tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51018280050674328102024-03-21T01:16:16.577-04:00I Read That Once...Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-30649371054960002182014-01-16T12:50:00.001-05:002014-01-16T12:50:38.903-05:00I want to talk about Cassandra Clare...<div style="text-align: center;">
Okay, so some of you might be fans of <i>The Mortal Instrument</i> series by Cassandra Clare, and her <i>Infernal Devices</i> series that exists in the same fictional world she's built. Recently, she announced several other series that exist, yet again, in the same world populated by the Shadowhunters and all the other goodies that Miss Clare apparently spent a crap load of time building and designing.</div>
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If you are aware of her fandom, you might also be aware of the fact that her fans are starting to get buggy concerning her need to write series after series in the same exact world. She simply changes characters or time periods, then writes with the same world-building she has been relying on since <i>City of Bones</i> first came out into the YA industry. </div>
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(Series set in the world of the Shadowhunters...</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/54144-the-infernal-devices" target="_blank">The Infernal Devices</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/44457-the-mortal-instruments" target="_blank">The Mortal Instruments</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/92965-the-bane-chronicles" target="_blank">The Bane Chronicles</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/76298-the-dark-artifices" target="_blank">The Dark Artifices</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/104049-tlh" target="_blank">TLH Series</a><br />
and a shit load more, but I got sick of looking...)</div>
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These fans are really, really annoyed. They just want her to stop. They want her to write something, anything, different. (It appears she has, actually. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/104048-magisterium" target="_blank">According to Goodreads</a>.)</div>
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So I've been thinking about this situation, mostly because I have nothing better to do with my time. I've looked at this from a readers point of view, from the writers point of view, and from the eyes of a person who really enjoys the challenge, and hopefully the reward, of world-building. And I say this, <b>who the feck cares?</b></div>
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I personally have no problems with her writing a series in the same world as her current books. It just doesn't piss me off like it does some people. I don't know if it's because I haven't read all of her currently published books or what, but I just can't get mad at her. I love her world building, and her witty writing, and (so far) it hasn't annoyed me.</div>
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What does annoy me are people who need to add reviews on Goodreads for books not yet released to complain about this. To each their own opinion, I know, but I just see it from <i>everyone</i>. Yes, we know, a lot of people aren't thrilled about it. No need to tell me with a bunch of cleverly placed gifs. Maybe if one or two people had mentioned it, instead of a couple of dozen, I wouldn't be annoyed. As far as people going bat crap crazy over this bookish revelation, here are the fecks I give...</div>
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Oh, look, there <i>are none...</i> (And see, I can use pretty gifs, too.)</div>
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I completely respect everyone's decision to be upset with Miss Clare, and their desire to tell everyone, in every possible, even visual, fashion. I just want to say that I, and I'm sure some other people, are going to buy these books, read them, probably enjoy them, and I'm not going to pop a blood vessel over something that hasn't even been published/given a title/given a real synopsis/received a cover yet.</div>
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Rant over, I'm going back to reading. Love you all.</div>
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-91467502957254335262014-01-15T02:03:00.002-05:002014-01-15T02:03:40.656-05:00I now have a Kindle (and my thoughts on e-books)...<div style="text-align: center;">
I have a Kindle! (Yay?)</div>
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When e-books and e-readers started becoming really popular I dug my heels in. I'm an old-fashioned sort of gal, and I don't like when technology creeps up and snatches something away, something I thought was beautiful without techies having to get their hands on it. I wrote posts about my love for actual, tangible books. I didn't have a hate for them, I just didn't want to convert right away and toss my love for physical pages out the window.</div>
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But this Christmas my family surprised me with a Kindle. I was, oddly, extremely excited. I think I downloaded several dozen (free) books on it before Christmas morning had ended. Okay, I was in love with the idea that I could tote around any number of classics in my bag. And then I named my Kindle Aloysius and once you name something you want to keep it, right?</div>
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I thought of the pros and cons of having an e-reader <i>before</i> I got the Kindle, so I thought I'd do the same now that I have one.</div>
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<b>Pros:</b></div>
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It is nice to have the kindle in my pocket and have any number of books on it. Recently, I started <i>David Copperfeild</i> but my copy weighed a <b>ton</b>. I didn't take it anywhere because it just wouldn't... fit in any of my bags, and I felt like I was taking a brick anywhere. So I read my hard copy at home, and I have a copy on my Kindle to read while I'm out. I think this is a good time to mention I can get a lot of free books for my Kindle, as well. A lot of them are classics, but I know Amazon offers some Kindle books for free if you keep a look out for them.</div>
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The Kindle is just fun. It's easy to take out, go straight to a book, move to another book you have downloaded, and of course there are the apps. (I downloaded the Goodreads app RIGHTaway.) Plus, for those of you who are super creative otherwise, like I am with writing, it's great to keep your ideas organized.</div>
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But the Kindle will never replace the real books...</div>
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<b>Cons:</b></div>
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It's a device. It runs out of power, the screen gets smudgy, there's glare, etc... It's not a book. I don't like the way it feels in my hands, at all, and if I can't get the book for free I just don't want to buy it as an ebook. I don't like purchasing something I can't just hold in my hands, something that is floating in some suspicious "cloud."</div>
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I find it easier to actually buy books and not ebooks. I just love the way they feel in my hands. Honestly, when I think about it, the only good thing about the kindle is that I've gotten enough free books that, in a way, it's paid for itself. But I never had to charge books, my books never alerted me with obnoxious alerts, and I wasn't attacked with Candy Crush Crap. It's like reading on a damn phone, it's pretty impossible to block out the world. And then there are the little things I miss about books. I'm more afraid of dropping my Kindle in the water if I want to read in the tub.</div>
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Kindles are kind of high maintenance. They're not romantic in the idea books are at all. Really, I treat it like a tablet, not an e-reader.</div>
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This weekend I went to the bookstore to spend a gift card. While there, I saw tons of people just loading up on books. And no line at the Nook desk. I was so happy. I felt that, despite having e-readers, we were still going to buy real books.</div>
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And books just smell awesome...</div>
<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-39780473525125392372014-01-14T21:23:00.000-05:002014-01-14T21:23:58.035-05:00Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11768487-angelfall" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1309552237m/11768487.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11768487-angelfall">Angelfall</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4890182.Susan_Ee">Susan Ee</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/315434964">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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How I got it: I own a copy, and shall never part from it... <br />
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This book is absolutely amazing. When I first started it I was really apprehensive. So many people have recommended this to me and the reviews have been uber-positive. I really wanted to like this one, especially since the premise sounded amazing. So without further ado, my review...<br />
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I loved the characters. A lot of times in Young Adult lit, you can't rely on the characters or the writing. They don't feel or sound believable, and often times I hate the female characters who are written as whiny, spineless bitches. But not in this case. I loved Penryn, her attitude, her strength, and I found it entirely believable.<br />
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The story line was a lot of fun. At first I thought a lull was coming. I held my breath, anticipating a disappointment, but there was none. Without giving anything away, let me just say the author is probably the only person who could have pulled this plot off. By the end I was sure that no other story teller could have done such a good job.<br />
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Honestly, most of this book was me preparing to wince, and then being more than pleasantly surprised at how situations were handled. Face it, if you read this book, there are countless areas the author could have buried herself in. But she didn't. Holy shit she was spot on at ever possible turn.<br />
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I don't know how to write this review without gushing, so I'll just say this. Everything was so authentic, so believable, from the writing to the dialogue, that it was just an absolute thrill ride and pleasure to read. Absolute favorite. </blockquote>
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-12978189532504795882014-01-14T00:27:00.001-05:002014-01-14T00:27:23.472-05:00Review: Wings by Aprilynne Pike<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5056084-wings" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Wings (Wings, #1)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327983077m/5056084.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5056084-wings">Wings</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2096360.Aprilynne_Pike">Aprilynne Pike</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/601490003">3 of 5 stars</a> How I got it: I own a copy...<br />
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Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful; too beautiful for words.<br />
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Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.<br />
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In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever. </blockquote>
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<strong>3.5 Rating...</strong><br />
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Okay, so when I finished this book I didn't know how I felt about it. There are some massive pros and cons that I would love to get into, but then I just hard a hard enough time deciding if I liked it or not. I decided to let it mellow in my head for a wee bit, and as time wore on, for some dumb reason, I actually started to enjoy it. But not love it.<br />
