Saturday, August 16, 2014

Top 5 Qualities that I Look for in a Book: World Building (Part 1/5)

While reading other blogs, I have realized that a great book review blog does not just review books but has original book related discussion.  I enjoy discussing books with others.  I am going to start having more original, discussion based posts.  The first of which is discussing the qualities that I find in great, memorable books, which will be presented in weekly segments.

One of the main reasons that I enjoy reading fantasy and science fiction novels is the world building aspects.  World building shows creativity.  It sets the book apart from other books.  It makes the book memorable.

One of my biggest pet peeves about world building is when a book has a really complex world and throws all the information at you all at once.  It becomes confusing and hard to keep up with.  This was my biggest problem with the Queen of the Realm of Faerie series by Heidi Garrett.  Don't get me wrong, I loved this book but it was hard to keep up with the complex world.  There were many different fantasy races with unique abilities and grudges with other races.  There were also many different characters and it was hard to keep everything straight.  After I was accustomed to the world and understood the many facets, I was able to really enjoy the series.  Another example of this is the Lord of the Rings series.  I have problems staying interested in the books due to the complex world.





I enjoy unique nuances in a dystopian society that seeks to disclose a flaw in society.  Unwind by Neal Shusterman is a great example of this.  In Unwind, at the age of 13 parents have the right to "unwind" their children.  When a child is unwound, there body parts are used to replace malfunctioning body parts in others in order to save lives.  For instance, if someone was blind they could get eyes from an unwind.  Although this is really cruel, I feel like this shows how cruel abortion can be as it is also destroying the life of a child.  It also adds an incredibly unique twist to a book.






The Exile by Eric Buffington is another example of wonderful world building.  In The Exile, men are sent outside of the city to survive on their own for a year as part of a coming of age ceremony.  If they return, they are then considered men.  Additionally, each person is born with unique abilities.  Each person is marked with his or her ability.  For example, some people have marks on their ear and are incredible listeners.  Others have marks above their eyes and have incredible vision.  Stones of Power can increase these abilities and are incredibly rare.  What I enjoy about this world building is the complexity and uniqueness.  It creates the foundation for incredible plots for books.  I will discuss this a little more next week in my post about complex plots.





A few other books that have remarkable world building are pictured below:






What qualities are most important to you in a book?  How important is world building?  What books do you think have great world building?  Please leave your comments below.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Thursday Tags: Harry Potter Tag

Source: http://www.franklintwp.org/blog/index.php/staff-pick-of-the-week-the-harry-potter-series/

Since Harry Potter is one of my favorite fantasy series, I wanted to do a Harry Potter tag this week.  I found this tag on the blog "Book Lover".

1. Favorite book?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is my favorite book in this series.  I have read it over 5 times.

2. Least favorite book? 
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was not as appealing to me as the rest of the series.  I am not really sure why.

3. Saddest death?
Dobby was definitely the death that makes me cry just thinking about it.  Can I have a tissue?


4. Favorite character?
This is a hard one.  I think I would say Luna Lovegood.  Dumbledore, Dobby, and Hermione are all close choices too.



5. What would your Patronus be?
I think that it would either be a horse or an owl.



6. If you could have the Resurrection Stone, Invisibility Cloak or the Elder Wand which one would you choose?
Invisibility cloak maybe.  I could stay in the bookstore for hours after it's closed reading :)


7. What House would you be in?

Hufflepuff!!

8. Favourite subject in Hogwarts?
I think that would be Quidditch.  Although I do not like sports in real life too much, I think that I would enjoy learning Quidditch.

9. Have you played any of the video games?
I have only played the Sorcerer's stone on PS1 and the Chamber of Secrets on the computer.


10. If you were on the Quiddich team which position would you play?
Probably the Chaser.  I would like to say the Beater because I love baseball, but I cannot imagine throwing a Bludger at anyone...



11. Were you happy with the book’s ending?
I loved the ending!


12. How much does Harry Potter mean to you?
I have always enjoyed the books.  It is probably one of the best pieces of fiction there is.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Children's Book Review Tuesdays: Pig and Small


Book Title: Pig and Small

Author:  Alex Latimer

Publish Date: August 1, 2014

 Why I Read this Book: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes from NetGalley.  This in no way influenced my review.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review


So cute!  This book is a story about friendship that illustrates that you can still have different interests and still be best friends.  I love books that have a lesson behind them.  This is a great read for anyone in 1st grade or under.

