BookCon/ May Book Haul

So, I usually just put the books I aquired during each month in my wrap up post, but this time, I thought it best to do just a BookCon NY trip haul post because I got a bunch of books and wanted to do a special post for them.

I will have another post up soon about my BookCon experience and a sort of survival guide to those who wish to do it next year, but pretty much, I had an awesome time. I met up with my friend and fellow blogger, Mara from The Reading Hedgehog and we had fun exploring New York together and experiencing BookCon. She will also be writing a BookCon post soon, that I will link to this one when she gets it up. We also got to meet another fellow blogger, Kel from Booked Til Tuesday who gave us BookCon tips and brought us lunch (Thanks again!) But more about that in my other post, this one is about my loot. While in NY Mara and I had to visit The Strand which was just as amazing as promised.  Three stories of tight rows of shelves is pretty much a booklover's dream. I didn't buy as many books there as I could have, but it was awesome.

Here's some pictures of everything. I hauled 22 books in May between books that I bought at BookCon and The Strand and books that I got free at BookCon and ones people gave me. Some of these were ones that I brought to get signed so not all of them I bought this month but I'll list everything below.

These are all the books I got signed

Getting books signed at BookCon was harder than expected (more about that in my next post). I actually missed Maggie Stiefvater's autographing session but I met up with her by chance afterward and she was kind enough to signed them all for me (Thanks again Maggie!) But apart from that I really enjoyed getting to meet Courtney Alameda (Shutter) and Michael Buckley (Undertow) They were both awesome and I really look forward to reading Michael's new book. I was sad that I didn't get the opportunity to get my copy of The Maze Runner signed by James Dashner, but I did get to see him in panel and he too is a very awesome fellow.

Other books that I bought

Free Books!

And of course all the swag I picked up. I got lots of buttons too, but those are already on my bag.

And without further ado, here is all the books I hauled this month:

Books given to me or that I got for free:

#1: Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (This was given to me by Mara)

#2: Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2) by William Ritter (Also given to me by Mara--thank you!!!!)

#3: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys 

#4: Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys (Both of these were also given to me by Mara)

#5: Undertow by Michael Buckley (Free with the signing at BookCon)

#6: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare (BookCon giveaway)

#7: Feral Nights (The Feral Series #1) by Cynthia Leitich Smith (BookCon giveaway)

#8: Reawakened by Coleen Houck (BookCon ARC giveaway)

#9: The Time Fetch by Amy Herrick (BookCon Giveaway)

#10: Demon Dentist by David Walliams (BookCon ARC giveaway)

Books I bought:

#11: The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2) by Rae Carson

#12: The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3) by Rae Carson

#13: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige 

#14: The Finisher (Vega Jane #1) by David Baldacci

#15: Illusionarium by Heather Dixon

#16: This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

#17: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

#18: Shutter by Courtney Alameda

#19: Nether Isle by Nicoline Evans 

#20: The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson 

#21: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

#22: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

So that's my haul! Definitely can't wait to read all the new books I got. Now I just have to find shelf space for them!

I'll be back later with my BookCon experience post. 

Slainte, Hazel

April Wrap Up 2015

Back with another wrap up already! April seemed to go by really fast, but thankfully I got so much more work done this month than I did last month and finally got back into writing my second Na Fianna novel as well, which I'm aiming to finish by the end of May before summer starts.

This month I read 9 books, which was way more than I was hoping to, so that made me happy :) (also, I'm hoping to start posting more pictures on my blog, since now I have a better phone camera that makes it sooo much easier to upload pics.)

#1: Downfall (Cal Leandros #9) by Rob Thurman (4/5 stars)

#2: Fairest (Lunar Chronicles #.05) by Marissa Meyer (4/5 stars)

#3: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (4/5 stars)

#4: K-9 (Knightly and Son #2) by Rohan Gavin (3/5 stars)

#5: Shutter by Courtney Alameda (4/5 stars)

#6: Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles #1) by Kevin Hearne (3.5/5 stars)

#7: Call of the Wild by Jack London (3/5 stars) This was my classic book club read of the month.

#8: Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer (3/5 stars)

#9: The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Reese Brennan (3.5/5 stars)

Favorite Reads of the Month

Downfall

The Replacement

Shutter

I'll have the reviews for these up sometime later this month so keep an eye out!

I was good with my book buying this month, (because next month at BookCon is going to be ridiculous) even though everything were splurge buys, I only bought four. I found another used bookshop where I got two, and then I made a trip to B&N because I bought my brother a giftcard for his bday (tactical) 

#1: Summer Knight (Dresden Files #4) by Jim Butcher

#2: The Navigator by Eoin McNamee

#3: The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Girl of Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson

#4: Penny Dreadfuls This is a B&N anthology of classic horror stories. It has an awesome selection in it!

Also for those of you not following my Twitter, I finally got my baby hedgehog this month! His name is Horatio.

So next month I will be going to BookCon in NY so there will be a special book haul wrap up for that. I really look forward to sharing my experience with you all. If anyone else is going to BookCon, please let me know! 

February 2015 Wrap Up

Another month gone already! I don't know about you guys, but it seemed like February went super fast until the last week, then it dragged. But I've got a head cold too, so that might be why. Oh well. Well, I only read seven books this month, and not all the ones on my list, because I got so tired after my first three that I ended up adding a couple short westerns in between for fun. But four of these books was over 400 pages, a couple quite a bit, so I'm not beating myself up. It was a short month too. Next month, I have a big TBR that I hope I can get through.