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The writing is probably my biggest pet peeve. It wasn't very well developed. Some chapters were completely unnecessary, the dialogue was wobbly, and there was just this odd sensation of the author rushing through important parts. She'd drop a sentence to cover one complex action. I don't know if I was reading it too fast (I read pretty fast), but a couple of times I was sure the author had made a slight error in where characters were standing, etc... Plus, a few odd plot questions I had...<br />
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I had a hard time getting to believe her characters, especially the main character, which is the last thing I ever want to experience in a book. Eventually, and by some miracle, things began to pick up in the book and for the characters and, tada, I didn't hate them anymore. I really want to remark on the authors attempt, and fairly good job, at re-writing fae lore.<br />
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By the end of the story I was having fun. It wasn't edge of my seat, hold me breath, can't put it down even for a moment fun, but it was fun. I liked the witticism that the book came with, and how, with time, it grew on me a little more. When I finished it I didn't hate it the way I was sure I would. And a small aprt of me is actually interested in reading the rest of the series.<br />
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So yeah, it was... fun, :)<br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-44787718881246999762014-01-06T22:54:00.002-05:002014-01-06T22:54:58.287-05:00Top Ten Resolutions, Bookish and Not-So-Bookish<b><i>Hey Gang! Thanks for stopping by. After checking out my TTT, please look to your right and consider checking out my challenge. I'd love to have some company, and make new friends along the way. Thank you, and as always, happy reading!</i></b><br />
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Top ten Resolutions for 2014? This is intimidating, as I've completely ignored my resolutions list so far this year. NOT a good thing. Maybe proclaiming it to all of you lovely people will help me keep the promises to myself? I doubt it, but let's see, eh?<br />
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1. Read a lot more than I did last year. I didn't read as much as I usually do, which sucks, but I had a nutty year. This year I'm starting out well, focusing myself on certain books, and being a tad more selfish. Sometimes I would put other things in front of my greatest pastime, and I can't anymore.<br />
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2. Read books I'm afraid of reading. Sometimes, for some reason, I can't push myself to read a book. Lots of times I find out that book is fantastic and it becomes a favorite, but I'm always hesitant. Dunno why.<br />
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3. Buy more books. I used to buy books ALL the time when I was younger, but I didn't read them as fast. So for a few years I have been completely holding back on book purchases, and I'm running low!<br />
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4. Get more bookish or writing friends. I had an incident with a now ex-friend when I was told reading was my social handicap. Wha...? And I don't have many friends who like to write, so it would be nice to find a few more to swap some creative ideas with.<br />
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5. Write more! I love to write, but lately I've been lazy. I can feel it. Other creative people will know what I'm talking about when I say that when I'm not writing, I get kinda depressed.<br />
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6. Not related to bookish things, but I'm hoping to have a couple adventures this year. I do every year, and I look forward to them, no matter how small they are, :)<br />
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7. Try new things. I need to be more brave about trying new foods and starting new hobbies. I'm actually hoping that I get to eat a termite this year. I guess they taste like peanuts? No idea where I'm going to get one, yet...<br />
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8. Be healthier. I had a good stride of being super healthy over the summer. Then the fall came and I was like, "Ohhhh, cookies and stuff..." Now I need to go back to being a veggie monster.<br />
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9. Let go of things that bothered me last year and made me twitch.<br />
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10. Do awesome stuff. Just really awesome stuff. Be fearless, and have fun, and try new things, and meet knew people, and take chances. Life is more fun that way!<br />
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Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-88671883411176396372014-01-03T13:29:00.002-05:002014-01-03T14:05:07.864-05:00Review: The Lightening Theif by Rick Riordan<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361038385m/28187.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief">The Lightning Thief</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15872.Rick_Riordan">Rick Riordan</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/809648416">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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How I got it: I won a copy. <br />
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Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.<br />
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Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves. </blockquote>
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Okay, I want to take a moment to talk about why I liked this book. Because, clearly, by the time I’d finished reading it, the book had grown on me. It was fun and cute in the way that Harry Potter series started. It also had a few creative, endearing qualities that made me smile, or fine the writer witty. I think the secret to me enjoying this book was finally coming to terms with the intended audience. I have a difficult time reading these books, because someone always comes along and tells me, “Well it was written for twelve year olds…” and then I want to argue back that the book should have substance regardless of its audience, but oh well…<br />
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Riordan was pretty creative translating Greek mythology into a modern dialogue. He did a fine job at most of his characters. I think that the main characters were very well driven, with a few exceptions. I actually didn’t like Grover. He wasn’t funny, beyond a point-and-laugh factor that didn’t amuse me half of the time anyway.) Percy was very commendable, even though it took me a while at first to get attached to him. My other favorite character involved the gods themselves, because I could feel Riordan’s mature writing bleeding through as he wrote scenes that demanded a powerful tone and stronger characterization.<br />
I only had two pet peeves that I absolutely refuse to get over. One, there were a few massive clichés. Ares has a motorcycle? Really? It seemed like poor, lazy characterization. And his children being hateful and detestable was unfortunate. I think the general idea was, “let’s throw these kids into a camp, give them across the board stereotypes according to which god they belong to, and make it seem completely understandable, but we won’t do it to the main characters.” There was just too many literalisms being tossed around that I thought Riordan was missing the part about being creative and just fell back on clichés.<br />
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Second, and I cannot stress this one enough… does NOBODY want to talk about the fact this camp is filled with children from gods who are just going down to earth and making babies with whoever they came across? Some of these kids are in the same age range. I just wanted to scream at the lot of them, “Your parents don’t love you, you are all the products of lust and one night stands.” I had a hard time coping with that many children from one god, and no one at least one mentioning it bothered them that they were just one among several kids born to their mother/father. Maybe it wouldn’t stand out to me so much if just one kid said, “I don’t feel unique, I don’t loved, and I hate being generalized and looked over.”<br />
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In the end, I looked over these problems and looked forward to them being resolved in later books, if they ever are. I think the fact I found the book fun was the reason I read it with such gusto, and why I want to read the rest of the series. I wonder, though, if it will get better with time. I have a feeling that the author’s voice matures with every book, and within every book. I really hope I’m right, because I could learn to love this series if it does.<br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-7476615242967480262013-12-31T01:05:00.001-05:002013-12-31T01:18:03.058-05:00Fall In Love With YA Challenge!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_pqVr99oF0qyX1-tcAcNt0UQFi7sNGBcDwfC4hA7KEV2dm0TWAeHpgQKVpbbjqKFuBr4wneW6ee5G6fn5_PSZP9AMKaxq5stxlW_GyCrJgkVg0aqDWv9A-QNyAKQr4hC5ot89PcRjamX/s1600/readingchallenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_pqVr99oF0qyX1-tcAcNt0UQFi7sNGBcDwfC4hA7KEV2dm0TWAeHpgQKVpbbjqKFuBr4wneW6ee5G6fn5_PSZP9AMKaxq5stxlW_GyCrJgkVg0aqDWv9A-QNyAKQr4hC5ot89PcRjamX/s320/readingchallenge.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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When I found YA fiction I fell in love. I honestly missed that part of my childhood. When I was 10 I went from children's fiction to adult fiction and the classics. I'm devastated I never got hold of the YA genre! However, when I did, it was love at first sight.<br />
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Unfortunately, I fell out of touch with the genre, and at the rate some books are published, I felt left behind. In 2013 I didn't read as much as usual do to sudden health issues, so my YA love suffered all the more. Now that the new year is on it's way, I made a promise to get back to reading, and to get back to reading a genre I miss having on my TBR pile.<br />
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This challenge might not be very specific, compared to some challenges I've seen, but it's simple and effective. I really hope you join in with me.<br />
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<b>Rules</b><br />
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<b>~ </b>The challenge will run from <b>January 1, 2013</b> to <b>December 31, 2013</b>. I will put a post up at the end of every month for you to add your reviews. While you <b>do not</b> have to review publicly, you will in order to enter the giveaways... but more on that later, ;)</div>
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<b>~</b> Books that count must be <b>YA fiction</b>. Check out <b>Goodreads </b>for more information, or just go to your local book shop and find the appropriate section. They must be full length, for older teens (so no children's fiction, please!), and </div>
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<b>~ </b>Yes, the following <b>counts</b>: re-reads, ebooks, arcs, stand alones, and series. Just <b>needs to be YA.</b></div>
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<b>How to Join</b></div>
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~ If you want to join the challenge please <b>make a post on your blog or at least link this button</b> so that others can follow back to this page and join the challenge. (Check it out on your right!)<br />
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~ Post below as a comment to announce you are joining and <b>leave a link to your challenge acceptance post!</b></div>
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~ While you do not need a blog, please <b>link your review</b>s to the monthly posts so that you can be included in the giveaways and general count.</div>
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~ <b>Join whenever!</b> I will conclude sign-ups only next December, so that the final giveaway prize can be for those who joined the challenge honestly.</div>
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~ <b>Following my blog</b> will make it easier to stay in touch.</div>
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<b>Giveaways</b></div>
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~ Yes, there will be <b>giveaways!</b> Some will be announced, others will be surprises for those who posted their reviews. The only way to win is to <b>participate!</b></div>
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<b>Levels...</b></div>