Final Statements


Recommended Reading Age: 6 and under

Overall Rating: 5/5






Monday, August 11, 2014

Monsterthon (#PickYourThon) Read-a-thon/Review-a-thon Wrap-Up

Read-a-thon

Books Finished

Books DNF:
Pages Read:  1150


Review-a-thon

I wrote reviews this week for:





I also wrote a few other blog posts that will be published this month.
 
Overall Thoughts

I really enjoyed this Monsterthon Read-a-thon/Review-a-thon.  I enjoyed the combination of reading a reviewing books.  I enjoyed interacting with others through Twitter.  I enjoyed the progress that I made in reading and shortening my TBR pile and I enjoyed all the books that I read this week.  I cannot wait for another Monsterthon and for the next read-a-thon that I will be doing this month: bout-of-books.

Monsterthon Day 7 Updates (Sunday, August 10)

This is my final update post for the Monsterthon read-a-thon/review-a-thon, but my wrap-up post for the entire week will be coming soon! 

Read-a-thon
I read another wonderful book today and clocked in at 61 pages.

Today, I read Hide and Watch by Jill Hicks Lawson.  Beautifully written, Hide and Watch is a nonfiction Christian story about a women who struggles through the pain of taking care of her mother while her health is declining.  Hide and Seek offers advice on what to do when life is difficult and hope is hard to find.  This is a great read!  This book is only a total of 61 pages, but is full of depth and great lessons!  Full review will soon be posted on my blog!

(I received Hide and Seek from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.)
 
Review-a-thon
I actually reviewed quiet a lot of books this afternoon.  Here is a list of the reviews:


  1. Hide and Watch by Jill Hicks Lawson
  2. The Lost Boy by Greg Ruth (Graphic Novel)
  3. Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins  
  4. 12 Titanic Lessons for Christians by Charles C. Hagan, Jr.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Monsterthon Days 5 and 6 (Friday and Saturday, August 8-9)

Read-a-thon Updates
I read the most amazing book today (Day 6).


I read 8 pages of Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins on Day 5, but I re-read these pages on Day 6 and finished the book on Day 6.  I did this because I am doing a 48 hour read-a-thon this weekend.  I know; I am addicted to read-a-thons, but I was already doing a read-a-thon, so I thought, "Why Not".  Anyways, for this read-a-thon, you get points for the books that you have read and those books have to be started and finished during the read-a-thon in order to receive points for that book.  The 48 hour read-a-thon is on Goodreads as part of a group that I am involved in, Crazy for Young Adult Books.

I read Appaloosa Summer from start to finish on Day 6 giving me a total of 230 pages for Day 6!  I gave this book a 5 star rating!  First off, can we talk about the cover?  Gorgeous!  Secondly, the writing style was perfect and it was a nice, light contemporary love story that involves one of my favorite animals: horses.  I will of course discuss this book in more details when I write my full review.  As a side note, my review will also include an author interview :)

(I received this book from the author as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.) 

Review-a-thon Updates

On Day 5, I did some blogging.  I reviewed Fourmile by Watt Key that I read earlier this week for the read-a-thon.  I also scheduled some discussion posts that will be coming later this month that I have been working on for a while now.  I am happy that I did a little reviewing for the review-a-thon and I hope that I can do a little more tomorrow!

Friday, August 8, 2014

Monsterthon Days 3 and 4 Updates (Wednesday and Thursday, August 6-7)

Read-a-thon Updates
What a book! On days 3 and 4 I finished Fourmile by Watt Key.  I read 34 pages on day 3 and 132 pages on day 4.


Although there was some cussing at the beginning of the story, I absolutely loved this story.  At several points while reading this book, I told myself I was going to stop at the next chapter but I just could not stop reading it.  It made me laugh.  It made me cry.  It made me want to grab all the books by Watt Key and devour them all.

Review-a-thon Updates 

Again, I have not written a single review.  I plan on writing some very soon though!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Book Blast: The Reckoning

Reckoning




The Reckoning
The Reckoning

Only One Can Survive The Reckoning

Erin Radkey has always known the day would come when she would have to personally confront the Triad leader of the power-hungry Emporium. But she never thought it would be with a snake in her head that feeds on her energy. Or that she’d be in the company of an uncertain ally who might turn on her at any moment.

The stakes are high as new intel uncovers a startling Emporium plot that will catapult the entire world into war. Erin is determined to save not only the mortals but also her friends—even if it means sacrificing herself and her newfound love for Ritter Langton.