I didn't get all my reviews written for this month, so I will be posting them throughout March instead. And no, it actually wasn't me being lazy, I was actually working on my formatting business and trying to do preliminary planning for my trip to NYC in May (BookCon people!) On that note, I got my train ticket! woot! So without further ado, the books I read this month:

1. Scorpion Mountain (Brotherband Chronicles #5) by John Flanagan (3/5 stars)
2. Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer (4/5 stars)
3. Ruin and Rising (Grisha Trilogy #3) by Leigh Bardugo (4.5/5 stars)
4. Kiowa Trail by Louis L'Amour (3/5)
5. The Man From Skibbereen by Louis L'Amour (3/5)
6. A Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters (4/5 stars)
7. Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell (my Classics for Classic Ladies book club read of the month) (5/5 stars)

Favorite Reads of the Month

Cress
Ruin and Rising
Wives and Daughters


And now onto the books I bought this month. Really not many, only three. I didn't go to a book store, because I'm still abstaining in preparation for BookCon so I'm really only buying new releases I really want at the moment.

1. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
2. Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Neilson
3. The Shadow Cabinet (Shades of London #3) By Maureen Johnson

Let me know what your favorite reads on the month were. March is going to be so bloody busy, lots of new books to read, stories to finish writing finally, lots of editing to do, hopefully more work, family coming for a week, and hopefully getting my hedgehog! I hope everyone has a great March. I will be seeing you at least my St. Patrick's Day if not before and I'm planning a spring Giveaway so keep an eye out for that during the second part of the month!

Slainte, Hazel

January 2015 Wrap Up

Following my new blogging regimen this year, I will be posting a wrap up of all the books I read every month and all the books I bought and list my favorite reads instead of just posting the reviews of my favs (since I am now posting all the reviews I write.)

I managed to read nine books this month which was more than I planned to, so that was a good start to the year in my opinion, and I'm still on track with my Goodreads reading challenge for the year! So without further ado here is my January wrap up:

#1. Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne (4/5 stars)
#2. The Jedi Doth Return (William Shakespeare's Star Wars #3) by Ian Doescher (5/5 stars)
#3. Siege and Storm (Grisha Trilogy #2) by Leigh Bardugo (4/5 satrs)
#4. The Wild (Secret Journeys of Jack London #1) by William Golden & Tim Lebbon (5/5 stars--This was my month's reread)
#5. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (4/5 stars)
#6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (5/5 stars-- my Classics for Classic Ladies book club read of the month)
#7. Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms #3) by Morgan Rhodes (3/5 stars)
#8. Slashback (Cal Leandros #8) by Rob Thurman (4/5 stars)
#9. The Pennyroyal Academy by M. A. Larson (4/5 stars)

Favorite Reads of the Month:

Midnight Thief
Slashback
The Pennyroyal Academy


Now for the books I bought this month. I wasn't planning on buying many at all, but my friend and I decided to go visit my favorite used bookstore, so...that happened. I ended up coming back with 13 books plus the two I got earlier this month, so it could have been worse, I suppose. But I got a good haul, several books I have been wanting to read for a while, a couple to bring to BookCon to get signed, and yeah, some westerns, I have been in the mood for them lately.

#1. Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles #1) by Kevin Hearne
#2. Ruin and Rising (Grisha Trilogy #3) by Leigh Bardugo
#3. Storm Front (The Dresden Files #1) by Jim Butcher
#4. The Thundering Herd by Zane Grey
#5. The Drift Fence by Zane Grey
#6. Raiders of Spanish Peaks by Zane Grey
#7. Desert Gold by Zane Grey
#8. Silverfin (Young Bond #1) by Charlie Higson
#9. Prowlers by Christopher Golden
#10. When the Eagle Hunts (Macro and Cato #3) by Simon Scarrow
#11. Captain Alatriste (Alatriste #1) by Arturo Perez-Reverte
#12. Purity of Blood (Alatriste #2) by Aruto Perez-Reverte
#13. The Sun Over Breda (Alatriste #3) by Aruto Perez-Reverte
#14. Pirates of the Levant (Alatriste #6) by Aruto Perez-Reverte
#15. The Sea Wolf by Jack London


What did you all get to read this month? Let me know if you had a good start to your reading in 2015 and if you have any must reads for me this year!

Until next time,
Slainte, Hazel

Books of Note: September Reads

I've decided to continue with the format for my books of note that I did over the summer and list all the books I read as well as bought and then of course, the reviews for my favorite books as usual. I've also decided to link the reviews for the books I don't review directly on the blog to Goodreads. Because I actually do review most books that I read so if you are interested, you can read them on Goodreads.

I read nine books this month, still not as many as I wanted to, but a lot of them were 400+ pages, so I let myself off :P I also managed to read only books I own this month, so no library books at all, and I got through a lot of new releases and series books I have wanted to read for a long time.