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Level One - <b>Just Met - </b>0-5</div>
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Level Two - <b>Best Friends</b> - 6-10</div>
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Level Three - <b>Love At First Sight - </b>11-15</div>
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Level Four - <b>True Love - </b>16-20</div>
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Level Five - <b>Soul Mates - </b>20+</div>
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I <b>really</b><i> </i>hope you join in! This is all about falling back in love with YA fiction, or being reminded of why the genre means so much to us. There will be posts, guest reviews, giveaways, and more! I hope to see you soon!</div>
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-48434658436517355022013-12-30T22:10:00.001-05:002013-12-30T22:10:48.189-05:00Top Ten Books of 2013<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ptBj2Kb5F0ifLj69rPPoYjubY1-wXCxCNxjHINjr0z5eSuLAalhpIBbAvwWhF_ylmvQvH4qCpzOTjkwniMGR7tDvrbk0YQbvnI6JkAWS6SmOG5kslkqhGoknRvrTrwahJ7DtSX4bpjdd/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">I've been gone this year because it has been a crazy year! With a medical scare I'm still battling, work and school stress, I'm just so glad that 2013 is heading out the door. I promise to be a better blogger, and hopefully I'll be starting a NEW blog to showcase some crafty talents of mine and additional adventures. Fingers crossed!<br />
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This TTT features the top ten books I read of 2013. This seams easy!<br />
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1. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/601254.Wuthering_Heights" target="_blank"><i>Wuthering Height</i>s</a> by Emily Bronte - Oh please, if you've not read this book, go out and read it. When I read <i>Jane Eyre</i> I remember being scoffed at by friends, friends who claimed they loved the classics, and being told the Bronte sisters are over-rated. <i>Excuse me?</i> No. This is such a heartbreaking, masterful story. Just read it no matter your taste in literature!<br />
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2. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/344262.Bloodfever" target="_blank">Bloodfever</a></i> by Karen Marie Moning - I know some of you are adults, or more mature readers, who still want to have fun reading in the paranormal genre. I was so happy when I was introduced to these books. They're just what I needed when I wanted to step out of the YA fiction just a LITTLE bit and see what else was around.<br />
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3.<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9712.Love_in_the_Time_of_Cholera" target="_blank"> Love in the Time of Cholera</a></i> by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - I know this is a favoritve for many. After being introduced to Marquez by a professor, she lent me her copy of this little gem. This book has so many feels.<br />
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4. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17159011-white-fire" target="_blank">White Fire</a></i> by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - So, if you know me, you know I love these authors. Their latest book came out this November and I devoured it. If you like thrillers, I suggest reading their <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39033.Still_Life_With_Crows" target="_blank">Still Life with Crows</a> </i>first.<br />
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5. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/531989.Drown" target="_blank">Drown </a></i>by Junot Diaz - Many people are aware of Diaz with his acclaimed novel <i>The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao</i>, but few know that this piece of fiction came first. Just as good as <i>Oscar!</i><br />
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I'm looking forward to seeing all of you in the coming year! Love to all my readers, new and old!<br />
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Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-37034430602249058032013-04-27T21:06:00.000-04:002013-04-28T12:59:05.236-04:00Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/760.Memories_of_My_Melancholy_Whores" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Memories of My Melancholy Whores" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327484658m/760.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/760.Memories_of_My_Melancholy_Whores">Memories of My Melancholy Whores</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13450.Gabriel_Garc_a_M_rquez">Gabriel García Márquez</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/597036464">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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How I got it: Borrowed from a professor.<br />
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"The year I turned ninety, I wanted to give myself the gift of a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin." So begins Memories of My Melancholy Whores, and it becomes even more unlikely as the novel unfolds. This slim volume contains the story of the sad life of an unnamed, only slightly talented Colombian journalist and teacher, never married, never in love, living in the crumbling family manse. He calls Rosa Cabarcas, madame of the city's most successful brothel, to seek her assistance. Rosa tells him his wish is impossible--and then calls right back to say that she has found the perfect girl.</blockquote>
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Take a part of society that is usually frowned upon. And when I mean frowned upon, I mean it’s a FELONY in the United States. Like, oh, I don’t know, murder or child sex-abuse. These are pretty serious issues, right? Well, Mr. Marquez is really taking a casual approach to being a pedophile in his latest novel, published several years ago. While I usually love his work, this one left me feeling a little lost and scratching around for the moral of the story.<br />
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If you click on the book and read all about it on Goodreads, I’m sure you’ll see what I mean. A 90 year-old man can’t decide what else to give himself on his birthday except an adolescent virgin. Apparently a movie in town or quiet night at home just didn’t tickle his fancy. But instead of sleeping with her he quickly falls madly in love with her while she snores away in the bed beside him at the local brothel. What follows is a fairly short, but still head-tilting, narrative of what an old man does with his time after falling madly in love with a child.<br />
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Aside from the obvious “holy-crap-he’s-a-creepy-old-man,” this was not one of my favorite books by Marquez, writer of books such as Love in the Time of Cholera and Chronicle of a Death Foretold. His characters bothered me, which usually isn’t the case, and the story line was awkward and bumpy.<br />
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However, I shouldn’t say that no one should read this. If you appreciate his other works, or just have a place in your heart for Latin-American fiction, you shouldn’t detest it so much. Plus, the length means you can get through it in one sitting rather than pop a vein over a week.<br />
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Marquez is still one of my favorite writers. It’s sad to hear that he’s currently battling some medical issues, and I hope that this won’t be his final book. If so, I hope that future readers will turn to his earlier works first and love them for what they are.<br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-84992048395099074242013-01-20T00:51:00.000-05:002013-01-20T00:51:34.936-05:00Review: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/344262.Bloodfever" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Bloodfever (Fever, #2)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1302566396m/344262.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/344262.Bloodfever">Bloodfever</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/48206.Karen_Marie_Moning">Karen Marie Moning</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/357774042">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
How I got it: I own the entire series now, :) Author love...<br />
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I used to be your average, everyday girl but all that changed one night in Dublin when I saw my first Fae, and got dragged into a world of deadly immortals and ancient secrets. . . .<br />
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In her fight to stay alive, MacKayla must find the Sinsar Dubh—a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over the worlds of both the Fae and Man. Pursued by assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she can’t trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and powerful men: V’lane, the immortal Fae Prince, and Jericho Barrons, a man as irresistible as he is dangerous.</blockquote>
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For centuries the shadowy realm of the Fae has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down, and Mac is the only thing that stands between them.<br /><br />
So happens the second in the Fever series by one of my new favorite authors, Karen Marie Moning. This book was a great addition and twist to the first, and I think a personal improvement for the author. The plot is such; Mac is a young girl from the states who is trying to solve her sister's murder in Dublin, Ireland, and afterwards enact revenge on whoever was responsible. The paranormal catch is Fae, both dark and light, who are responsible for not only the death of her sister but also some unspeakable evil that has plagued the human world for all time. (Spicey, I know). The cast of players also includes V'lane, a Seelie Prince who is determined to sleep with her, and Barrons, an arrogant bastard and my clear favorite. It is unclear who is on the same side as Mac or if they even have sides at all.<br />
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First to the writing... I believe this is Moning's first attempt at a series that is not heavily romance, which I applaud her for. She has a wonderful writing voice, and I think her only setback is her tendency to laden the plot and characters with characteristics found in a romance. For example, her main character Mac is a little prissy and too pink for the book's taste, if you ask me, and Moning can't just break her down into being a heroine rather than a Southern Belle who gets her panties in a twist if her nail polish isn't right. Otherwise I really love her writing, the book is written in first person and the language really runs nicely with the plot. <br />
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I love the world-building. I'm not sure exactly what is original and what is not, at times. This is my first fae series so I can't distinguish between Moning's creativity and what she has borrowed from already established lore. Regardless it's all very rich and I've really enjoyed how structured it is and how well it compliments her characters. Her characters are a lot of fun as well. Mac gets on my nerves still, but she's a lot more tolerable in this book than she was in the first. Maybe I'm not a very forgiving reader?<br />
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I think this book would do well with readers who are interested in the subject or have already been swimming around in some YA paranormal series and want to dip their toes into something more adult. This is a "no fluff attached" series, so tread carefully. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series and more of her writing. This is a definite read for people who love the paranormal genre and want to discover a new series.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/914340-rebecca-anderson">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<img align="right" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-61010894087211950872013-01-07T23:57:00.001-05:002013-01-07T23:57:17.734-05:00Top Ten Tuesday: Reading Resolutions for 2013!<i><br />
</i> <i>(Lots of books on your shelves, not many of them read? Need to read though that pile of books before buying new ones? Don't feel guilty, feel glad I have a challenge for that! <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2013/01/hello-im-still-here-challenge.html" target="_blank">Click here to go to my "Hello, I'm still here..." challenge</a> to check it out and sign up. Thank you, now onto my scheduled broadcast...)</i><br />
