Let’s Rate It:

Manor Of Secrets was a fun read.  I didn’t mind that it was predictable, and while I didn’t love it, it was still interesting and kept me entertained throughout the book.  It’s a must-read for Downtown Abbey fans!  Manor Of Secrets gets 3 stars.

Book Review: City Of Ashes

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City Of Ashes CoverBook: City Of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Published March 2009 by Margaret K. McElderry Books|496 pages

Where I Got It: Nook Store

Series: The Mortal Instruments #2

Genre: YA Paranormal

You can find City Of Ashes on goodreads & Cassandra Clare on Twitter, Facebook and her website

Goodreads Summary: Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what’s normal when you’re a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who’s becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn’t ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary’s only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City’s Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

So.  City Of Ashes!  After seeing the movie last year, I knew I had to continue The Mortal Instruments with book #2!

We meet quite a few people, including Jace’s adopted parents and the High Inquisitor.  And of course, we see quite a bit of the characters from City Of Bones.

I think I liked this one a little bit better than City Of Bones, because we were able to jump right into this world.  There’s a lot going on, including Jace and Clary dealing with the knowledge that they are brother and sister.  It’s definitely hard for both of them, and there were times when it was harder for one of them.  Although, something seems off about it.  Mostly because there doesn’t seem to be a lot of proof, other than Valentine’s word, so it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if they weren’t related after all.

I have to say, I just love Magnus!  There’s something very awesome about him, and he’s definitely one of my favorite characters. And I kind of like him and Alec together.

The Silent City is definitely creepy, especially given some of the events that take place there.  It’s such an interesting place, but at the same time, it’s super creepy.  I’m kind of creeped out just thinking about the Silent City, actually.  And the Institute seems so different, but that could be because we didn’t spend a lot of time there, like we did in City Of Bones.

We also learn more about Valentine, who is one not-very-cool guy.  But I also feel like I understand him a bit better after reading City Of Ashes.  Still, you’d think no one would just take his word for it.  There are certainly ways to truly know if Jace and Clary are siblings, and it’s odd that no one would bother to use them to make sure that what Valentine’s saying is actually true.

And how the Shadowhunters (well, some of them) view Mundanes and Downworlders!  I think that’s going to come back to haunt them later on.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked City Of Ashes, and I’m really curious as to where things are going.  I liked it slightly better than City Of Bones, and it’s definitely a fun, quick read.  City Of Ashes gets 3 stars.  

Audio Book Review: Spell Bound

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Spell Bound CoverBook: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins, narrated by Cris Dukehart

Published July 2012 by Tantor Media|Run Time: 7 hours, 30 minutes

Where I Got It: audible.com

Series: Hex Hall #1

Genre: YA Paranormal

You can find Spell Bound on goodreads & Rachel Hawkins on Twitter

Goodreads Summary: Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

I’ve really enjoyed this series, and Spell Bound is a pretty good series ender.  I feel like I say this a lot, but it’s totally true.  There’s a lot going on, and we learn more about the Brannicks, and that things really aren’t what they seem.  I mean, things we thought we knew…really weren’t the case at all.

It’s definitely one of those things I don’t want to spoil, because I feel like it’s a big part of what’s going on.  At the same time, it was kind of predictable, and I’m kind of kicking myself for not realizing that earlier.

It should be no surprise that Sophie gets her powers back and manages to stop Lara Casnoff.  It was quite predictable, but even a few things along the way managed to surprise me…including how Sophie gets to Hex Hall and how she manages to stop Lara from her evil plans.  One part that especially stood out was when she was thinking about how she was just a teenage girl and not a bad-ass heroine.  I really liked that moment because I feel like it’s not something something that comes up for a lot of YA heroines.  That moment of doubt because of how she’s just a normal girl was really refreshing.

As much as I enjoyed this series, I think Spell Bound is my least favorite.  There’s a lot of action, so there’s a lot going on, but it just didn’t have the same appeal as the other two books.  I think it’s because of certain things that I should have figured out in Demonglass, and because of things that seemed slightly out of place, while also not seeming out of place at the same time.  Some things also seemed like they were glossed over.