Books I Read:

1. Gates of Thread and Gold by Lori M. Lee (Giveaway win) (2/5 stars)
2. Deathwish (Cal and Niko #4) by Rob Thurman (4/5 stars)
3. The Madness Underneath (Shades of London #2) by Maureen Johnson (3/5 stars)
4. Blood of My Blood (Jasper Dent #3) by Barry Lyga (5/5 stars)
5. Cup of Blood (Crispin Guest #0.5--prequel) by Jeri Westerson (4/5 stars)
6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin (4/5 stars)
7. Found (Mickey Bolitar #3) by Harlan Coben (3.5/5 stars)
8. Slaves of Socorro (Brotherband Chronicles #4) by John Flanagan (3/5 stars)
9. Inkheart (Inkworld #1) by Cornelia Funke (re-read) (5/5 stars)

Books I Bought:

1. Blood of My Blood (Jasper Dent #3) by Barry Lyga
2. Roadkill (Cal and Niko #5) by Rob Thurman
3. Jackaby by William Ritter
4. Found (Mickey Bolitar #3) by Harlan Coben
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner


Favorite Reads of the Month:

Jazz Dent has been shot and left to die in New York City. His girlfriend Connie is in the clutches of Jazz's serial killer father, Billy. And his best friend Howie is bleeding to death on the floor of Jazz's own home in tiny Lobo's Nod. Somehow, these three must rise above the horrors their lives have become and find a way to come together in pursuit of Billy. But then Jazz crosses a line he's never crossed before, and soon the entire country is wondering: "Like father, like son?" Who is the true monster?
The chase is on, and beyond Billy there lurks something much, much worse. Prepare to meet...the Crow King.


Review

I'm going to have to break my normal review format for this one because I honestly don't even know how to go about reviewing this book, and I'm going to try to do it as well as I can without spoiling it, which means it's going to be short.

This was a ridiculously hard book to rate. There is so much in this that is not okay, but it all works out into the story, so I can't really complain and the end really clinched it for me. I'm going to be honest, horrible stuff happens in this book, and when we find out about Jazz's past it gets even worse, but it's not okay in the book, just as it's not okay with the reader and it's supposed to be like that, so while I don't care to read about stuff like that, because it wasn't there to be gratuitous I can deal with it and just feel bad for what poor Jazz went through.

This was a non-stop action book, I read it in two days and only stopped to sleep. The writing as with the previous books is amazing, the twists and turns are wonderful, and leave you wondering whether or not everything will actually turn out okay in the end, and I love that because it's usually so obvious that everything will end well in a book. The twist about Ugly J and the Crows was great, and though I pretty much had figured it out by that time, I thought it was revealed really well. Billy Dent is whack, there's nothing else to say, he was just so creepy.

As for the outcomes, I loved them, I was reading with bated breath, not knowing where it was going, or where Jazz was going, and all I'm going to say is that I was not disappointed. The conclusion was wonderful, way better and more solid than I expected it to be, and overall I am really happy I read this series. Barry Lyga is an amazing author and one of the best when it comes to writing crazed, delusional serial killers. And I do always appreciate that. I really do.

So, yes I ended up rating it five stars in the end, because what else am I going to do with a book that makes me feel the way this one did?

When a corpse turns up at his favorite tavern, Crispin begins an inquiry, but the dead man turns out to be a Knight Templar, an order thought to be extinct for 75 years, charged with protecting a certain religious relic which is now missing. Before he can investigate, Crispin is abducted by shadowy men who are said to be minions of the French anti-pope. Further complicating matters are two women: one from court with an enticing proposition, and another from Crispin’s past, dredging up long-forgotten emotions he would rather have left behind. And as if all that weren’t enough, a cunning young cutpurse by the name of Jack Tucker has insinuated himself into Crispin’s already difficult life. The deeper Crispin probes into the murder, the more it looks like the handiwork of an old friend turned adversary. With enemies from all sides, Crispin has his hands full in more than murder.


Review

I was hoping that Jeri Westerson would write a prequel for the Crispin series to tell us how he and Jack actually met, and I was not disappointed with this book. It was a very good prequel (and I'm always a fan of those) and it was nice to see Crispin and Jack get to know each other from the beginning. I have always loved their relationship because it's a bit different from what you normally get with mystery novels, Jack being so much younger than the typical side-kick character you find in the genre, but it works really well with the series and with Crispin's character. The storyline of this one was really cool too, and I loved how all the mysteries seemed to be separate but kind of intertwined throughout the story to where you were left wondering whether it was all just a coincidence or whether everyone might be involved. It wasn't super hard to figure out, but there were still a couple twists that I didn't see coming, and I still enjoyed the book despite that because I read these for the characters more than anything. As for secondary characters, I loved seeing Wynchcombe again, I actually really enjoyed his character. He is a baddie, but he's interesting too because half the time he's trying to kick Crispin's head in and the other half, he's helping him. He was one of my favorite sheriffs in the series. I did not care at all for Lady Vivienne, in fact, I found her annoying. That didn't bother me though, because she was supposed to be. What really bothered me was that Crispin was such an idiot about her. I mean, seriously, man, you can't think all ladies are so innocent, can you? And even after she duped him several times, he still fell under her spell. Just several head-shaking moments there, but I think it taught him lessons for later in the series. De Marcherne was a pretty cool baddie though. He was so cold and evil, and French. I enjoyed him a lot. All in all, another really enjoyable Crispin Guest mystery. I really look forward to seeing the next book in the series, and continuing Crispin and Jack's adventure where they left off!

From internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben comes this third action-packed installment of his bestselling young adult series.

