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.

Read-A-Thon Wrap Up

Well, yesterday was the last day of the Sweet Summer Read-A-Thon, and I decided to do a wrap up post to calculate what goals I finished that I set in the beginning!

Read 100 or more pages a day

Read a classic

Finish last month's book club read

Get some research done on the side (didn't really get to that too much, but I did a little bit of writing instead.)

Total Books Finished: 3 1/2

Total Pages Read: 1,057

I was kind of hoping to read over a thousand pages by the end, so I'm happy I met that goal too! All in all, I really had a fun time with the Read-A-Thon. It was a great start to my summer reading.

Something Old, Something New

Today's challenge in correlation to the Sweet Summer Read-A-Thon is "Something Old, Something New" hosted by The Coffee House. Basically it's just stating the first book (novel, not picture book) you remember reading and the latest you finished.

Here's mine!

Something Old: This was a hard one, but I believe that it was an abridged copy of Black Beauty. One of those that has all the pen and ink drawings in them :)

Something New: Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Just finished it last night!

Only two more days for the Sweet Summer Read-A-Thon! When I'm done I'm going to make a write up of all that I read and the challenges I accomplished :)

Until then!

Books of Note: Spring Reads Part 2

Okay, here's the late part two of my favorite reads of spring =)

All aboard for an action-packed escapade from the internationally bestselling author of Airborne and the Silverwing trilogy.

The Boundless, the greatest train ever built, is on its maiden voyage across the country, and first-class passenger Will Everett is about to embark on the adventure of his life!

When Will ends up in possession of the key to a train car containing priceless treasures, he becomes the target of sinister figures from his past.

In order to survive, Will must join a traveling circus, enlisting the aid of Mr. Dorian, the ringmaster and leader of the troupe, and Maren, a girl his age who is an expert escape artist. With villains fast on their heels, can Will and Maren reach Will's father and save The Boundless before someone winds up dead?

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: Typical of Kenneth Oppel, this is a classic adventure novel with a flair of steampunk and the fantastical. I have never read one of his books that I didn't like!

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes! I love this cover so much, I think it fits perfect with the feel of the story and I also love the eyes in the forest :)

Characters: Will Everett was a very enjoyable character to read about. I really liked him because, unlike a lot of characters in middle-grade adventure novels, he is rather shy and quiet, and quite a bit of an introvert. But watching him grow in confidence was nice to see, and I think creating a character like that is good for kids who are the same way. He was very brave and loyal and had a good sense of what was right and wrong. I also liked Maren a lot. She kind of reminds me of Kenneth Oppel's usual heroines, but I have always liked them, so I had no problem with that. She's the outgoing one, and she knows how to get a job done, and is quite capable of doing it, but she never has an attitude and when Will has to help her, she doesn't get angry about it, but accepts it as something that needs to be done. Mr. Dorian was also a very interesting character. I won't say too much about him because I don't want to spoil the story, but I did like him despite his faults. And needless to say I LOVED the circus performers. Give me a troupe of players and I'm happy. Brogan wasn't the best villain I have ever read, he was just kind of ordinary, but in this kind of book and being MG, he worked perfectly fine.

The Romance: No romance, it is a MG book, but there is, of course, a hint that perhaps in later years Will and Maren's friendship will grow into romance.

Writing Style: This book was actually a bit different in styles from Kenneth Oppel's usual writing. It's third person and present tense. I'll admit, I didn't think it flowed as well as his usual first person past tense narration, but it wasn't terrible either. It took me a little to get used to it, but it wasn't as choppy as some I have read. Because of it, I think this book just slightly lacked a little of the voice that his others, like Airborn did, but it was still awesome, and the descriptions were just as vivid and wonderful as usual. This book literally had everything I love in an adventure novel: trains, secret compartments with booby traps, traveling players, and a fine young hero. And hey, it also has sasquashes . How on earth can someone not like this book? It's like Jules Verne meets Indiana Jones.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable, the point of this book is that it's fantastical, but I love the idea of the Boundless and I think it would be totally awesome and could have happened.