Let’s Rate It:

I’m not sure what else to say about Spell Bound.  There were quite a few funny moments, and I’m glad Sophie got her powers back in time to stop Lara’s evil plans, but something about it seemed less magical than the other two.  It was still an entertaining listen, and Cris Dukehart really brought Sophie to life.  Spell Bound gets 4 stars.

ARC Book Review: Forever

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Forever CoverBook: Forever by Karen Ann Hopkins

Expected Publication is January 28, 2013 by Harlequin Teen|Expected Number Of Pages: 328

Where I Got It: from netgalley.com

Series: Temptation #3

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

You can find Forever on goodreads

Goodreads Summary: All I want is my happily-ever-after.

That’s all I’ve wanted since meeting Noah Miller.

From the day we met, the world has tried to keep Noah and me from being together, but now that I’m carrying his child, no one will be able to tear us apart. Or so I hope. But Noah and I have made some mistakes along the way, and the consequences are impacting the people we love. Worse, there’s a storm on the horizon, and it’s sure to cause serious devastation.

If we can get through this, we’ll finally be Rose and Noah; a family, forever.

But first we have to survive the road ahead. And happily-ever-after is a long way off.

Forever wasn’t what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised with how the series ended!  There were definitely moments where I was irritated with quite a few characters, and there were also times when I thought everyone acted monumentally stupid, but given the choices everyone made, I suppose it’s to be expected.

So, Rose’s pregnancy.  We see Noah hoping Rose is pregnant at the end of the 2nd book, and at the beginning of this one, he’s hoping she isn’t, because of how difficult it will be for them if she is.  So there’s quite the change in attitude from Noah.  And not just in regards to Rose’s pregnancy!  Her dad doesn’t take it well, of course, and Rose puts off that particular conversation.  However, she does seem relieved that her older brother is the one who told their dad.

Rose’s dad is the character who frustrated me the most in this series.  I get his resistance to Rose becoming Amish, but he also didn’t seem to care about what Rose wanted.  For most of the series, he’s been so dead-set against Rose becoming Amish…I felt like his resistance may have made being with Noah even more appealing.  At the same time, Rose also didn’t seem to want to take her dad’s opinion into consideration.

Until Noah does something that I didn’t see coming…he actually decides to leave the Amish country behind.  Part of it is things that happened after he broke off his engagement to Constance, and part of it is him actually coming to the realization that it wasn’t fair for Rose to sacrifice so much and for him to not sacrifice anything.  I have two very different thoughts on this.  The first one being it’s about time, and the other one being that it still seems weird that he would finally change his mind.  I so very much wanted Rose to become Amish, and I’m finding that I’m slightly disappointed that it didn’t happen.  Noah leaving the Amish community, but still living nearby…it does seem to work for them, but…it just wasn’t what I was expecting.

Another slightly frustrating thing was how Rose’s dad became a bit more accepting of her pregnancy once Noah said he was leaving the Amish community behind.  I doubt her dad was completely okay with it, but it was irksome that it was more okay once it meant that Rose wasn’t going to be Amish. It’s one of those times when I wish we had a chapter or two narrated by her dad, because as frustrating as he was throughout the entire series, I still would have liked to see what he was really thinking.

Speaking of narration…we have Noah, Rose and Sam narrating, with the addition of Sarah as a narrator.  I’m not sure how I feel about Sarah as a narrator, but it was nice to see how Noah and Rose’s actions were affecting her, just as it affected Sam.  Because there are definitely consequences, and it’s not just Noah and Rose who have to deal with them…it’s also affecting those close to them.

Let’s Rate It:

Even though Forever is my least favorite in the series, I still really liked it!  There’s a lot of drama, and there is a lot going on, but I liked that Rose and Noah finally got their happily-ever-after.  Forever gets 4 stars.  

ARC Book Review: Heartbeat

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Heartbeat CoverBook: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Expected publication is January 28, 2013 by Harlequin Teen|Expected Number Of Pages: 240

*I did receive Heartbeat from netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my review in any way. Promise!

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

You can find Heartbeat on goodreads & Elizabeth Scott on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and her website

Goodreads Summary: Life. Death. And…Love?

Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.

But Emma can’t tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.

Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn’t have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.

Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?