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Top ten reading resolutions for the new year? I think you've been sneaking a look at my diary, you clever bunch, o.0 Well I love resolutions. I have them every year, for lots of things, and I actually keep them. I've never failed, so reading shouldn't be anything different, right? Here are top ten resolutions and bookish promises I've made for myself for 2013.<br />
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1. Read much more than I did last year. Last year was a horrible year for me and I didn't get much done. Not a lot of reading went on and I really fell behind. I promise to fix this!<br />
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2. Step out of my comfort zone. I tend to stay safe with the same genre, authors, and so on for some reason. I don't want to keep doing this because I want to find new favorites. Time to step out of the box, I think!<br />
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3. Stop judging books! I know, this is HORRIBLE of me to do, but sometimes a hype of a new book actually makes me cringe more than it does interest me. I try to avoid books that have too many fans because I'm afraid they're being driven by the fandom and not good writing. I have been proven wrong so many times...<br />
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4. Get a variety into my system. No more over-dosing on thrillers or young adult. Keep everything lively and fresh!<br />
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5. Be a better reader, read more, in more places, and don't waste time. I bring a book with me everywhere I go, but I don't always take advantage of the car ride (when I'm not driving...) or the boring moments where readage is very much so needed. Fixing now!<br />
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6. Learn stuff... stuff is a little broad, but my favorite books have always been the ones that taught me something about another culture, group of people, another history. I vow to learn something from everything I read.<br />
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7. Interact with more bookish people. Reading is only part of the fun, the other part is just being a complete reading nerd, and that's a blast when you're doing it with other people.<br />
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8. Don't be afraid to read anything, anything at all. This happens to me sometimes. I'm just a little weary of subject matters, or terrified that a book will make me cry. No more, I say!<br />
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9. Finish series' that I don't want to because I can't stand it when they end. I can always go back and re-read them, that's the beauty of it.<br />
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10. Be a happy reader. I love to laugh, smile, and fall in love with books and characters. I vow to do this in 2013, otherwise what sort of reader would I be?<br />
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So what about YOU? Let me know in your comments, :)</div>
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-15305740309246320352013-01-07T16:58:00.000-05:002013-01-07T16:58:18.724-05:00"Hello, I'm still here..." ChallengeAt the beginning of the new reading year, with my last having been a mess, I wanted nothing more than to start off 2013 as a much more organized reader! I had lost track of all the books and reading goals I had made for myself when 2012 had started, with the move, illnesses, and personal events. I had no idea what was on my shelves, really, and I'd even completely forgotten about series' and authors that I'd fallen in love with in the past. So armed with my laptop, my book collection, and a lot of patience, I started making a list.<br />
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I found that a lot of the books on my shelves were calling out, "Hello, I'm still here! You forgot all about me!" Or some books were just dead silent because I don't remember why I bought them in the first place. So I boxed up some to be donated, gave others away to good homes, and then made a master list of books that I owned but hadn't read yet.<br />
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The magic number came out to be 79. There are 79 books on my shelves at this very moment that I have not had the pleasure of reading. How sad is that? I feel guilty for buying them and sticking them in their place on my shelves. I don't remember some of them and others I wanted to crack open right there and drink up. I knew I had to do something so that this number was reduced.<br />
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This year I challenged myself to read 100 books. I have also decided that at least 50 need to be from my own shelves. AND I've put myself on a "book diet" of how many books I can buy.<br />
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I'm excited about this challenge because not only is it possible, but it needs to be done! I made this challenge for myself but I want to open it to all of you. I also want to make it fun, so here's how I'll run it...<br />
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First, organize all of the books on your shelves and make a master list of books you own, have not read, but need to read. This does not include books that you have no intention of reading and that you're going to be getting rid of.<br />
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Give yourself a goal, like half your books or a number, then portion this out. So perhaps you want to read five of the books you own before investing in a new purchase. Or maybe your list is smaller than mine (good for you!) and you can alternate between new books and already owned books.<br />
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Make a post on your blog or keep track of it here on this post. (If volume increases I will gladly put up a page!) At the end of every month give us the names of the books you read and your progress for the challenge.<br />
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If lots of people join and I have an impressive number of awesome people reading their hearts out I will hold monthly giveaways for the participants! That's right, every month your name could be in the running for free books, gift cards, or other bookish swag.<br />
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I hope more people will join me in being responsible readers! It's a New Year's resolution I'm looking forward to keeping.<br />
<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-16736054988758201722013-01-04T16:02:00.002-05:002013-01-04T16:02:54.510-05:00Is your blog hosting a challenge?January is not only the time for resolutions of life, but also of reading! Many blogs, and readers, feature reading challenges to help break up the year with new authors, genres, or series. Let's be honest, though, they're everywhere, and sometimes it's hard to keep track of which ones are floating around. I, for one, started my morning with perusing the bloggish corner of the internet for a couple of challenges for me to flex my reading muscle at. What did I find? Lots of confusion, and not really any direction...<br />
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So with the challenges I found I was wondering which ones I had missed. Sometimes, jumping from one blog to the next, you jump over another dozen. So to my faithful readers...<br />
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If you, a friend, or a blog you follow is hosting a challenge, please let me know! (And everyone else, for that matter...) Comment below with a quick hello, description about the challenge, and a link to the <i>original </i> challenge page. I, and others, will visit and check out your challenge and might even join!<br />
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Honorable, sexy mentions (those I have joined, or those I would have joined if I were a smidgen more the brave) will appear on an upcoming post. And any I joined will appear on my challenges page.<br />
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Thank you all in advance, and happy reading! <3 p="p"><br />
<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></3>Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-12731257756533054182012-12-29T21:14:00.001-05:002012-12-29T21:14:19.823-05:002012, I hardly knew you...This time last year, 2011, I looked forward onto the coming year with much anticipation and excitement. I told people that 2012 was going to by MY year, a year where my life fell into place, took another step in the familiar level of awesome I have become accustomed to, and a yeah I would never forget. I might not never forget it yet, but I will regret it. Emotionally and physically this has easily been one of the worst years in my life.<br />
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I apologize that my blog fell away for some time, but there are no doubts that those followers who have stayed with me will understand. I can proudly say that I am back, there is a stack of books to be read, and I am more optimistic than ever. I have plenty of ideas and I can't wait to share them all with you, of course! So here is to a happy 2013, MY year.<br />
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Happy reading to all, and to all a good book, :)<br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-45675146740982774942012-08-16T23:35:00.000-04:002012-08-16T23:35:35.122-04:00The Last Days of Freedom Giveaway Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzm59B4mn1mTs9G0PK3FC78e4M4mnPxh4HAPaDGDj4aMbWNZ78xvIkiag4_iaQ5ddp7QXoBSA8Y7LsGV2H8mE3n1w4BkRBcu1gXL1m8cgqZs1i1Oy7E2dTG_n4T3oAFvrN1CMR7snbcmp0/s1600/last+days+of+freedom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzm59B4mn1mTs9G0PK3FC78e4M4mnPxh4HAPaDGDj4aMbWNZ78xvIkiag4_iaQ5ddp7QXoBSA8Y7LsGV2H8mE3n1w4BkRBcu1gXL1m8cgqZs1i1Oy7E2dTG_n4T3oAFvrN1CMR7snbcmp0/s320/last+days+of+freedom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanks to Kathy of <a href="http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/07/last-days-of-freedom-giveaway-hop.html" target="_blank">I am a Reader, Not a Writer</a>, for this wonderful hop!<br />
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Freedom. Hm... I don't know, I rather like school. Okay, so I go to university where I get to sit around for hours and get high off of my favorite subjects, but it's still the fall and it's still going back. However, my giveaway won't be here to gift some novels for a last "hurrah" of the summer, but to rather welcome in the next season and start our fall reading plans anew.<br />
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I will be giving one lucky winner the chance to win ONE of the following books, their choice. Both books have been in my collection for some time, and while they show some signs of being read, are still in sexy condition.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1829709.The_Final_Warning" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1344270750l/1829709.jpg" width="220" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1.Harry_Potter_and_the_Half_Blood_Prince" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327625845l/1.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
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~ All I ask in return is that you follow me. My giveaways reward my followers, and I'd love to have you on board the Becca Cruise as well.<br />
~ Only for the United States. Sorry, international people, I love ya, but you live too far away for my budget!<br />
~ Must be 13 years old or older.<br />
~ Read the rest of my rule goodies on my policy page.<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><i>To Enter...</i></span><br />
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Check out the sexy rafflecopter widget down below...<br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2aaafd3/" id="rc-2aaafd3" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script><br />
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And hey, don't forget to check out the other blogs!<br />
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<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=155172" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-47373195772134545192012-08-06T23:30:00.000-04:002012-08-06T23:31:23.894-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: Some of my best reviews!<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ptBj2Kb5F0ifLj69rPPoYjubY1-wXCxCNxjHINjr0z5eSuLAalhpIBbAvwWhF_ylmvQvH4qCpzOTjkwniMGR7tDvrbk0YQbvnI6JkAWS6SmOG5kslkqhGoknRvrTrwahJ7DtSX4bpjdd/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a><br />
