Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  For more information, or to join the fun yourself, check out their blog!

Top Ten Books I've Read so Far in 2015

1.. The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett

2. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Timothy Keller

3. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

4. Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

5. A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd

6. The Map of the Sky by Felix J. Palma

7. Beyond the Call by Lee Trimble

8. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

9. The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

10. Ink by Amanda Sun

What about you?  What have been your Top Ten books so far?  Leave your link in the comments and I'll definitely visit!

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater | Audiobook Review

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews, gushing (as usual) about why I love a book.  :)  Click on the book cover above to see the details!

*I checked out my copy of The Dream Thieves from my local library.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  For more information, or to join the fun yourself, check out their blog!

Top Ten Favorite Top Ten Tuesday Topics

(Try saying that five times fast!)

I haven't actually participated in all of these (I've only been doing this for a little over a year), but these are the top ten topics that interested me.  (The gals over at The Broke and the Bookish have a list of all the topics on their blog.)

1. Childhood Favorites  (One of the many benefits of working in a youth library means I get to foist my childhood/teen favorites on unsuspecting library customers all the time.)

2. Books I Wish I Read as a Kid  (There have been so many great YA releases in the past ten or so years that I wish I could've experienced when I was still literally a teen myself.  (Still teen at heart!))

3. Underrated Books  (I think I'd have more than ten on this list!)

4. Books I'm So Happy Were Recommended to Me  (Friends and family sometimes seem a little nervous to recommend things to me, because I read so much and all, but I really appreciate when they do.  I often discover new favorite authors this way!  I can get bogged down in YA & Juv, so I love getting recommendations for grown up books that might otherwise not blip on my radar.)

5. Books I Just HAD to Buy... But are Still Sitting on My Bookshelf  (I'm just glad I'm not alone in this bad habit!  I've gotten much better in the last year or two, but there are so very many books that the hubby brought into the marriage, and so many that I bought in the past, that are yet unread!)

6. Best Bookish Memories

7. Required Reading for Teens/Adults/etc.  (I think I'd have more than ten on this list!)

8. Words/Topics That Will Make Me Read a Book ("library")

9. Books I Read Before I was a Blogger

10. Hilarious Book Titles  (I think this one would be difficult to participate in, but I'd love to read everyone else's lists!)

And you?  What were your top ten favorite Top Tens?  Leave your link in a comment and I'll definitely visit!

PopSugar Reading Challenge Update!

Here's the title I added in the last week:
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton is a book based entirely on it's cover.

Previously:

The Map of the Sky by Felix J. Palma is a book with more than 500 pages.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is a book that became a movie.

How (Not) to Fall in Love by Lisa Brown Roberts is a book published this year.

Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sophia Yin is a book with a number in the title.

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini is a book written by someone under 30.

The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 22: 1993-1994 by Charles M. Schulz is a book with nonhuman characters.

CraftFail: When Homemade Goes Horribly Wrong by Heather Mann is a funny book.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman is a book with a female author.

The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett is a mystery or thiller.

Ink by Amanda Sun is a book with a one-word title.

Napoleon's Pyramids by William Dietrich is a book set in another country.

Mint Juleps With Teddy Roosevelt by Mark Will-Weber is a nonfiction book.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a popular author's first book.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor is a book by an author I love that I haven't read yet.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige is a book that a friend recommended.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery is a book my mom loves.

A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd is a book that scared me.

Don't Give Up, Don't Give In: Lessons From an Extraordinary Life by Louis Zamperini is a memoir.

The Red Deaths by Casey Eanes with Seth Ervin is a book that I can finish in a day.

Dark in the City of Light by Paul Robertson is a book with antonyms in the title.

The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson is a book set somewhere that I've always wanted to visit (London)!

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is a book with bad reviews.  (My review, however, wasn't so bad!)

Loop by Karen Akins is a book set in the future.

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver is a book set in high school.

A Magic Dark & Bright by Jenny Perinovik is a book with magic.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a book by an author I've never read before.

Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan is a book I own but have never read.

Modern Crochet: Crochet Accessories and Projects for Your Home by Molla Mills is a book originally written in another language (Finnish)!

The Maker Movement Manifesto: Rules for Innovation in the New World of Crafters, Hackers, and Tinkerers by Mark Hatch is a book written by an author with my same initials.

And I'm currently reading Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater and Beyond the Call by Lee Trimble, which are really good but won't be on the checklist.

A big shout-out "THANK YOU!" to commenters three weeks ago who helped me flesh out the rest of my reading plan.  I think I might be set!

But still, as always, feel free to comment with any suggestions for the remaining checklist items!  (One can never have too many books to read.)

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater | Book Review

Flashback Friday Review!

I originally read The Raven Boys in November 2012, and I'm doing a little recap before I review the sequel, The Dream Thieves, next week.

On Goodreads I gave The Raven Boys 3 of 5 stars and didn't write anything down.  Oh, how my past vexes me!  Why?  Why didn't it get at least 4 stars?  Hindsight is 20/20, right?  And my remembrances of it are much fonder than 3 stars.  This series is really unique; teens looking for a long-lost Welsh king.  It's got magical ley lines and logic and boarding school and a ghost-boy and Southern setting.  The female protagonist, Blue, is an awesome bit of feistiness.  All four main characters are rich and totally 3D and amazing.  That's a big feather in Stiefvater's hat; she manages to make a ghost-boy complex and real!

I definitely recommend that folks try this series.  And look for my review of The Dream Thieves next Thursday!