It’s been eight months since Mickey Bolitar witnessed the shocking, tragic death of his father. Eight months of lies, dark secrets, and unanswered questions. While he desperately wants answers, Mickey’s sophomore year of high school brings on a whole new set of troubles. Spoon is in the hospital, Rachel won’t tell him where he stands, his basketball teammates hate him . . . and then there’s Ema’s surprise announcement: She has an online boyfriend, and he’s vanished. As he’s searching for Ema’s missing boyfriend (who may not even exist!), Mickey also gets roped into helping his nemesis, Troy Taylor, with a big problem. All the while, Mickey and his friends are pulled deeper into the mysteries surrounding the Abeona Shelter, risking their lives to find the answers—until the shocking climax, where Mickey finally comes face-to-face with the truth about his father.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I've loved the Mickey Bolitar series a lot so far, and while this one might not have been quite as action packed as the previous two, I still did enjoy it and it had a few really good twists that kept me reading it straight through. Anytime I read a novel straight through I have to give marks to the author for that. Cover--Yea or Nay: No. I really hate these new covers. They are terrible. Characters: Mickey was always a really enjoyable character. He does what he has to and he doesn't sit around moping about it. I also loved Ema and continue to do so in this one. She never comes across with an attitude and is a genuinely good friend to Mickey. Spoon was less weird in this story and I actually feel like we got to know him a little better. He surprised me. I'm not going to say much more for fear of spoiling the story, but I'll just say that I liked how we got to see some more of the characters and how they played their parts in the plot. The Romance: Not really any romance though part of the plot is that Ema met a boy online and that's whatever you want to call that. I still think there will be a romance between her and Mickey, and I wouldn't be unhappy with it, but I don't mind them being friends like they are now either. Writing Style: Same as the others. First person past tense from Mickey's POV. I enjoy his narration, I have no complaints with being in his head. As I said previously, Harlan Coben does so well with suspense, keeping the reader occupied. Granted, it's not a long book anyway, but I read it in a night and a day and it definitely felt like it went super fast unlike some books that drag on forever. It's the kind of thing I look for in a suspense novel (and I have read 'suspense novels' that did not make me sit down and read them cover to cover). The story wasn't quite as awesome or engaging as that of the previous two books, but it was still enough to keep my attention through the whole thing. It was more of a personal story for Mickey and Ema, dealing with things closer to home. Accuracy/ Believability: No complaints. Obviously, there's not a lot of problem with this in contemporary. Problems/What bothered me: Nothing really bothered me. I could say I was mildly disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Luther but the way this one ended up (and I won't say anything!) the next book--which I assume we will be getting?--will be more about that plot line. Conclusion: 3.5 stars. Not quite as action packed as the previous two books, but still very enjoyable. Recommended Audience: Fans of suspense and thrillers and that kind of stuff would enjoys these. If you liked the Jasper Dent books and want something a little less dark and desperate, this is a good series to read as a recovery. Guy read but can also be a girl read ages 14 and up.

Books of Note: August Reads/ Summer Wrap Up

Well, it's the end of August and the end of my summer reading. I didn't get nearly as many books read as I wanted to, I think about ten less than last year, but I did read some good ones and it's still a good number for how busy I was these months. All in all, I read 25

Here's the complete list of books I read this summer and their ratings:

#1-The Curse of the Thirteenth Fey--Jane Yolen (3/5 stars)
#2-Game (Jasper Dent #2)--Barry Lyga (4/5 stars)
#3-This Dark Endeavor--Kenneth Oppel (4/5 stars)
#4-Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)--Marissa Meyer (3.5/5 stars)
#5-Sense and Sensibility --Jane Austin (4/5 stars)
#6-The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co. #1)--Jonathan Stroud (4/5 stars)
#7-Moonshine (Cal and Niko #2)-- Rob Thurman (4/5 stars)
#8-Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)-- Marissa Meyer (4/5 stars)
#9-Jackaby-- Willian Ritter (5/5 stars)
#10-Strands of Bronze and Gold-- Jane Nickerson (4/5 stars)
#11-The Mirk and Midnight Hour-- Jane Nickerson (5/5 stars)
#12-Half Bad--Sally Green (3/5 stars)
#13-The Strange Maid (United States of Asgard #2)-- Tessa Gratton (4/5 stars)
#14-Beowulf: Dragonslayer--Rosemary Sutcliff (4/5 stars)
#15-Crusher--Niall Leonard (2/5 stars)
#16-Madhosue (Cal and Niko #3)-- Rob Thurman (4/5 stars)
#17-Shadow and Bone (Grisha Trilogy #1)--Leigh Bardugo (5/5 stars)
#18-The Friday Society--Adrienne Kress (1/5 stars)
#19-The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson #5)--Rick Riordan (5/5 stars)
#20-King of Ithaka--Tracy Barrett (2/5 stars)
#21-Reckless (Mirrorworld #1)--Cornelia Funke (4/5 stars)
#22-The Iron Hand of Mars (M. Didius Falco #4)--Lindsey Davis (4/5 stars)
#23-North and South--Elizabeth Gaskell (5/5 stars)
#24-Knight of Shadows (Hunter of Sherwood #1)--Toby Venables (4/5 stars)
#25-The Hero's Guide of Being an Outlaw (League of Princes #3)--Christopher Healy (4/5 stars)


And here's the original list of books I posted for my original summer reading at the beginning of June so you can see how many of those I managed to read:

From the Library

Dragon Slayer: The Story of Beowuf-- Rosemary Sutcliff

Madhouse (Cal Leandros #3)-- Rob Thurman

Deathwish (Cal Leandros #4)-- Rob Thurman

Don't be Afraid of the Dark: Blackwood's Guide to Dangerous Fairies-- Guillermo Del Toro & Christopher Golden 

King of Ithaka-- Tracy Barrett

Game (Jasper Dent #2) Barry Lyga

The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co.)-- Jonathan Stroud

The Pale Assassin-- Patricia Elliott

Nightmare City-- Andrew Klaven

Far Far Away-- Tom McNeal

This Dark Endeavor-- Kenneth Oppel 

Crusher-- Niall Leonard

Simon-- Rosemary Sutcliff (This is one I have never even heard of before!)

