Review: This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers Published: 2012, St. Martin's Griffin Genre: Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic, Contemporary Source: Library book Goodreads · Amazon · Barnes & Noble Waiting around to be saved is like waiting to die and I have done more of both than anyone else in the room. I have an announcement to make: I have read my first ever zombie novel! And I've found...

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Persuasion Read Along #3

END (chapters 19-end) Here we go, the final part! Once again, this read along is part of Austen in August, hosted by The Book Rat. What was your initial reaction to Persuasion as a whole? Did you connect with Anne as a heroine, and Wentworth as a hero?  I felt very satisfied as I finished reading the book. It took me a while, but I do feel like I connected with both Anne and Wentworth. I think both of them had built up such high walls that it was difficult even for me as the reader to...

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Top Ten Bookish Confessions

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by the bloggers of The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is supposed to be my top ten bookish confessions. And it is, but it also kind of turned into a list of confessions about my bookish annoyances.  I absolutely hate it when the spine breaks on paperback books. For me, books have a greater value when they don't look all worn and used. All of my trade/pocket-size paperbacks tend to look brand new even if they've been read...

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In My Mailbox #5

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It's a great way for book bloggers to showcase books and other literary things they've received over the past week. This week was a good one for me!  For review: Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft (Audrey's Guides, #1) by Jody Gehrman Author Jody Gehrman graciously gave me a copy of her first YA book. Thank you! Last year I...

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Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Published: 2010, Dutton Books Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Source: Library book Goodreads · Amazon · Barnes and Noble How many times can our emotions be tied to someone else's - be pulled and stretched and twisted - before they snap? Before they can never be mended again? So I caved and read Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French...

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Persuasion Read Along #2

MIDDLE (chapters 8-18) Here are my Persuasion read along questions for the middle part of the book. Once again, this read along is part of Austen in August, hosted by The Book Rat. 1. Now that we've gotten to know most of them a bit, discuss the side characters: who is your favorite? least favorite? Were there things Austen did with these side characters that you absolutely loved or hated? Through the middle part of the book I continued to hate Anne's father and two sisters, although...

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Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson Published: 2012, HarperTeen Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Retelling Source: Library book Goodreads · Amazon · Barnes and Noble She felt the warmth of Peter’s arm under her neck, and it almost felt like he was an extension of her, and like if they had souls, they lay somewhere snug between their two bodies. Maybe all of her strangeness, her curse, her always feeling...

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Review: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield Published: 2012, Dutton Books Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Source: Library book Goodreads · Amazon · Barnes and Noble Something horrible, something that usually stayed safely outside and away from the quiet comfort of Bridgeton, had moved into town and would never, ever leave.   It's hard to collect my thoughts into...

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Review: Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan Published: 2012, HarperTeen Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Paranormal Source: Library book Goodreads · Amazon · Barnes and Noble That’s part of what I think makes vampires so boring. Once you’re a vampire, you don’t ever need to be anything else.   Team Human is so outside my normal book choices that I'm not quite sure...

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Persuasion Read Along #1

I am so excited to participate in my first read along, which happens to coincide with Austen in August, hosted by The Book Rat. I adore Jane Austen's books and jumped at the chance to participate in a read along of Persuasion. A few questions about me and my history with Jane Austen's works 1. Was Persuasion the first Austen book you read? No. As I'm sure is the typical answer here, I was first introduced to Jane Austen's work by reading Pride and Prejudice. 2. Is this the first time...

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Recommend A... Book with a Blue Cover

Recommend A... is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt. This week's prompt is to recommend a book with a blue cover. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling Harry Potter series, #5 It took me about a minute to come up with a recommendation for this prompt. Harry Potter is one of my favorite series...

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Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman Published: 2012, Random House Series: Seraphina, #1 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Source: Personal book Goodreads · Amazon · Barnes & Noble Once I had suspended over this vast space, hanging and helpless, at a dragon’s mercy. Once I had feared that telling the truth would be like falling, that love would be like hitting the ground, but here I was, my feet...

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