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This week's top ten is ten posts on my blog which I feel showcase me. Blah, sorry guys, but this sounds boring and I think all of my posts sound like me because I bloody wrote them all. So, in true Becca fashion, obviously, I'm going to tweak this to my liking and give you my ten most favorite reviews that I have posted on my blog since I started.<br />
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Happy reading!<br />
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1. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-hunger-games-by-suzanne-collins.html" target="_blank">The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins</a><br />
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2. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2012/07/city-of-bones-by-cassandra-clare.html" target="_blank">City of Bones by Cassandra Clare</a><br />
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3. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-hush-hush-by-becca-fitzpatrick.html" target="_blank">Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick</a><br />
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4. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-twilight-bt-stephenie-meyer.html" target="_blank">Twilight by Stephanie Meyer</a><br />
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5. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-forrest-of-hands-and-teeth-by.html" target="_blank">The Forrest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan</a><br />
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6. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-all-these-things-ive-done-by.html" target="_blank">All These Things I've Done by by Gabreielle Zevin</a><br />
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7. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2012/07/darkfever-by-karen-marie-moning-my.html" target="_blank">Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning</a><br />
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8. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-radleys-by-matt-haig.html" target="_blank">The Radley's by Matt Haig</a><br />
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9. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-catching-fire-by-suzanne-collins.html" target="_blank">Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins</a><br />
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10. <a href="http://ireadthatonce.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-jane-eyre-by-charlotte.html" target="_blank">Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte</a><br />
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So this list has a bit of everything, but they're some of my best reviews or reviews I was most proud of. So check them out, freshen up the comment section, and then give me some love here!<br />
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Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-47131295011169327132012-08-03T17:09:00.001-04:002012-08-03T17:09:15.582-04:00Why are so many bookstores dying?I am a happy subscriber to <a href="http://www.shelf-awareness.com/" target="_blank">Shelf Awareness</a>, a newsletter that arrives in my e-mail daily showcasing upcoming titles, their authors, and articles in the bookish world. While perusing today's edition I noticed that, yet again, another bookstore is closing. Shelf Awareness seems to have a collection of articles that have the same, depressing theme. Book stores that have been in business for decades, with a following of customers and a reputation in their towns or cities, are shutting their doors.<br />
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I live in a small town and I can count three bookstores that are within an hour's drive of me. One recently opened, another has to rely on sales of other items to survive, and the other is barely scraping by, and only doing so, because their in a slightly larger town. I have discussed this with a lot of people, and they have all wanted to blame this problem on e-books and people just expressing an aversion to reading. But after some reflection I want to disagree, and suggest that there might be another, more widespread reason.<br />
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There are literally thousands of venues that sell books in the United States. I, as a reader, can go to a large chain store, a locally owned business, or even a used book store to get my books. The problem is that there are too many choices, and that some of them are much more appealing than most.<br />
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For instance, the used bookstore five minutes from my house is the size of a public bathroom. Maybe even smaller. And no, I'm not kidding you. While her prices are fair her space is cramped and her selection is still limited. In time she might expand, but until then I could refrain from returning for a month or more and still find the same titles there as last time. Other used bookstores are either so out of the way that going there is a special trip in it's own right, or their prices just aren't worth going.<br />
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Privately owned bookstores are wonderful, but they are privately owned. I guarantee that most gift cards purchased during the holidays are not from small business. Also, I have never gone into a privately owned shop to see prices that are below the cover price. I'm not completely against private businesses, I'd love to support them, but I'm sure that a lot of my readers are just like me in saying money isn't always limitless.<br />
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Chain stores are sometimes the best option. Gift-cards, reward programs, discounts, etc... I know that I can go to my Barnes and Noble, get nearly any book I desire, receive a discount, and walk away satisfied. Not to mention their online services...<br />
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Still, the best option has become online retailers. With Amazon and The Book Depository, to name a few, offering cheap books, used books, and free shipping, I can't go wrong. Often I'll save up twenty-five dollars, do a little shopping on Amazon, and a few days later I have a stack of books arriving on my doorstep. You can't go anywhere and get that sort of quality and quantity unless you hit up one good used book place that has an amazing selection.<br />
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I suppose I'm not saying there is an alternative to actual books, but I'm saying there are too many options to choose from, and as savvy book buyers, we want the option that is in our favor. I also want to put my foot down and say, no, we can't keep blaming others or the e-book game when a local store goes down.<br />
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Do any of you have a preference?<br />
Where do you buy your books?<br />
What's the selection like where you live?<br />
What do you think?<br />
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Happy reading!<br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-74997479941223582342012-07-31T00:08:00.000-04:002012-07-31T01:05:13.511-04:00Top Ten Characters I'd Trade Places with for 24hrs<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ptBj2Kb5F0ifLj69rPPoYjubY1-wXCxCNxjHINjr0z5eSuLAalhpIBbAvwWhF_ylmvQvH4qCpzOTjkwniMGR7tDvrbk0YQbvnI6JkAWS6SmOG5kslkqhGoknRvrTrwahJ7DtSX4bpjdd/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a><br />
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So what characters would I want to trade places with for 24hrs? Well isn't that a massive list. Books are loads of fun and the idea of reading them is to "escape" some. So I'm sure all of us have just wanted to be there at some point to live in the books...<br />
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1. Ginny Weasley - Okay, who doesn't want to be in J.K.' s world? I don't care who it is, I just want to live there. Ginny specifically because I loved her character and who wouldn't want that awesome family, hm? [<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3.Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone" target="_blank">Harry Potter</a>]<br />
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2. Clary Fray - I fell in love with Cassandra Clare's series, and her main character had so much to do with it. I would love to be in her shoes, near-death-experiences and all, because of the vivid world and characters that surround Clary. [<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256683.City_of_Bones" target="_blank">City of Bones</a>]<br />
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3. Jane Eyre - I love how powerful Jane's character is in this book. Plus, the mystery and the ability to break boundaries? (Not to mention some free time to read when the little French girl isn't around?) Sold. Plus there's Mr. Rochester, xD [<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9715309-jane-eyre" target="_blank">Jane Eyre</a>]<br />
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4. Mac Lane - She is such a brilliant character when she's not being a superficial barbie. I love how she gets sucked into this amazing world, has this power she seems to be willing to embrace, and she gets to run around with the cute guy. [<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6863668-darkfever" target="_blank">Darkfever</a>]<br />
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And, for extra points, here are two characters I would not want to switch places with.<br />
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5. Bella Swan - Okay, so she gets some hot guy. That doesn't even begin to make it worth it. She's the most annoying person, if I had to be her for thirty seconds I'd probably swallow rat poison. There is just so much wrong with her. [<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41865.Twilight" target="_blank">Twilight</a>]<br />
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6. Katniss Everdeen - Um, love her character, and love the books, but I would never make it in the games. I would die some miserable death or fall out of a tree or something... [<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7285601-the-hunger-games" target="_blank">The Hunger Games</a>]<br />
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So a little short, this week, but otherwise I'd have to go hunting and these are my quick answers from the heart!<br />
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What about you guys?!</div>
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</div>Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-21577458516666780882012-07-29T18:40:00.000-04:002012-07-29T18:40:42.831-04:00Caring for used booksIf you’re anything like me, you think used books are amazing and perfect for your budget. If you’re anything like some of my friends, you’re afraid to have used books in your home because “you don’t know where they’ve been.”<br />
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Either way, sometimes we find used books in our homes either from online, local stores, or from friends. Sometimes, either for the book or your own sake, these books need a little attention and care before you stick them on your shelves and step away. In my amateur years of working with used books I thought I’d just write an article on some ideas to help my readers, and more importantly those friends of mine who seriously need to get over their phobia.<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><i>Damage to Pages and Covers</i></span><br />
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Once a cover, page, or spine is creased, it sort of stays that way. The best you can do is to keep it flat and be wary of the pages so they don’t bend again. When putting the book on your shelf, try not to shove it in precarious spots and give it some goot support on either side.<br />
Dog-eared pages… it’s like a dirty word to me. I hate when I get a book and the pages have been dog-eared. This is something else you can’t really fix, but it you avoid folding it or catching it while reading you’ll at least take a lot of the bend out of the page and it should flatten out somewhat.<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><i>Library Copies</i></span><br />