Ritter is just as determined to save Erin and prevent what would usher in the most bloody century the world has ever known, but even he might not recognize the person she becomes.

Every day the enemy grows stronger. There will be no second chance.


Excerpt


I started firing. My third man fell and Mari’s second before the group turned in our direction. Two men at the back dropped from Ritter and Stella’s fire, followed by two more. Nine down. They opened fire. The rat-a-tat-tat of their automatic weapons sliced through the stillness of the night. We had to hurry. Mari crouched behind the car, while I went over the top, using Ritter’s speed. He was already there. I landed on one rotund Hunter while bringing my trangue gun down on another. I rolled as I fell. Another turned his gun in my direction, but I was already diving away, the bullets spraying the short grass. Twisting, I came around, my foot out, kicking the gun from his hand. He slammed his fist at me, but I deflected it with my left arm and jabbed my right hand into his gut. He grunted and leaned forward into my next punch. I looked around as he fell, but I already sensed everyone was down.

“Get them into their van,” Stella said. “It won’t be long before someone comes to investigate those shots.” She grabbed a Hunter and started tugging him across the ground.

I sent my thoughts out wider, finding two more life forces slinking in our direction. They were dimmer than the average life forces, which meant they were shielded. Before I could warn the others, Desoto’s two patrolman emerged from the trees only twenty feet away. I caught a glimpse of automatic rifles before a spotlight blinded me.

“Stop,” said a voice I recognized as belonging to the Unbounded who’d found Walker asleep in the security room. “Put down those weapons.”

Unbounded. Both of them, I told the others. Mari, stay behind the car until I tell you.

Ritter, Stella, and I dropped our tranques and raised our hands as the Unbounded moved closer. I could see a red dot on Ritter’s forehead, and as there wasn’t one on Stella’s, I figured another must be on mine. Though the bullets wouldn’t kill us, we’d be out of commission long enough to lose the information we’d obtained unless Stella had already uploaded it to our servers. Worse, we’d be back in Emporium hands.

I’d rather die a true death.



Praise for The Reckoning:



I just loved the whole Saga! Well-written, completely addictive, keeps you on the edge, wanting to know what comes next! I really think the author should consider a movie or a TV series for the whole four books! For not being a SF fan, I just can say that this was AWESOME!



The fourth instalment in the Unbounded series definitely lives up to the action packed books preceding it. I love the strength of Erin's character, and the novel made for compelling reading.



The Unbounded world is a fascinating place to visit! I would recommend this series to anyone, women, men, young adults. Not overly complicated yet the author weaves an amazing tail. I can hardly wait to see what is next for the Unbounded!


Book #1 The Change is FREE.
Change
“Surprising plot twists” -Publishers Weekly
Grab your FREE copy today!




teylaAuthor Teyla Rachel Branton

Teyla Rachel Branton grew up avidly reading science fiction and fantasy and watching Star Trek reruns with her large family. They lived on a little farm where she loved to visit the solitary cow and collect (and juggle) the eggs, usually making it back to the house with most of them intact. On that same farm she once owned thirty-three gerbils and eighteen cats, not a good mix, as it turns out. Teyla always had her nose in a book and daydreamed about someday creating her own worlds. She is now married, mostly grown up, and has seven kids, including a two-year-old, so life at her house can be very interesting (and loud), but writing keeps her sane. She thrives on the energy and daily amusement offered by her children, the semi-ordered chaos giving her a constant source of writing material. Grabbing any snatch of free time from her hectic life, Teyla writes novels, often with a child on her lap. She warns her children that if they don’t behave, they just might find themselves in her next book! She’s been known to wear pajamas all day when working on a deadline, and is often distracted enough to burn dinner. (Okay, pretty much 90% of the time.) A sign on her office door reads: DANGER. WRITER AT WORK. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. She loves writing fiction and traveling, and she hopes to write and travel a lot more. She also loves shooting guns, martial arts, and belly dancing. She has worked in the publishing business for over twenty years.


book blast button





Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 8/27/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Monsterthon Day 2 Update (Tuesday, August 5)

Read-a-thon Updates
Today has not been as good of a reading day as yesterday, but I am pretty proud of my progress.  I have read a total of 247 pages today.


I finished the 8th volume of the Death Note series.  I read around 177 pages of it today; I read a few more pages yesterday than I ended up reporting for yesterday.

I then started Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey, but I decided to DNF the book because it was not what I expected it would be.  The main character was annoying and it just was not the type of book that I felt like reading today.  I read 8 pages of this book.