My Review:

When I saw what Hearbeat was about, I knew it was something I had to read, because it’s not a topic covered in fiction.  Well, it’s not something that I’ve seen.  Still, I liked that it’s so different than a lot of other books I’ve read in terms of plot.  You have Emma, who believes her mom wouldn’t want to stay alive just because of her younger brother, and that her step-dad Dan is a total monster for putting her brother before her mom.  And Dan is on the complete opposite side, believing it is what Emma’s mom would want.

I can’t even BEGIN to imagine what it would be like for both Emma and Dan to deal with what they’re dealing with.  I get why Emma blamed Dan (and her brother, to a certain extent), and I might have done the same thing if I were in her situation.  Still, I found it to be irritating by the end of the book, and while I wanted to feel sympathy for her, I really couldn’t.  I get her grief and that Dan maybe forgot about her and didn’t ask her about what she thought about her mom being on life support, but…actually, I’m finding that I’m more sympathetic towards Dan, for having to make that decision.  It was just really hard for me to like her, as weird as it may seem.  Her thought process (and Dan’s too, come to think of it) do make a little more sense towards the end of the novel, when they actually talk to each other.

I did like that Emma gave Caleb a chance, and that there’s a reason for why he acts the way he does. And of all of the characters in the book, he’s also the one that understands what Emma is going through the most.  So it’s good that they have each other to work through everything that’s happened in their lives, you know?

Back to Dan wanting to keep Emma’s mom on life support in order to give his unborn son a chance at survival.  You can’t help but wonder what you’d do in that situation, and there’s definitely the ethics of it to think about.  It really does give you a lot to think about.  The difference in opinion Dan and Emma have does make for an interesting conflict, because you get both sides of the issue.  And even when they’re both being a little unfair to the other…they also make sense at the same time.  There are no easy answers for Dan and Emma.

Let’s Rate It:

I know it would seem like I didn’t like Heartbeat, but I actually did like it.  It’s definitely because of the decisions that Dan had to make, and it’s definitely something to think about, whether or not you agree with what he decided.  It was hard for me to care about Emma,  but I also understand why she acted the way she did.  Heartbeat gets 3 stars.

Book Review: It’s Not Summer Without You

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It's Not Summer Without You CoverBook: It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Published April 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers|288 Pages

Where I Got It: Nook store

Series: Summer #2

Genre: YA Contemporary

You can find It’s Not Summer Without You on goodreads & Jenny Han on Twitter, Facebook, tumblr and her website

Goodreads Summary: Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started–at Cousins Beach.

I just LOVED It’s Not Summer Without You!  I knew it would be completely amazing when I started crying by, like, 10 pages in. Belly’s story continues a year after The Summer I Turned Pretty (henceforth known as TSITP), with another summer that is happening at home, and not at Cousins Beach.

I loved It’s Not Summer Without You (AKA INSWY) so much more than TSITP.  Belly has changed quite a bit since last summer, and with Susannah being sick and everything that happened with Conrad…you see everything that’s happened since the end of TSITP in flashbacks, and how it led to the events of INSWY, and I liked that we got those flashbacks of what happened.

What makes INSWY so different from TSITP is that we get a glimpse of what Belly’s life is like when she’s not at Cousins Beach, and especially what her summers could have been like if she didn’t spend her summers at Cousins Beach.  I have to admit that I’m not sure how I feel about Belly when she isn’t at the beach house, because it’s where she belongs.  Summer really isn’t the same when it’s not at Cousins Beach, but thankfully, things get straightened out, and she spends some time with Conrad and Jeremiah at Cousins Beach after all.

A big part of the book is the death of Susannah, and you REALLY feel it in INSWY.  You really do, and you see how all of the characters are dealing with it…and it’s why summer just feels so different.

Another reason why this book is different than the first is that part of the book is narrated by Jeremiah. I actually really liked it, and I liked having a different perspective on things and how/when he started to fall for Belly.  It’s so weird, though, because the first book, I wanted him and Belly to end up together but in this book, I wanted her to be with Conrad, so it’s quite the conundrum for Belly in terms of romance.  Jeremiah really is the better guy, but I also like the the glimpses of who Conrad really is.  You know, behind all the angst and stuff.  I have no clue who I want Belly to be with.  Jeremiah’s great, but I think she’ll always love Conrad, and I have the feeling she may end up with him.  But…it really could go either way, so we’ll have to wait and see in the next one for that.