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Library markings are the worse. Sometimes I wish books that I can’t see, i.e. books I’ve bought online, were better advertised as library books. I sometimes can’t believe the abuse a book goes through just being a library book.<br />
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Markings are usually permanent. Unless they are in pencil, which you can erase, they’re staying there. However, I once purchased a book I wanted as a collection and I wanted desperately to remove the library markings. I don’t know if this was a good idea, even though it worked, but I took some fine sandpaper and eventually was able to fade the markings around the edges of the pages.<br />
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There are a lot of products on the market for getting rid of goo, and in this case library goo. A lot of libraries still have the silly pocket in the front. (My library prints off a ticket and sticks it in the pages. No goo, no mess.) “Goo removers” will help you take off things like these pockets without damaging the pages.<br />
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Dust covers are alright… when they’re in good condition. I keep them on when I want to protect the book and when I think the dust cover isn’t so awful it takes away from the look of the book. If the dust cover is a little dirty, a damp cloth or mild cleaning supply, such as a glass cleaner, should clear the plastic up well. Minor tares and rips, if they don’t turn you off so horribly, can be fixed with tape. If the dust jacket is in very bad condition, you can replace it. Some places online offer dust-jackets for sale. Or, if you’re like me, just ditch the dust-cover and take good care of the book. Honestly, I don’t use them if I don’t need them, since they’re mine now and not going to people’s houses all the time.<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><i>Smelly Books</i></span><br />
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I am not the only person who shoves their noses into their books. Some books just smell amazing… but then there are some books that make me nauseas just reading them. For example, I recently received a copy of a book that smelled something akin to tobacco and mold, so I didn’t feel too excited to sit there and devour pages.<br />
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Baking soda in a zip-lock bag, along with your book, can eliminate odors that have become a part of the book. If you still feel your book has a lingering smell of something bad, then you can afterwards put your book in another bag with a mild air freshener.<br />
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Sometimes the smell is an indication of mold or mildew, which really must be eradicated. Air your book out and clean the covers and other sensible pages with a cloth and some solution. All books, old or new, paperbacks and hardcovers, even books that you have had in your collection for years are at risk for this. Remember that books should always be in a cool, dry place, and that keeping a close eye on your collection is the first step in prevention.<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><i>Other Marks</i></span><br />
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Pencil marks are really easy to get rid of. Just use a gentile eraser, such as a rubber one, so not to harm the paper. Pencil marks are common from previous owners, and some places like to pencil in their prices on the inside pages.<br />
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Stickers can be fickly. It all depends on the type of sticker, the strength of the glue, and what the sticker is attached to. Some stickers are easy to remove, because they’re on a sturdy cover, and you can peel the sticker off without damaging the cover at all. Always use a little rubbing alcohol to help ease the sticker away. Some stickers are just… stuck there, and need some TLC and patience. Some can be terribly stubborn. There are still even more stickers on the inside of the cover, like barcodes or “please don’t steal me” sensors that I would say remove at your own discretion. Sometimes they can be easy, other times there’s no point.<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><i>Notes</i></span></div>
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Sometimes it’s just not worth it to remove a mark. If it was meant to be permanent, it usually is. Consider if they trouble to go through with removing the mark, or whatever the case, compared to what it might do to the book. You might want to remove that sticker or that library mark, but you might severely damage the book in the process<br />
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When buying books online, pay close attention to the sellers rating and details. The more details the better, don’t take risks. I’d rather pay a little more for a book when I know what’s up with a condition than otherwise. Also, sometimes you can be surprised with a good condition of a book. Recently I purchased a book that was listed as borderline acceptable, but it turned out to be a library copy in very good condition that I was surprised.<br />
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This article is more for those people who buy a stack of used books for a cheap price and just want to give them some love. There are much more in depth articles out there for people who buy the expensive books and want to treat them like adopted children.<br />
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I hope this has given you a little confidence in used books. They really are sexy and forgetting about their awesome is unfortunate. Of course, the best think you can do for a used book is to read it!<br />
My list is admittedly amateur, but if you have anything to add please let us know. Maybe you do something different when a used book comes into your house, like celebrate, or hose it down with hand sanitizer.<br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-34328873646291334062012-07-23T23:23:00.004-04:002012-07-23T23:23:48.895-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: Vivid Worlds and Settings<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ptBj2Kb5F0ifLj69rPPoYjubY1-wXCxCNxjHINjr0z5eSuLAalhpIBbAvwWhF_ylmvQvH4qCpzOTjkwniMGR7tDvrbk0YQbvnI6JkAWS6SmOG5kslkqhGoknRvrTrwahJ7DtSX4bpjdd/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a><br />
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I don't think it's something we as readers will argue about; when we dive in to lose ourselves in books, sexy as heck worlds and settings are what make us keep going back. We don't want to read a book where the world just... bores us. So here I present ten of my favorite settings that draw me to read the books just as much as the plot and characters do...</div>
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1. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256683.City_of_Bones" target="_blank">City of Bones</a> by Cassandra Clare - I think this is going to be on a lot of lists. How can it not? Clare's settings are just epic. Her writing paired with the setting she has created is just so gorgeous and in depth, and it works, that it's just swoon worthy...</div>
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2. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6863668-darkfever" target="_blank">Darkfever</a> by Karen Marie Moning - Considered urban fantasy, I just read this book and I was surprised at the setting that the writer could create in a city that many people can relate to. It's almost like she put another layer over a city that changes it completely.</div>
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3. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7285601-the-hunger-games" target="_blank">The Hunger Games</a> by Suzanne Collins - Put the characters anyplace else and these books wouldn't be as dramatic and popular as they are today. The world, while beautifully macabre, is really the foundation for her writing and is part of the emotion that hits us when we read this series.</div>
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4.<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3.Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone" target="_blank"> Harry Potter</a> by J. K. Rowling - Oh you wonderful, wonderful author, you. I know, this is really echoing back to "ol' school" young adult, but these books were sort of the gateway to many young people reading. I grew up with these books and these books were where thousands, if not millions, of young people would have given anything to live in.</div>
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5. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77020.The_Eyre_Affair" target="_blank">Thursday Next</a> by Jasper Fforde - These books are not read as much as they should be. They revolve around and in books. It's a book about books. They're also witty and hilarious, and they've made this list just because who wouldn't want to dine into a book with a world revolving around books?</div>
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6. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1254951.The_Luxe" target="_blank">The Lux</a> by Anna Godbersen - I'm going to address all of her books, here. I have a love-hate relationship with this writer. Her plots have always gnawed on me, but I read because her historical romances are so details, and her research is spot on, that you just feel like you're already there.</div>
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7. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9858517-all-these-things-i-ve-done" target="_blank">All These Things I've Done</a> by Gabrielle Zevin - This book's setting was not only lots of fun but it carried a twist on an influential period of American History. The prohibition, which outlawed the production and consumption of alcohol, is bought back to life in this book, only instead the law prohibits chocolate and coffee. Horrible, horrible...</div>
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8. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/423182.The_Giver" target="_blank">The Giver</a> by Lois Lowry - When I was young and the YA market wasn't as booming as it is now, at least in my opinion, this book was one of the first dystopians that my generation read. The world is striking, and I feel this was really one of the first books that led to the boom in young adult books that we're all just falling in love with now.</div>
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9. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219760.A_Great_and_Terrible_Beauty" target="_blank">A Great and Terrible Beauty</a> by Libba Bray - I can't wait to read the rest of this series. What a fun world and just a really interesting premise. This is another book that really relies on a great setting for a foundation to the plot.</div>
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10. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5907.The_Hobbit" target="_blank">The Hobbit</a> by J. R. R. Tolkien - This is an honorable mention. When I was little and when I didn't really have a lot of friends and just sat in the corner reading, this was one of the first books I ever read. It was my first adventure.</div>
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What about you all? Any tasty worlds you love?</div>
<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></div>
Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-35263473239524576472012-07-22T21:19:00.001-04:002012-07-22T21:19:59.013-04:00Review: Witch and Wizard by James Patterson<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6387565-witch-and-wizard" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Witch and Wizard (Witch & Wizard, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1245083022m/6387565.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6387565-witch-and-wizard">Witch and Wizard</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3780.James_Patterson">James Patterson</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/142631677">1 of 5 stars</a><br />
How I got it: Library, thank goodness...<br />
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EVERYTHING. CHANGES. NOW.<br />
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Imagine you wake up and the world around you-life as you know it-has changed in an instant. That's what has happened to Whit Allgood and his sister, Whisty. They went to sleep as normal teenagers, and woke up as wanted criminals. Accused of holding incredible powers they'd never dreamed possible. And now, just how different they are-special, even-if just beginning to be revealed in a strange new world.</blockquote>