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing, I loved it!

Conclusion: 5 stars. Just another awesome book by one of my favorite authors. This one ended great, but I wouldn't mind seeing more in the same world.

Recommended Audience: If you have not read one of Kenneth Oppel's books yet, what are you waiting for? If you haven't, and you liked books like Jules Verne, than this is one author you need to try. This would make a great guy read, as well as girl read, ages 12 and up.

The once highly in-demand detective Alan Knightley has just woken up after an unexplained incident kept him asleep for four years. While he was out cold, his son, Darkus, took it upon himself to read of all his dad's old cases, and he's learned a lot about the art of detection. It's a good thing too—because suddenly the duo find themselves caught up in a crazy conspiracy that involves a group of villainous masterminds (who keep appearing and then vanishing), some high-speed car chases (that will have everyone fastening their seat belts), and a national, bestselling book with the power to make people do terrible, terrible things. But because Alan is still suffering the effects of his coma, he tends to, well, fall asleep at the worst possible moments, Meaning that young Darkus might just have to solve this mystery . . . by himself.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This was a book that caught my eye the instant I saw it in the bookstore, but I still ended up getting it from the library since I've never read the author before, and, well, you never know, but I was not disappointed in this book. For the most part, it was exactly what I expected.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Love the cover. That's what caught my eye. It looks like a mystery novel and, hey, it has the London skyline on it, what's not to like.

Characters: Darkus Knightley (okay, I thought his name just made him sound like a villain, but oh well) was a really awesome protagonist. He is almost exactly how I pictured Sherlock Holmes as a teenager. He's smart, self taught mostly, though he obviously inherited his father's genes too, and he's very mature for his age, sometimes, I think, forgetting that he is only thirteen when he's trying to solve a case. Alan Knightley, his father, was an interesting character too. He was your typical obsessed man, but he also really did care about Darkus and even his ex-wife. Tilly, Darkus' stepsister, I wasn't sure I would like at first, but she never had the Attitude, and I liked her bluntness and how she just got a job done and never tried to take the head from Darkus because she thought she was smarter. She was a good partner for him. Uncle Bill was an interesting character. He's kind of quirky and unassuming, but he gets a job done. Darkus' stepfather, Clive, was an annoying character, but also amusing. No, I didn't like him, but one isn't really supposed to. My favorite supporting character was definitely Bogna, Alan's Polish secretary. She was awesome :)

The Romance: None!

Writing Style: I did like the writing style-third person past tense. It did take a while to get used to though. Mainly because sometimes it would be hard to figure out who's perspective it was coming from. Usually, the author kept it within chapter or chapter break, but sometimes it would seem like it was from one perspective and then it turned out to be in another, but that was really only in the first few chapters. Apart from that, I liked how we got to see other people's perspectives. It gave more to the story without giving anything away. It actually read like a mystery show kind of like Sherlock it had the same pacing and "cuts". Not the most fluent and beautiful of writing styles but for the kind of book it was, it worked.

The story-line itself however, was what intrigued me in the first place. It was just too weird to pass up. A book that is making people commit crimes? Very cool! And I loved the way the author brought it about. I really can't say anymore about it because it would give too much away, but I was not disappointed as I feared I might be on occasion.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable in this. The deductive skills and reasoning were sound though.

Problems/What bothered me: Apart from my few niggles about the writing style, I didn't have any problems to report. It's kind of one of those books you go along for the ride with.

Conclusion: 4 stars. I really look forward to continuing this series. I really can't wait to see what happens next. I can see this idea going many places and doing really well.

Recommended Audience: Girl or guy read 13 and up. Fans of Sherlock Holmes would enjoy this, and anyone who likes mysteries with an odd twist would also enjoy.



There are monsters among us. There always have been and there always will be. I’ve known that since I can remember, just like I’ve always known I was one ... Well, half of one, anyway.