The Friday Society-- Adreinne Kress

The Iron Hand of Mars (Falco Mysteries #4)-- Lindsey Davis

Poseidon's Gold (Falco Mysteries #5)-- Lindsey Davis

From My Bookshelf

Moonshine (Cal Leandros #2)-- Rob Thurman

Knight of Shadows (Hunter of Sherwood)-- Toby Venables. 

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)-- Marissa Meyer 

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)-- Marissa Meyer

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson #5)-- Rick Riordan 

Shadow and Bone-- Leigh Bardugo 

Reckless-- Cornelia Funke 

The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw (League of Princes #3)--Christopher Healy 

I planned to read 24 books and I read 25 so at least I got my original goal, even if I didn't read all the exact books I planned to. I did get to all the ones from my own shelf which made me happy because some of those I had had sitting there for a while.

Now onto the books I bought this month! Since it was my birthday this month, I bought some extras and won one in a giveaway for review, so here's a picture to show what I got, there's 17 in all and I have also pre-ordered a couple new releases for next month as well:

From Barns & Noble with by Birthday giftcard I got 

Grimm's Fairy Tales (The complete collection in the B&N classic which is LOVELY and illistrated and everything. I love it.)

Dracula--Bram Stoker (also in the B&N classic but the newer ones they have come out with, but it's really nice quality)

Siege and Storm (Grisha Trilogy #2)--Leigh Bardugo 

Game (Jasper Dent #2)-- Barry Lyga 

Blackout (Cal and Niko #6)--Rob Thurman

Doubletake (Cal and Niko #7)--Rob Thurman

From my Powell's order I got

Montmorency on the Rocks (Montmorency #2)--Elanore Updale (I was supposed to get a hardback but instead I got a galley copy so I'm still looking for a hardback to finish my collection. It was on .95 cents though, so I can't really complain)

The Madness Underneath (Shades of London #2) --Maureen Johnson (I never found this one at the library and I loved the first one, so I am excited to read it finally)

The Near Witch--Victoria Schwab (Liked this one a lot)

Vicious--Victoria Schwab (I loved this one too, and I have finished my collection of Victoria's books)

Inkheart (Inkheart #1)--Cornelia Funke (I had this one previously, but I recently replaced the paperbacks I had of this trilogy with hardbacks so now they are all HBs)

Outlaws of Sherwood--Robin McKinley (This is another one I read a while ago, but really liked and decided to buy finally.)

Deathwish (Cal and Niko #4)--Rob Thurman

Madhouse (Cal and Niko #3)--Rob Thurman

Slashback (Cal and Niko #8)--Rob Thurman (trying to collect all of these, I only have two left now :)

I also bought Cup of Blood (Crispin Guest #7) by Jeri Westerson from Amazon because that's the only place I could get it. It's actually a prequle and I have been looking forward to this one for a while.

And I won a copy of Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee in a Goodreads Giveaway, so I'm excited to get to that one too.

And now on to my favorite reads of the month! I was really bad about writing reviews this month so I only have two for books I really enjoyed:

Ever since Jacob Reckless was a child, he has been escaping to a hidden world through a portal in his father's abandoned study. Over the years, he has made a name for himself as a finder of enchanted items and buried secrets. He's also made many enemies and allies--most important, Fox, a beautiful shape-shifting vixen whom Jacob cares for more than he lets on.

But life in this other world is about to change. Tragedy strikes when Jacob's younger brother, Will, follows him through the portal. Brutally attacked, Will is infected with a curse that is quickly transforming him into a Goyl--a ruthless killing machine, with skin made of stone.

Jacob is prepared to fight to save his brother, but in a land built on trickery and lies, Jacob will need all the wit, courage, and reckless spirit he can summon to reverse the dark spell--before it's too late

Review:

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I always love Cornelia Funke's books, and this one was no exception. She's one of my favorite fantasy writers ever, and adding that to this being a brother story only made it better!

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes, I think it's wonderful and somewhat creepy and yet Fae looking. Definitely an eye-catcher for me.

Characters: Jacob Reckless is a flawed yet likable character. I found myself easily attached to him. He was very human, but in a good way. The reader can relate to him, and though he made some poor decisions at times, he did everything he had to to get his brother back to normal. I approve of him in that aspect and he's joining my list of Awesome Big Bros ;-) I really liked Will as well. He was quiet and sweet and his love and belief in Jacob even after his long absences was very touching. Clara was also a very likable character. I wasn't sure if she was going to be a problem later on in the story, but she's a sensible heroine, and did what she needed to. I liked her a lot, as well as Fox. I also did rather like the dwarf Valiant. Even if he's kind of one of those characters who does what's best for him, he came around in the end. The baddies weren't actually quite as bad as they could have been, but you still knew they meant business. Hentzau and Kami'en were bad but not all that scary. The Dark Fairy however, really was rather frightening and was much in the tradition of the Old World fairy queens.