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I have never been a fan of James Patterson's young adult novels, if he really writes them. Sorry, Jimmy, one day I'll pick up a piece of your adult fiction and we'll see where it goes from there, but as far as I'm concerned your YA novels sound like they were written via a twelve year old little girl and somehow, for some reason, you put your name on them.<br />
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Witch and Wizard is this sudden, desperate attempt to harness all the 'good' elements of today's bestselling young adult novels and put them into one book. I really can't stand it. The two main characters, children, suddenly lose their parents when they are arrested, and each find out that they are a witch and wizard. Then off they go on this heroic quest to free their parents and save the world.<br />
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First of all, JP's writing is disgusting. I don't know if he thinks it's 'dumbed-down' for younger readers, but it's just insulting how childish his style and prose is. I'm not buying it, all I have is wincing, shuddering, and surpressing the gag-reflex when I delve into this book. The pacing is just awful, there's nothing original about this book or anything of impressive depth. I just find myself cringing at every moment I had to endure the lifeless characters and the pointless plot.<br />
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And is it just me, or was this book a huge Harry Potter rip off? I stopped myself too many times to count at the similarities, that all I can say is that this is the biggest knock-off I could have ever had the displeasure of reading. JP had his version of wands, Tom Riddle's diary, Muggles and Death Eaters, and a lot, lot more that I can't believe this even got past an editor. If I had been his editor I would have shoved this book up the nether regions and kicked him out of my office for even bringing that crap near me.<br />
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You just fail, JP. You just FAIL.<br />
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The good thing about his books are that I can read them in like.. an hour and then continue on with my life. The sad part is, I can't even finish the book going, "Oh my gosh, what's going to happen next?!" because I honestly don't care. It's not that I hate the characters that much (because believe me, I do), it's really that his plot and character development was SO bad that I couldn't even care about the characters enough to not want them to die.<br />
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JP, you have the same issues in this book as you do with others. I'm speaking of the Max Ride series, people. The plot was strewn about, nothing was believable, there was just nothing that stopped me and made me go, "You know what? Holy. Crap."<br />
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('cept in a bad way)<br />
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So no, I didn't like it. There is my very un-English Major, but from the heart, review. I don't know how you're doing it, Jimmy. I really, really don't.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/914340-rebecca-anderson">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-3971298002858436772012-07-19T21:41:00.000-04:002012-07-19T21:41:36.957-04:00City of Bones by Cassandra Clare<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256683.City_of_Bones" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309277410m/256683.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256683.City_of_Bones">City of Bones</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150038.Cassandra_Clare">Cassandra Clare</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/205832035">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
How I Got it: Own a copy, :)<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?</span><br />
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This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . </span></blockquote>
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First of all, if you saw this book on my currently-reading shelf for a while, that is not because I did not enjoy the book, rather this was part of crazy time in which reading was almost impossibly for me.<br />
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So let’s talk about this book. First of all I can’t talk enough about how fun this book was to read. I love laughing out loud when I read something and I love characters who are generally witty and adorable. This book had both, so even in those few minutes a day when I could sneak in a few pages I was rewarded.<br />
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The book is modern fantasy and follows a young girl ‘waking up’ into the world she’d been made to forget. Miss Clare pulls in a lot of classic fantasy ingredients, putting a fine spin on them all and adding some new ideas into the mix. Everything she added felt natural, as well. I wasn’t reading about characters in a setting that reminded me of a square peg in a round hole.<br />
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Clare has a unique writing style that is sometimes simple yet effective, and other times surprisingly intricate. I was really pleased to see that she could really bring out all the stops when it came to writing this novel, and instead didn’t keep it going at the general pace she’d started it as.<br />
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Her plot twists were interesting, in a way that I liked them. Usually if something happens in a YA novel, it’s the same old sh*t, different title. Hers were pretty fun, and I enjoyed finding them because I knew they’d be unique.<span style="display: none;">[ I was proud of her for making one of her characters gay. I personally will not go into my views on the matter, but it’s nice to see a young adult author willing to address it.<br />
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Not to mention who the main fella turns out to be. I don’t know if I like who Jace is or not. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see what happens, but right now the idea of him being that gal’s sister hasn’t really resolved itself yet. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5101828005067432810" onclick="hideSpoiler(this)" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer;">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span><br />
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There are, of course, things I didn’t quite understand. First of all some of the twists sit heavy on me and I’m still wondering how she’s going to address them. At times her writing style is a little too simple, to where I feel like she didn’t get a fair chance to edit a certain section before it was published. Also, some of the characters I felt I was supposed to have natural, negative feelings towards just because that was the author’s intention, and t hen their personalities would change or other’s opinions of them would switch around, and I was a little confused as to how that could happen so quickly.<br />
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This is a really fun book for readers of all ages. If you like to have fun and laugh, dig right into this one. It’s a series, which I love, so I can’t wait to read the next ones. The world-building was enjoyable, the writing very nice, and the character memorable. I am super looking forward to reading the rest of the series, and I understand she has written another series similar to the world she created for this one. I am happy she has become so prolific, but at the same time I hope that she keeps the quality of her writing and the wonderful characters and world she h as already created.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/914340-rebecca-anderson">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-44885988521027341642012-07-18T22:33:00.000-04:002012-07-18T23:46:56.953-04:00Review: The Radleys by Matt Haig<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7989160-the-radleys" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Radleys" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1271413639m/7989160.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7989160-the-radleys">The Radleys</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/76360.Matt_Haig">Matt Haig</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/368731007">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
How I got it: Own, won from a giveaway.<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Meet the Radleys</span><br />
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Peter, Helen and their teenage children, Clara and Rowan, live in an English town. They are an everyday family, averagely dysfunctional, averagely content. But as their children have yet to find out, the Radleys have a devastating secret</span><br />
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From one of Britain’s finest young novelists comes a razor-sharp unpicking of adulthood and family life. In this moving, thrilling and extraordinary portrait of one unusual family, The Radleys asks what we grow into when we grow up, and explores what we gain – and lose – when we deny our appetites.</span></blockquote>
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White picket fence and the works. Mom attends book club. SUV in the driveway. Kids go to the public school. Invite the neighbors over for dinner. Dad’s a respectable doctor. Blending into the typical and expected middle-class village where if you don’t act normal you stick out in a way you never, never wanted. Meet the Radley’s, who are precisely this level of normal middle-class family that you really don’t expect anything from.<br />
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It turns out, however, that Peter and Helen Radley are vampires, along with their two children, who they’ve kept in the dark for their entire lives. They’re considered abstainers, vampires who forgo drinking blood and live monotonous lives in order to become “better people” and avoid trouble. This is all well and good until their daughter, Clara, rips a boy to pieces and it’s finally time to break the news to the kids.<br />
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Before going any further, this book won where Twilight failed. This book is a wonderful narrative of modern vampires surviving in large human populations, how they cope, how they act, their own underground world that the rest of society never sees. It was just plain interesting, craft, and witty. The vampires seemed so much more “real” than in most novels I’ve read. They weren’t overly romanticized or developed to be these characters that 13 year old girls were meant to fall in love with.<br />
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The world building was fun. There was a new vocab introduced in this book that was unique to it’s own, and whenever something more was introduced it was so smooth that I didn’t feel the rude plot speed-bump that let me know I had to grow accustomed to something that I really didn’t want to.<br />
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The plot was believable and his writing and dialogue were very real. I don’t read many books where it doesn’t seem overly fanaticized to me.<br />
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I loved the characters. Rowan, the teenage son, and Clara, his little sister would be the average teenagers, if they didn’t have to bathe in SPF 90 sun block. You can see how their parents just suffer trying to live normal lives when they remember ecstasy filled evenings, flying to Paris to rock out at underground vampire clubs.<br />
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I’m kinda disappointed that this book is a stand alone. Not that I particularly want the characters to be stretched out over another painful book, but I think Haig can successfully work another book out of this if he’s smart about it. Maybe it was just the world-building and how he handled the subject.<br />
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The one thing that bothered me enough to take away a star was his trying to write this book too much like a Desperate Housewives episode. I really couldn’t care less who wanted the affair and who was finally getting sex from their husband. I understand his intentions and by the last few chapters I can see how this was beneficial, but I can’t help but wonder, “Hey, could you have done this… ya know, differently?”<br />