Welcome to New York City - a troll under the Brooklyn Bridge, a boggle in Central Park, and a beautiful vampire in a penthouse on the Upper East Side. Most humans are oblivious to the preternatural nightlife around them, but Cal Leandros is only half human.

His father’s dark lineage is the stuff of nightmares – and his entire otherworldly elf race are after Cal. His half brother, Niko, gave up college to keep them on the run for four years, but now the Grendel monsters are back. And Cal is about to learn why they want him. He is the key to unleashing their hell on earth. The fate of the human world will be decided in the fight of Cal’s life..

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This was one of those books that I kind of stumbled across through Goodreads and not really because of anyone's recommendation, and I don't always go for that, but I was feeling adventurous, and frankly, I will read anything once as long as it has brothers in it, and I am so so glad I did, because I loved it. I loved Cal and Niko, and I love the writing style, and turned out not to be really what I was expecting, and that was a good thing in this case.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Meh, I like the situation of the cover, but that's not how I pictured Cal. I do think it gives a good feeling of the book.

Characters: I already said I loved Cal and Niko. See, I've already begun to refer to them as "my boys". Yes, I have a lot of "my boys" but it is still not a term lightly given. As individuals, I liked them. Cal is so snarky and yet in a good way, the way I like where he's like that because he's just a teenager and not because he has an attitude. What I loved most about him, was that so many times characters in his position are all angst, and yeah, there's a little angst, but Cal covers it up with the sarcasm, and somehow it works. Niko on the other hand is like his exact opposite. He's calm and controlled and quiet, and I really loved that about him. He reminded me a little bit of Eliot Spencer from one of my favorite tv shows Leverage but not quite with the flashpan anger ;) I think they would have gotten on well though. As brothers though--I was done. I search so hard to find books that have good brother duos, and I rarely find them. This was one of the best ever. Their dynamic as brothers was perfect in my book, just how I like to read it. Niko is an awesome older brother, he's just the right amount of stern to keep his crazy little brother in line and yes not so much that he comes across as controlling, just protective. And Cal through all his razzing which is his right as a younger sibling, never up and said he didn't want Niko to take care of him. What I loved most about them as a dynamic, was that they knew that they were all each other had, and they did not want to risk that and they would do anything for each other. Another thing I liked was that there's no resentment because of that either like there so often is between fictional siblings (like no one can do anything for the other without getting his head torn off). And oh my gosh, the best part? There was hugging. Like, actual hugging, not just a slap on the back. I was starting to think I was the only writer who believed emotional damage needs hugs. Thankfully I was proved wrong.

Okay, and now that my happy rant it over, on to the other characters. I'm honestly still not sure how I feel about Robin Goodfellow. I didn't hate him, but that's about all I can say. I think he's probably one of those characters I'll end up liking more and more as the series progresses. There were parts I really liked him, and parts I didn't so much, but that's kind of typical with his type of character. I really did like Rafferty though, and I hope we see more of him. For some reason he just reminded me of Bones from Star Trek :P

The Romance: None!

Writing Style: This was what sold be from page one. After getting this book from the library and reading the synopsis again, I thought it would probably be one I would drag my feet though, maybe not even finish, but I picked it up one night before bed to look at and ended up reading three chapters and having to stop because I had to get up in the morning. I love Cal's narration. As I said before, he's snarky and has a great dark humor, which I love to see in books like this. It made the book a lot less dark than I was expecting made for super easy reading. I'd also like to mention because I was a little unclear about this which was my main hesitation to starting the story; it might sound like demons but the baddies are actually dark elves which kind of made it easier for me to like. I loved the world Rob Thurman created in this book. For some reason supernatural creatures residing in New York is not all that unbelievable and I like how she fit them in. They were creepy too, a lot of them. I really like how Ms. Thurman incorporates a lot of literature references in her stories, and not ones you would think either. Ones like Beowulf, and even some Shakespeare and I liked that a lot. Typically, there's not a lot in the classic lore behind the beasties in this, but I kind of like that too. There are bits though, like the dark elves you can kind of trace back to the Norse mythology. Not really the same, but closer than somethings. The beasties were scary though, and I like that.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable, but, okay, I have to mention Niko's hair. I'm sorry, but I know Cal is supposed to be half elf, but seriously. How does Niko keep his long blond locks from dishevelment? The only person I've ever seen pull that off was Legolas.