I began reading Fourmile by Watt Key.  Although it had some mild cussing in the beginning of the book, this book shows some real promise to being an amazing read.  I read the first 62 pages of Fourmile and hope to finish it in the morning.

Review-a-thon Updates 

Again, I have not written a single review...

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Monsterthon Day 1 Updates (Monday, August 4)

General Updates
 
The monsterthon is going great so far!  I am surprised at the progress that I have made.  I stopped at a thrift store and Goodwill today and picked up a few new books, so this is sort of a haul post also.

First, I am going to show you the books that I picked up today (all for under $1.91 each).




I picked up a middle-grade novel and an Adult graphic novel.  The Lemon Crime by Jaqueline Davies is a middle-grade novel that is the second book in the series.  I did not notice that it was the second in a series until I had finished reading it, but it was great as a standalone.  This book is about two fourth graders who are brother and sister and who are seeking revenge against someone who stole the money that was made from selling lemonade all summer.  In order to assign guilt to the person that they think stole the money, they hold their own trial using the people in their fourth grade classroom.

Orcs: Forged for War is an adult graphic novel.  I picked up this book because I am looking forward to reading it for the upcoming readathon that I am hosting.





 Next up are the adult novels that I bought today.  The first is saving max by Antoinette van Heugten.  The main character in this story is a female lawyer who has a son that has been diagnosed with a psychological disorder.  She does not believe that her son has this disorder until her son is found unconcious and bloody next to a bludgeoned body.  She then seeks to prove his innocence.

The Dress Lodger is a historical fiction novel set in England during the cholera epidemic of 1831.  The main character seeks to protect her baby boy.  There is a lot more that is said in the description on the back of the book, but you should check it out on Goodreads.  It seriously sounds amazing!

The History of Love is contemporary novel about an author and a girl who is named after a character in his book.  They are half a world away, but the namesake seeks to connect with the author.

Honestly, I bought The Sanctuary just because it was written by Ted Dekker.  I have loved all his books that I have read.  I do know this is one of his Christian fiction thriller novels, but I do not know much more about it. 

Read-a-thon Updates

Wow!  I cannot believe the progress that I have made already.  I finished two books and read 446 pages!

I started out the day by continuing the Death Note series.  I read the 7th volume which is 211 pages.  I really enjoyed this volume of the series.  Volume 6 was slower paced and was not as entertaining than the rest of the series, but I sure am glad that it picked up in the 7th volume.  I cannot tell you much about this volume because it would spoil the series, but trust me it was fantastic.

I then picked up The Lemonade Crime by Jacqueline Davies which had a total of 151 pages.  This book was fabulous and was just what I was expecting out of a middle-grade book.  I decided to go ahead and read this book during the read-a-thon because the Death Note series is dark and deep.  I wanted a nice lighthearted and quick read.  I am also trying to pace myself in finishing the last of the Death Note series.  A full review of this book will be on my blog very soon!

I also started, but have not finished, the eighth volume of Death Note.  It is good so far!  I read 84 pages of this volume today.

Review-a-thon Updates 

I was so excited about reading today that I have not written a single review.  Oh well, there is always tomorrow!

Monday, August 4, 2014

Monsterthon (#PickYourThon) Readathon/Reviewathon Goals and General Updates

It is time for another read-a-thon and review-a-thon!  In this post, I will be discussing my TBR for this week and also my goals.

First, I want to show you my TBR pile.  This pile is mostly books that I have checked out from the library and want to finish before I go back to college in a few weeks.  Also, I am trying to have a realistic TBR pile.  I am hoping that I will finish these books and maybe read a few more too.  Without further ado, here it is:



  • Death Note, Volumes 7-12
  • Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey
  • Four Mile by Watt Key

Since I am also doing the Monster review-a-thon this week.  I would also like to write reviews for the following books and/or series.  This week I would like to write reviews for:
  • 12 Titanic Lessons for Christians
  • Death Note Graphic Novel Series Review
  • The Lost Boy (graphic novel)
  • Cross Game (Vol. 1-3)
  • Beautiful Creatures
  • Graphic Novels Based on Ted Dekker books
  • Buzz Kill (if I finish the book)
  • Four Mile (if I finish the book)
I also have a few goals for myself this week.  Here they are:
  • Read only one book or graphic novel at a time (I have a problem with starting a bunch of books and never finishing them)
  • Review books immediately after finishing them
  • Finish all the reviews and books in my TBR