I felt so nostalgic while reading It’s Not Summer Without You, which is another reason why I loved it so much.  I just kept thinking of my summer vacations, and for whatever reason, I feel like I read it at the right time.  Like, when I read it, I needed to read something like it, even though I didn’t know it was what I needed at the time.  Does that make sense?  Because I’m feeling like that doesn’t make a lot of sense.  Still, I love the nostalgia I felt when I read it.

Let’s Rate It:

It feels weird to start the year off with such a special book, but that’s exactly what It’s Not Summer Without You is!  I loved it even more than The Summer I Turned Pretty, and while I was so sad for a lot of the characters, I also loved seeing one last summer at Cousins Beach…even though I have the feeling we’ll be going there again in the next book.  It’s Not Summer Without You gets 5+ stars.  

2014 Already?

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I don’t know about anyone else, but I can’t believe it’s 2014 already!  It really does feel like 2013 went by really fast.

I feel like 2013 was a pretty good year, and all sorts of stuff happened.  I went to a few book signings, which was totally awesome, especially because they were the first book signings I have ever gone to! I’ll definitely be going to more, because they were totally fun to go to.

Speaking of books, I read an astounding 183 books!  I had a goal of 150, so clearly I exceeded expectations there.  According to goodreads, that amounts to 50,596 pages, which is a lot of pages. Overall, I really liked what I read, to the point that remembering what I don’t like is easier.  I really feel like I’ve gotten better at picking books I’m going to like, and that if I really strongly dislike something or am very not into something, I’m probably going to put it down and not finish it.  I’ve decided to aim for 160 books this year, and if the last couple years are any indication, then I’ll have no problem meeting that goal!  I don’t have much to add in terms of books, especially because I covered it pretty well in the bookish survey I did.  And my top books of 2013.  Oh, and this post I did my favorite new-to-me authors.

Writing this post is a little weird.  I’m so used to top ten lists and book reviews and Gilmore Girls recaps that writing something that isn’t one of those is really weird.  I definitely want to do more posts where I’m just talking about whatever, because I kind of miss those.  I’m not sure how often they’ll be, but at least one or two a month.

I get the Julep Maven box now!  I love nail polish, so a monthly box that contains nail polish is perfect for me.  There’s a really good chance I’ll be sharing them.  Like now!

January Maven Box

Left To Right: Mona, an add-on, and this months selection, Farrah, Annemarie, and Hope, plus, 2 unidentified orange squares

So, my box had Farrah, Annemarie, and Hope, and I decided that I like Mona (a nail polish included in a different box) enough to add that on to my box.  They also randomly include things sometimes, and I think the orange squares may be nail buffers, but I’m not quite sure…still, it’s always fun to get some mail that’s nice and fun.

Speaking of sharing, I think I’m going to share my crochet projects.  It wasn’t until last month that I actually started taking pictures of what I crochet (well, on a regular basis) because I was doing a few gifts for people and wanted to have pictures of what I made, so I might feature that too.  Even though I’ve been crocheting for a couple years, I still get intimidated, but I’d also like to get over that, so I’ll be trying new things as far as that goes.

Actually, I have a few ideas in mind for some fun posts, so when I hammer out the details, I’ll be sure to share!  There’s so much I want to do this year, both for my blog and in general, so I’ll do a post about resolutions sometime in the next week.  Once I narrow things down and such.  I’m definitely planning on taking a look back on the resolutions I did last year, so I think I want to take a look at that to figure out what to focus on this year.

I’m pretty sure I’m done rambling for today, so I hope everyone has a great 2014!

2013 End Of The Year Bookish Survey

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2013 End Of Year Survey

This survey is an annual survey hosted by Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner, and it seems like a good way to wrap up my 2013 reading!  I have a couple other posts coming up next week taking care of a few other year-end things, but this one seemed like a good way to start the 2013 year-end stuff. As a warning…it’s going to be a long one!