The Romance: The romance isn't really a huge part of the story, even though Will and Clara's relationship and love for each other does play a part. (view spoiler) Either way, the little romance in this book was not annoying or anything.

Writing Style: As typical to Cornelia Funke's books, the writing was lovely and the world building so wonderful. I loved the illusions to all the old fairy tales, and the creatures that inhabited this world were both frightening, interesting, and sometimes cute. I loved the idea of the Goyl, I thought it was a really cool idea, and have not really read anything like it before. I really would love to say more about it, but I can't really say anything but that it's awesome and I love it! I think I will still always loveInkheart best of all Cornelia's books and her worlds, but the Mirrorworld is definitely a close second.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not applicable.

Problems/What bothered me: No problems, though I might have liked a little more backstory to begin with. The only very minor complaint I could give is that the book starts rather abruptly and jumps a lot of years between chapters one and two. But it's not hard to follow along. I also--and this is just personal preference and I have been spoiled by other stories--but I would have liked to have had more brotherly moments between Jacob and Will. A lot of times it's almost as if we're told of how much they care for each other, and partly, yes, it is their characters, but I would have liked to see more bits between them (view spoiler)But that's only a minor thing and didn't keep me from enjoying the book any less.

Conclusion: 4 stars. Really enjoyed it, though I think I will always love Inkheart best. Can't wait to read the sequel!

Recommended Audience: Cornelia Funke fans who have not read this need to, and just anyone who loves fairy tales and well crafted worlds. Girl or guy read 13 and up.

(Read this review with Spoilers on Goodreads)

England, 1191. Richard Lionheart has left the realm bankrupt and leaderless in his quest for glory. Only Prince John seems willing to fight back the tide of chaos threatening England – embodied by the traitorous ‘Hood.’

But John has a secret weapon: Guy of Gisburne, outcast, mercenary, and now knight. His first mission: to intercept the jewel-encrusted skull of John the Baptist, sent by the Templars to Philip, King of France. Gisburne’s quest takes him from the Tower of London to the hectic crusader port of Marseilles – and into increasingly bloody encounters with ‘The White Devil’: the fanatical Templar de Mercheval.

Relentlessly pursued back to England, and aided by the beautiful and secretive Mélisande, Gisburne battles his way with sword, lance and bow to a bitter confrontation at the Castel de Mercheval. But beyond it – if he survives – lies an even more unpredictable adversary.

Review:

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This is the Robin Hood retelling I have been waiting for. As soon as I heard about it I wanted to read it. It's fresh, it's fun, and it keeps the traditional adventure of Robin Hood stories but without Robin as a protagonist, who I really get tired of.

Cover--Yea or Nay: It's cool, I don't have a problem with it, but it's not the one I would pick either. For the kind of book it is, it works.

Characters: Okay, so since I watched BBC's Robin Hood series, I have had a real soft spot for Guy of Gisburne and since Robin really ended up annoying me in that series, I have kind of gotten tired of him as a character in general. The last really good Robin Hood story I have read was Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood But this one has Guy as the main character, and he's the good guy. And he was genuinely, a good fellow. He wasn't an anti-hero, he was a black knight with a white heart. I really liked him a lot. Robin Hood on the other hand was a creep and portrayed very well as a villain and a sociopathic con man (the bad, dangerous kind). He's not even portrayed like that just because you're getting Guy's POV, there's hard evidence to that fact. I'm going to warn you now, that if you have a problem with Robin being portrayed as a bad guy, you're not going to like this book. I personally liked this fresh take on his character. I thought it was very well done. Galfrid was one of my favorite characters though. He was a kind of sardonic and cynical person and made a good companion to Guy. I didn't have anything against Melisande, though I was afraid I would at first. She ended up being the good kind of strong female character. She did the job she had to, but didn't try to do Guy's as well. Tancred was actually a scary villain when you got to know him. I wasn't quite sure he wouldn't disappoint at first but I think he did pretty well. I also liked how both Richard and John were portrayed. I personally agree in full on how Richard was portrayed. And John was actually not portrayed as an idiotic milksop either, which I think it more accurate.

The Romance: Not a whole lot of romance. Guy and Melisande do share feelings for one another, which can probably be guessed, but it takes up hardly any of the story at all, and only really comes about at the end.

Writing Style: While not the most spectacular, it was engaging, and fast paced, and good for the kind of novel it was. I actually really liked how this was geared as an adventure novel so it wasn't just a slog through historical details that so many medieval books set in this era are. It wasn't the actual swashbuckling thing you would normally expect from a Robin Hood book either, thankfully (because I'm kind of tired of that, it's overdone and wouldn't have worked here) but more almost like James Bond for want of a better description. Guy was working as a retrieval expert and under cover in this one, and there was the added almost steampunk flair with the cool inventions and things he carried. All in all, I thought it was fun and a definitely different take on the Robin Hood story.

Accuracy/ Believability: Strangely, this book is classed as fantasy actually, but there wasn't really any fantasy elements apart from the cool contraptions Guy carries. It's not alternate history, there's nothing weird, but it's the kind of historical novel "true" students of history would probably would not like but I don't find they like much of any novels. Nothing jumped out at me as being inaccurate. But this is more meant to be a fun read and if it's not quite perfect, that's not the point.