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Anyway, if I could read more books like this where I didn’t want to slaughter the main character or I wasn’t being dealt pretty boy vampires, I’d be a much happier reader.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/914340-rebecca-anderson">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-85510954788474316762012-07-16T23:48:00.001-04:002012-07-16T23:49:59.702-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books of the Year!<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ptBj2Kb5F0ifLj69rPPoYjubY1-wXCxCNxjHINjr0z5eSuLAalhpIBbAvwWhF_ylmvQvH4qCpzOTjkwniMGR7tDvrbk0YQbvnI6JkAWS6SmOG5kslkqhGoknRvrTrwahJ7DtSX4bpjdd/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a><br />
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So the last top ten I did is rather similar to this weeks, only books instead of authors. So I've decided to take over this week's top ten and do something else, sort of like a freebie, since I missed it last week. Crazy, crazy, crazy!<br />
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So this week I'm doing my top ten favorite books of the year so far, and books I would suggest to my fellow readers.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Young Adult much?</span></b><br />
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1. <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6148028-catching-fire" target="_blank">Catching Fire</a> by Suzanne Collins - When I sat down to read this book I thought, "How can Collins write something as awesome as the first book? That book was so damn sexy..." Well she can very easily write a sexy sequel as well.</span><br />
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2. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11315231-city-of-bones" target="_blank">City of Bones</a> by Cassandra Clare - Along with the rest of the series, this is one of my favs in the Young Adult Genre. These books are so witty, so funny, and wonderfully thought out.<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6339664-hush-hush" target="_blank">Hush, Hush</a> by Becca Fitzpatrick - I enjoyed this book because it was different than what I was reading before. Angels, and strong heroines, and a nice twist in the end. A great start to a promising series!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Not wanting the norm?</span></b><br />
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4. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6863668-darkfever" target="_blank">Darkfever</a> by Karen Marie Moning - This was recommended to me by a friend, so I dove in, intrigued by it being referred to as urban fantasy. This is a great series centered around fae, which is a semi-forgotten subject. Lots of fun!<br />
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5. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/337130.Neverwhere" target="_blank">Neverwhere</a> by Neil Gaiman - When I wrote my review for this, I mentioned it was one of those books everybody means to read but very few people actually read. This really is a great book, and the feel of it is pretty unique.<br />
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6. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11007668-the-third-gate" target="_blank">The Third Gate</a> by Lincoln Child - I know I have some followers out there that, aside from their usual reading, like to read something different every once and awhile. Something that makes their geek stand on end and something that keeps them guessing. LOVE this book.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Want to see it from their eyes?</span></b><br />
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7. <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12990108-mud-sweat-and-tears" target="_blank">Mud, Sweat, and Tears: The Autobiography</a> by Bear Grylls - One of my favorites, ever, I really though i'd be sitting down to read more of what makes Bear tick and what gives him the idea to eat things that </span><span style="background-color: white;">crawl</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and slither on his hit show. What I got was a </span><span style="background-color: white;">surprise</span><span style="background-color: white;">, a really </span><span style="background-color: white;">inspiring</span><span style="background-color: white;"> book, and a look at a </span><span style="background-color: white;">survivalist</span><span style="background-color: white;"> I only thought I knew.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">LOL</span></b></span><br />
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8. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/285985.The_Hitchhiker_s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy" target="_blank">The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</a> by Douglas Adams - This book was really for the laughs. It was something to cozy up with on a cold, wet day, and to jump into expecting a lot of fluff and humor.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Back to the Classics</span></b><br />
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9. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9715309-jane-eyre" target="_blank">Jane Eyre</a> by Charlotte Bronte - Picture Pride and Prejudice... only more <span style="background-color: white;">Gothic, mysterious, dark, and with character that have so much emotional energy they're about to burst...</span><br />
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10. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/608474.The_Sign_of_Four" target="_blank">The Sign of Four</a> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Holmes is everywhere today. He's coming out on DVD, he's got modern twisty shows out, and he's gaining fans from a whole new generation. Read where it all began.<br />
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Happy reading!<br />
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</div>Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5101828005067432810.post-27139020670020564222012-07-14T22:55:00.003-04:002012-07-18T23:08:12.064-04:00Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6863668-darkfever" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Darkfever (Fever, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1321391069m/6863668.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6863668-darkfever">Darkfever</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/48206.Karen_Marie_Moning">Karen Marie Moning</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/331818872">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
How I got it: Borrowed it from a friend, but want my own copy now!<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When MacKayla's sister was murdered, she left a single clue to her death - a cryptic message on Mac's cel phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Ma is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed - a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysteriou Jericho...while at the same time, the ruthless V'lane - an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women - closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: to find the elusive </span><em style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Sinsar Dubh</em><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book - because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control both worlds in their hands....</span></blockquote>
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My mother upon seeing the book on my desk: “Is that a sex book?”<br />
Me, as I look: “What? No.”<br />
Mother: “It says moaning.”<br />
Me, staring: “No, it says Moning. That’s the author’s last name.”<br />
Mother: “Oh…” Pauses. “It still looks like a sex book.”<br />
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Sex book it is, my dear friends, at least a little bit. Karen Marie Moning, a resident romance writer, steps out of her box, so she claims, to create a urban fantasy series that has readers, this one included, itching to read more.<br />
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Mac, the main character of the novel, flies to the grand city of Dublin after the murder of her sister, when city police run out of leads and drop the investigation. While picking up the pieces of her sister’s last weeks alive, she discovers what she truly is, and what might have lead her sister to her death; she’s a sidhe seer, a person who can see the fae. Soon she discovers the mysterious, and gorgeous, Jericho Barrons. Although they can’t seem to stand each other’s company, they need each other. She needs his expertise in the fae world to close the case of her sister’s murder. He needs her ability to sense the fae to find a long sought after dark book.<br />
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Ah, yes, this book is lots of fun. Along with the great world building, and the witty and fast paced writing, Moning’s plot keeps the characters rolling. Barrons is just this sexy beast that you want to glomp, and cheer on when he has his frequent and high spirited comments towards the main character. He has to be one of my favorite male main characters of my reading so far this year. He’s mysterious, crafty, hot, and he owns a book shop. How is that not exactly what readers like us desire?<br />
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The main character herself is something to be desired…<br />
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This book almost caught four stars because of the author’s writing around the main character. Moning is a romance writer, but this book is by far not a bodice-ripper. This is urban fantasy, and she should have stuck with that when she started down that road. I imagine that partway through this book Moning had this sort of conversation with herself, “Wow, look at this plot. Damn, look at these characters! I have something going here, urban fantasy, I think. But I usually don’t write this… What should I do? Run with it and have fun? Nah, I’ll shove some crap in there because I just can’t help myself.”<br />
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Not only was she trying to push sex driven scenes, but she was also trying to turn the main character into something she’s not. I’ll be blunt, Mac is nothing but a superficial Barbie. When I thought she should be trying to catch her sister’s killer and save the world, she was worrying about her favorite nail polish being discontinued. And I have never, ever, in my life read a character that was nothing more than a skank towards herself. I don’t know if Moning just couldn’t handle writing first person, but in several places Mac had to go off on a rant about how she looked AND how perky her boobs were and how all the other boys just wanted her. Really? She wasted so much time describing her outfit for the day instead of the other characters, the setting, etc… It set my teeth on edge.<br />
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I have been promised, however, that Mac becomes a kick arse heroine by the end of the series, and that book two is much better. I did see something of a transformation in her, but I still must shake my head at Moning and ask her how daft she could have possibly been.<br />
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But this is something of a sex book, like I said, only… erm, not the usual sex. V’lane, a death by sex fae prince, can apparently just walk up to her and send her over the edge. You heard right, poor Mac gets laid without even getting touched. (Poor thing.) But aside from the inhuman man whore, there was such a variety of evil, grotesque looking fae that it was like being on some hellish, fictional safari. Fun, fun!<br />
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I am really, really excited to read the next book. I have fallen in love with most of the characters and all of them have promised to be loads of fun in the future. I love the plot, and the intricate details of the plot promises the rest of the series will be just as awesome.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/914340-rebecca-anderson">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<img align="RIGHT" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/166/DCBAFE5C32B3E7E1CF7B19543E774530.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />Becca A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11142425697063892170noreply@blogger.com0