2013 Survey Best In Books

1.  Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

Best YA Contemporary: That Time I Joined The Circus by J.J. Howard

Best YA Paranormal: With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent

Best New Adult: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Best Adult Historical Fiction: The Trial Of Dr. Kate by Michael Glasscock

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

The Sea Of Tranquility by Katja Millay.  I just didn’t care about either character until the end of the book and by then, it was too late. Sadly, I think I over-hyped this book.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013? 

I think I’m going to have to with Allegiant for this one.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading it, and there were tears, but I was surprised by some of the things we learned.

 4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

I don’t recommend a lot of books, but after finishing Between Shades Of Gray, I’m going to be recommending that one a lot!

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger.  It was so fun to listen to, and I couldn’t help but giggle the entire time I was listening to it.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

I’m going to go with K.A. Tucker!  I’m really loving her 10 Tiny Breaths series.  I also want to read her Casual Enchantment series.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

I have to go with Mouse Guard, which is a graphic novel by David Peterson.  I don’t normally read graphic novels, but I’m really glad I read this one.  It’s really hard to not like medieval mice with swords.

 8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

Unbroken by Rachel Caine.  I read it in a day, and I couldn’t for a better ending to her Outcast Season series.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I don’t re-read a lot, but I think I’m going to be reading Hex Hall again.  It was a fun read, and I can’t wait to finish the series!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

That Time I Joined The Circus Cover

11. Most memorable character in 2013? 

Eliza Miller from A World Away.  A lot of it is because of Jessica Lawshe’s narration in the audio book, but I loved seeing an Amish girl explore the non-Amish world and how she found family.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

Lovely, Dark And Deep by Amy McNamara.  Every word felt carefully chosen and well-thought out.  There was also something very poetic and lyrical about it.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013? 

This is a good one!  I don’t think I can pick just one.  This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales is my first pick, because I love Elise, and her story.  And Between Shades Of Gray, which I’ve mentioned a few times.  But it’s mind-boggling that I didn’t really know the details of the events that inspired the book!

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read? 

Between Shades Of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.  I am kicking myself for taking so long to read it!

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

Funniest, from Timeless by Gail Carriger:

“I suppose that saves us from having to determine what to do with a butler who goes around killing people.  It certainly reflects badly upon our domestic staff.  Still, I shall miss him.  There was a man who knew how to brew a good cup of tea.”

Unforgettably sad, from Out Of Breath by Rebecca Donovan:

“I was so tired of fighting. Tired of hurting. Tired of the guilt that never released me, and the regrets that could not be changed. I didn’t want this life. They’re were only so many times I could hear that I should never have been born, before I wished it to be true.”

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Here’s how I did this: I went to my 2013 shelf on goodreads, and sorted by page number!  Actually, this is one of those times when I’m glad I make yearly shelves on goodreads, because it was a lot easier than looking for the 2013 books on my read shelf.

Shortest: Broken Beauty, which is a novella that clocked in at 78 pages.

Longest: I’m pretty sure The Rise And The Fall Of The Third Reich by William Shirer is the longest book I read this year.  I’m not sure what the page count is, but it was 57 hours, so whatever the page equivalent of that is…

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

I had a major WTF moment when I read Allegiant!

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Family: Charli and Alex in Saving Wishes.  Alex seems like an awesome relative.

Romantic: Ana and Sam in Asunder by Jodi Meadows.  They’re adorable together.

Friendship: All of the different friendships in the last couple Morganville Vampire books.  Because they are there for their friends.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

I’m going with the obvious (to me) choices of Rachel Caine and Maria Snyder.  Because they are two of my favorites!

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else.

I have to go with Mouse Guard again!  It’s not even funny how adorable this book is, and I love that there mice who have their own little community and have guards.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

I think YA paranormal and YA contemporary are pretty close.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

This is going to be a hard one but I’m going to have to go with Lord Maccon from the Parasol Protectorate.  It’s the first time I’ve liked werewolves on their own, and it’s because of him…

23. Best 2013 debut you read?

I don’t really pay attention to whether books are debuts or not, but I really liked The Darwin Elevator by Jason Hough.  Mostly because it’s the only debut I’m aware of…but also because it’s pretty awesome.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

Shadow And Bone by Leigh Bardugo.  There is no doubt about this one!  It’s so vivid and interesting and different, and it’s the first one that came to mind.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

I read a lot of books that were fun to read, but Beauty Queens by Libba Bray is right up there.  I couldn’t stop laughing!