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing really bothered me. There was a bit of language though scattered, and a couple moments of "adult content" but never graphic. Certainly, there was less of both than I have found in a lot of YA novels. I'll mention that there is gore for those of you who don't care for that. Typical medieval level but again, not too graphic, but I'm probably a poor judge of that. Still PG 13

Conclusion: 4 stars. I enjoyed this book a lot. it is now one of my favorite Robin Hood (or rather not Robin Hood) novels. I am excited to see where this series goes. I look forward to seeing more of Guy and Robin dueling it out.

Recommended Audience: Good guy read, but girls who like adventure and this kind of thing would also like it. If you are a fan of BBC's Robin Hood series, mainly because of Guy and are as tired of Robin as I am, this is definitely for you. Ages 18 and up.

~~~~~~

Before I end the post I thought I would show you something else I got for my birthday. Yes, I have finally gotten a bust; his name is Octavius:

Books of Note: June Reads

Well, I didn't read as many books as I wanted to get to this month due to trying to get a few writing projects finished, and then going away for a long weekend, but I did get more than I probably would have otherwise, thanks to the Sweet Summer Read A Thon I was able to take part in which was really fun.

Complete June Reads List:

Curse of the Thirteenth Fey by Jane Yolen (3 stars)
Game (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga (4 stars)
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel (4 stars)
Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer (3 stars)
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin (4 stars)
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood and Co. #1) by Jonathan Stroud (4 stars)
Moonshine (Cal Leandros #2) by Rob Thurman (4 stars)
Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer (4 stars)

Books I Bought:

I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) by Barry Lyga
Nightlife (Cal Leandros #1) by Rob Thurman
Moonshine (Cal Leandros #2) by Rob Thurman
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer
The Falconer's Knot by Mary Hoffman
The Unfortunate Son by Constance Leeds
Shelter (Mickey Bolitar #1) by Harlan Corban

Favorite Reads of the Month

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I never read Sci-Fi, but I had it on good authority that this series was good, and I love any retelling, and this one was so strange I had to give it a try, and it turned out that I was glad I did, because I ended up enjoying it very much.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I do like the cover. It pretty much makes you realize it's going to be a Cinderella retelling, but since you can see the cyborg element in the leg, you can tell it's not going to be a normal one.

Characters: I really liked Cinder right off the bat. She doesn't have an attitude, and when she gets angry, it's really for understandable reasons. Her stepmother and oldest stepsister are really horrible. I liked how she was resourceful and could take care of herself, but was also not afraid to ask for help or welcomed it when it came unexpectedly. Kai was also a great character. He was so sweet and had just the kind of character I love seeing in princes or your rulers. He was humble and yet he was also willing to do his duty and what was best for his people. There was a lot of great supporting characters too. I really didn't know how I felt about Dr. Erland until probably the very end of the book. I still think he's kind of creepy though, I never got over my initial reaction. Peony was sweet and a great little sister character. Levana, the Lunar queen was super creepy, but I loved her character. She reminded me of the classic fairy queens with her domineering attitude and her glamour. I also almost never like robot/android characters (except in Star Wars) but I did like Iko, she was adorable.

The Romance: I actually ship Cinder and Kai a lot. I love them together, and I think they are just adorable.

Writing Style: I guess there's not anything majorly special about the actual writing style itself, but the way the story is told and the world it is set it was awesome. I usually don't like future-set stories (In fact I can't even remember reading one before this) but I liked this because it didn't portray society as completely destroyed. It was more like a Star Wars setting, which is the kind of Sci-Fi I like, so I appreciated that. It seemed normal and okay, and not freaky and disturbing, is what I'm trying to say. I would not mind living in this future apart from the plague outbreak. But the descriptions were great, and I was able to visualize it all very easily. I loved how the author worked in elements of Cinderella and yet gave us a really fun twist to the original story as well. It's a pretty action-packed book, but you also get to learn a lot about the characters too, which I like. There's also bits of rather subtle humor which I always appreciate.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not applicable. But again, I liked the world building, and as far as that goes, I guess it kind of is a pretty believable future setting.

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing major, only personal preference. I hate plague books, I don't like reading them, and I hate medical experimentation. But apart from those bits, I had no problem with the book and none of it was as bad as I feared either.

Conclusion: 3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book, and I'm very glad I decided to give it a go. I think the author has something really unique here, and I hope she continues to write more of this calibre.

Recommended Audience: If you are getting tired of normal retellings, try these, because they're unique. Probably more a girl read than a guy read ages 13 and up.

Victor Frankenstein leads a charmed life. He and his twin brother, Konrad, and their beautiful cousin Elizabeth take lessons at home and spend their spare time fencing and horseback riding. Along with their friend Henry, they have explored all the hidden passageways and secret rooms of the palatial Frankenstein chateau. Except one.

The Dark Library contains ancient tomes written in strange languages and filled with forbidden knowledge. Their father makes them promise never to visit the library, but when Konrad becomes deathly ill, Victor knows he must find the book that contains the recipe for the legendary Elixir of Life.

The elixir needs only three ingredients. But impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.

Victor knows he must not fail. Yet his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and love—and how much he is willing to sacrifice.


Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I've been wanting to read this one for a while, but finally waited until I had read Frankenstein itself before I did so. I've not read a Kenneth Oppel book I didn't like, and this one was no different.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes. While it has a character on it, I really love the cover. It has a very cool gothic feel to it.