Problems/What bothered me: (view spoiler)

Conclusion: 4 stars. I knocked a few points off for language and a few other things, but as far as characters, this is a five star book. I'm so excited to read more of this series. Cal and Niko just made me utterly happy :-)

Recommended Audience: Great guy read, 18 and up, I'd definitely say fans of Raven Boys and Maggie Stiefvater's books in general would like this. Not that it's exactly like hers, but it kind of had the same feel to me. 

(To read this review with spoilers, see the review on Goodreads) 

Summer Reads Challenge

Today in accordance with the Sweet Summer Read-A-Thon, Jessica at Books and Bottles is hosting a Summer Reads challenge. It's simply to make up a top ten list of your favorite summer reads that you would reccomend to others.

Now, My idea of summer reads is a bit different than most people probably think. I don't technically read a lot of "Summer Reads" since I don't read Chick Lit and I don't read a lot of contemporary and that seems to be what most "Summer Reads" are classed as. MY idea of summer reads are sea stories, adventures, cozy mysteries, and westerns, so for a different twist on traditional summer reads, here's some that I have enjoyed:

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke: This is a fantastical adventure story and I love it a lot. Not a beach read, but good for rainy days.

The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson #1): I read these last summer and they are so fun, and easy reads that they make perfect summer reading.

Treasure Island by Robert L. Stevenson: This is my book club's read for this month, and have always liked this story. Perfect adventure, and pirates make for good beach reads!

The Silver Pigs (Marcus Didius Falco #1) by Lindsey Davis: This goes into the cozy mystery category. Falco is fun to read, his sarcastic narration makes for easy reading. I'm packing a few to take to the beach with me this year.

The High Liners by Louis L'Amour: One of many books in his Sackett series, this is my favorite, but any of them would do. Summer always makes me want to read westerns.

The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1) by John Flanagan: Another fun summer series read like Percy Jackson. Good adventure, Easy reading.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman: I probably put this on all my top ten lists. It's one of my favorites. Great adventure, I've read it so many times, and it never gets old!

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel: Another great adventure with sky pirates and shipwrecks and all that good stuff. Another one of my favorite books.

Dealing With Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #1) by Patricia C. Wrede: If you want a fun fantasy book, this is definitely a great series. I always recommend it highly.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (League of Princes #1) by Christopher Healy: Another funny and enjoyable fantasy/retelling series.

Let me know what some of your favorite summer reads are!

Spell It Out Challenge

Today's challnge is corelation with the Sweet Summer Read-A-Thon is "Spell it Out" hosted by Hannah at The Book Tower. The rules are either pick your name or your blog name and spell it out with book titles. It doesn't say they have to be on your shelf, but that what I'm going to do anyway since I have them all right in front of me :P

Here we go!

C-inder by Marissa Meyer
H-and of Dinotopia by Allan Dean Foster
A-rchived (the) by Victoria Schwab
R-eckless by Cornelia Funke
A-llies and Assassins by Justin Sompter
C-alling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
T-hief Lord (the) by Cornelia Funke
E-ntwined by Heather Dixon
R-edwall by Brian Jacques

P-rincess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
U-nbound (the) by Victoria Schwab
R-ob Roy by Sir Walter Scott
G-reat Expectations by Charles Dickens
A-irborn by Kenneth Oppel
T-o Tame a Land by Louis L'Amour
O-utcast by Rosemary Sutcliff
R-aven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Y-oung Montrose (the) by Nigel Tranter

Rainbow Spines

Here's today's additional challenge for the Sweet Summer Read-A-Thon called Rainbow Spines which is hosted by Sofi at The Rainbow Bookshelf. You simply take a picture of books on your shelf that have covers in this order of color: Black, purple/violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and white.

Here's mine!