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

I could do a whole post on books that made cry!  However, I am going to have to go with Out Of Breath by Rebecca Donovan, because I cried almost the entire time I was reading it!

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

This is a good one!  I’m going to go with A World Away by Nancy Grossman.  It’s such a great book, and I loved Eliza’s story.

2013 SurveyBook Blogging

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013? 

I know I’ve followed a few new blogs, but one of my favorites is Book Riot.  They don’t post a lot of reviews, and they lean more towards interesting book-ish news, but it’s always fun to see what they’re posting.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013? 

My review for Beauty Queens is my favorite.  Mostly because I felt the urge to say Sparkle Ponies throughout the entire review.  And because I kept hearing the characters every single time I talked about a different character.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

I don’t really do discussion posts, but I’ve had some interesting conversations in the comments!

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?

I know I’ve read a few interesting ones…but I don’t tend to keep of them.  However, I did like this one post on Book Riot about what it means to be well-read.

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

This year was the first year I went to book signings!  I went to books signings for The Darwin Elevator and The Plague Forge, which was awesome, and I also went to an Abbi Glines/Colleen Hoover/Jamie McGuire book signing, which was just as awesome.

6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?

When I bought my own domain!  I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I finally did it!

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

My most popular post is a top ten tuesday post!  I wrote Top Ten Books For People Who Like The Iron Fey back in 2012, and it’s a post a lot of people search for.  I think it might be time to do a follow-up!

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Interestingly enough, there isn’t any particular post that I’m wishing more people would pay attention to.

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I love the Book Riot podcast.  I look forward to listening to it every week, and it has a lot of bookish news that I wouldn’t hear about otherwise.

2013 Survey Looking Ahead

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?

I have so many to pick from!  My Number One pick is The Book Thief, because I’ve heard so many good things that I want to know why people love it so much!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?

I’m looking forward to look of books next year, and the non-debut books I’m looking forward to reading just happen to be in this post.

3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier.  It’s set during the Spanish Infleunza epidemic, and I can’t wait to read it!

4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?

I really excited about Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins, because I have no clue how things are going to turn out.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?

I really want to participate more in the book blogging community.  I feel like we’re a pretty awesome group of people, and I really want to comment more.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Winter To-Read List

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish. Every week, bloggers from all over are invited to share their own Top Ten List based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

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Top Ten Books On My Winter To-Read List

So, I kind of suck following through on my seasonal to-read lists, but I’m still hoping that this list will motivate me to work on my TBR pile.  I’m pretty sure that quite a few of these are repeats from previous seasonal lists, and I’m pretty sure I’ll keep talking about how I need to read them…until I actually manage to read them, of course.  Here’s hoping that I manage to read some awesome books over the next few months.

  1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.  I keep telling myself I’m going to read it, and yet I manage to never do it.  I really need to get to it soon.
  2. The Rules For Disappearing by Ashley Elston.  I’ve been meaning to read this one for a while, but I keep getting distracted by other books.
  3. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi.  Because it was on my fall to-read list, and I never read so, so maybe I’ll manage it this time around.
  4. Between Shades Of Grey by Ruta Sepetys.  Becasue I’ve heard really good things about it, and it looks like something I’d like.
  5. Working Stiff by Rachel Caine.  Because it’s the only series of hers I haven’t read.
  6. Touch Of Power by Maria V. Snyder.  I’ve read all of her other series, so I should probably start reading this one.
  7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  I can’t remember if this was on my fall to-read list or not, but either way, I really need to read it.  And not just because the movie is coming out…but that is a contributing factor.
  8. Eleanor And Park by Rainbow Rowell.  Because I need to know why people love this book so much.
  9. Splintered by A.J. Howard.  I keep telling myself I’m going to read it someday, now I just need to do!
  10. Code Name Verity.  I feel like this one made my last seasonal to-read list, and naturally, I haven’t read it yet.  I really just need to sit down and read it.