Characters: I'm one of the people who actually felt sorry for Victor and liked him inFrankenstein so I enjoyed reading a book about him when he's younger (though this is really only a few years before the original book takes place.) Victor is an interesting character, because he is a wonderful brother and a wonderful friend but he also has a jealous streak that makes him a little dark at times. In contrast, his twin brother, Konrad is the sweet one, and works well to keeping Victor on his feet. I really enjoyed their relationship, that undying loyalty that I love to see in brothers. I liked getting to see more of Elizabeth and I have always liked Henry, so while there wasn't much of him, I enjoyed having him along. Polidori was also a very interesting character (view spoiler)

The Romance: This was the only problem I had with the book. While I love Kenneth Oppel's stories, he sometimes has the penchant for introducing love triangles and this one being between Victor, Elizabeth and Konrad and I can't stand it when brothers fight over a girl, it always goes bad. It this case, it didn't play a huge role in the story, but it was still more than I liked, and the fact that whenever I wanted to shake my head at Victor the situation had something to do with Elizabeth, also made it someone intolerable.

Writing Style: As usual, Kenneth Oppel presents a wonderful adventure story with a dark, gothic feel. This is probably the darkest book I have read by him. I always love his writing. This one reads like a classic, and I loved Victor's first person narration. Everything seemed to fit the time period well and I have no complaints about that whatsoever. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes for a quick read. It actually fits pretty well with Mary Shelly's novel in style, though of course isn't exact. But I liked how it kind of gave backstory for the original and gave a reason for why Frankenstein did what he did.

Accuracy/ Believability: I really don't know much about Germany during this time period but it seemed all right to me. Anything that seemed a little fantastic, was obviously meant to be, and I liked how science was pretty much regarded how it was back then, as magic and alchemy. The things that they used and did actually made sense to me.

Problems/What bothered me: Apart from the love triangle, I didn't really have any complaints.

Conclusion: 4 stars. I enjoyed this a lot, and even though it's sad and I cried at the end, it will just be another favorite by Kenneth Oppel.

Recommended Audience: If you liked the original novel, you'll probably enjoy this. Anyone who enjoyed gothic adventure novels should try it. Girl or guy read 16 and up.

(Read this review with Spoilers on Goodreads) 

When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .

For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.

Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I always love a good ghost story, and what's better than professional ghost hunters? I thought this book had a really cool twist to the traditional ghost story and was overall a really awesome adventure with cool characters.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes! I really love the cover. While there are people on it, you can't see any definitive features and I think it works. It has a cool ghostly look to it to indicate the kind of book this is.

Characters: Lucy is the protagonist and narrator of the story and I really liked her a lot. She's a sensible heroine, she knows what she's doing and when she does make mistakes it's more in the way that people are human and not because she does it out of stupidity. In fact, usually her mistakes ended up being for the better in the long run. Lockwood was also a totally awesome character. I loved him; he's just the kind of guy character I love to read about. He was humble, somewhat quiet, and not afraid to speak his mind. He was a very mature individual and he also had an awesome fashion sense ;) George was your typical quirky member of the group, the geeky one, but he definitely stepped up to the plate when needed, and despite his shortcomings, I liked him as well. What I loved most about them was that there was no romance at all between them. They worked as partners and had a very familial relationship which was totally awesome. I'm not going to say much about a lot of the supporting characters because I don't want to give away spoilers, but I liked the supporting cast a lot too, and the baddie while not totally present was creepy even if he did monologue a little more than needed.

The Romance: None!!

Writing Style: I really loved the writing style; Lucy's narration is awesome, because she has a very dry sense of humor which I always love, and though the book never really became actually scary, at least in my opinion (but it takes a lot to creep me out) it had a really almost noir feel to it. The book is actually set in modern days, but it has the feel of a Victorian novel. In fact, I had to keep reminding myself it wasn't, even though modern technology does show up. Apart from being a ghost story this was an awesome mystery and I loved how all the seemingly unconnected bits fit together. The story itself is set in kind of an alternate version of our world; it's all the same places and everything, but for some reason in Britain, there has been an influx of ghostly activity and that's why they have to create ghost fighting companies. Since Children are able to see ghosts better than adults, they make up the most of the companies. It was all a very clever and unique idea, even if the reason for all the ghostly activity is never really explained. No one knows why in the book either, so it didn't really bother me, and is not entirely relevant to the plot, at least not in this book. It also had a very British feel to it which I loved. My only complaint, which isn't even really a complaint because it's not the author's fault at all, was that when the book was published in America they Americanized it and I HATE it when they do that. It sounds so wrong to have American words in place of British ones that should be there and it kind of took the feel away for me on occasion. I never understand why they do this anyway, it's not that hard to figure out. It will teach kids something. Kids aren't stupid, after all. I was also insulted when people spelled things out for me in books when I was a kid.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not applicable. But the ghostly lore from what I've known prior is pretty traditional; iron, salt, that sort of thing, but I loved the gadgets they used too. Very fun!

Problems/What bothered me: No problems, I enjoyed the book a lot.

Conclusion: 4 stars. This is the first book I have read by Jonathan Stroud and I can't believe I haven't read any of his books before. I really enjoyed this a lot, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Recommended Audience: If you enjoy ghost stories, this is a great one to add to your shelves. Girl or guy read 12 and up.