*I borrowed my copy of The Raven Boys from my local library.

Bobby Ether and the Academy by R. Scott Boyer | Book Review

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews, talking about my mixed feelings for Bobby Ether and the Academy.  Click on the book cover above to see more details!

*I received an ARC of Bobby Ether and the Academy from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton | Book Review

(I was drawn to this book by it's pretty cover.  It'll count on my PopSugar Reading Challenge as "a book based on it's cover."  That's good, because I didn't end up liking the book.)

The Miniaturist is a historical novel, set in 1686 Holland.  The main character is Petronella (Nella) Brandt, a very young, very new wife to the very rich Johannes Brandt.  There's a chart at the back of the book that explains that an average Dutchman made about 400 guilders/year, and someone at Johannes' standing would have made about 300,000 guilders.  So Nella is supposed to count herself quite fortunate to have been brought into this marriage.

However, she seems to find it a bit difficult to get acclimated to her new life.  Her new husband is distant; her spinster sister-in-law lives with them and runs the household; Johannes' two servants are definitely oddballs.  As a wedding gift, Johannes gives Nella a special cabinet.  It's a miniature of their house, and he gives her blank checks to go shopping for miniature furniture and whatnot for it.  (I thought this was pretty weird, but the author's note at the front explains that it was not unusual for young adult women of the time to have what is essentially doll houses.)

Enter the miniaturist.  Nella finds the miniaturist in a sort of phone book and writes a letter requesting certain pieces for her cabinet.  She receives the requested pieces... and more.  With the advent of correspondence between Nella and the miniaturist, a whole world of mystery surrounding the Brandt household residents begins to unravel.  The question:  is Nella's life better or worse after finding out the truths that Johannes, Marin (the sister-in-law), and the servants are hiding?

The summation sounds the book sound intriguing, doesn't it?  Unfortunately, I didn't find that to be the case.  I thought the book really just plodded along for the first half.  It's one of very few books that I've actually considered DNFing.  Then, the very thin veil protecting Nella from the truth begins to tear.  All of a sudden we readers are given secret after secret after secret.  So the pacing was a bit off.  And no spoilers, but I will tell you that the ending felt a little convenient.  The language/grammar felt a little clunky at times, too, but that might just be because I'm an American reading a book written by a Brit.

Another reason this book lost ratings stars from me was my inability to connect emotionally to Nella.  The whole book is from her point of view, but even at the end of the book she still felt very hollow and 2D.  She's one of those characters that things happen to, not a character who does.  

The final reason that the book loses stars from me would by spoiler-y to share.  It has to do with the miniaturist.  So if you haven't read the book, maybe don't read the comments?  And if you have read the book and want to chit chat about the miniaturist, leave me a comment.

I had really high hopes for this book.  I paid actual money for it.  (I'm mostly a library user, and only purchase a small handful of books each year.)  My dreams were shattered.

*I own my copy of The Miniaturist.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  For more information, or to join the fun yourself, check out their blog!

Top Ten Books on My TBR for Summer 2015

This was pretty easy!  I have more than ten library books in my possession right now, on top of the ARCs and bought books... The hubby just looks at my ginormous stack of library books every night and shakes his head.  Here are the next ten books I intend to read:

1. Beyond the Call: The True Story of One World War II Pilot's Covert Mission to Rescue POWs on the Eastern Front by Lee Trimble with Jeremy Dronfield

2. The Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz

3. She is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick

5. Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison

6. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

7. Fractured by Sarah Fine

8. Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference by Joanne Oppenheim

9. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

10. The Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell

And you?  What books will you be reading this summer?  Leave your link in the comments and I'll be sure to drop by!

PopSugar Reading Challenge Update

Here's the title I added in the last week:
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is a book with bad reviews.  (Yes, I know this is a "love it or hate it" one, and that it also has plenty of rave reviews.  But it definitely has plenty of bad too.)

Previously:

The Map of the Sky by Felix J. Palma is a book with more than 500 pages.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is a book that became a movie.

How (Not) to Fall in Love by Lisa Brown Roberts is a book published this year.

Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sophia Yin is a book with a number in the title.

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini is a book written by someone under 30.

The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 22: 1993-1994 by Charles M. Schulz is a book with nonhuman characters.

CraftFail: When Homemade Goes Horribly Wrong by Heather Mann is a funny book.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman is a book with a female author.

The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett is a mystery or thiller.

Ink by Amanda Sun is a book with a one-word title.

Napoleon's Pyramids by William Dietrich is a book set in another country.

Mint Juleps With Teddy Roosevelt by Mark Will-Weber is a nonfiction book.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a popular author's first book.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor is a book by an author I love that I haven't read yet.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige is a book that a friend recommended.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery is a book my mom loves.

A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd is a book that scared me.

Don't Give Up, Don't Give In: Lessons From an Extraordinary Life by Louis Zamperini is a memoir.

The Red Deaths by Casey Eanes with Seth Ervin is a book that I can finish in a day.

Dark in the City of Light by Paul Robertson is a book with antonyms in the title.

The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson is a book set somewhere that I've always wanted to visit (London)!

Loop by Karen Akins is a book set in the future.

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver is a book set in high school.

A Magic Dark & Bright by Jenny Perinovik is a book with magic.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a book by an author I've never read before.

Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan is a book I own but have never read.

Modern Crochet: Crochet Accessories and Projects for Your Home by Molla Mills is a book originally written in another language (Finnish)!

The Maker Movement Manifesto: Rules for Innovation in the New World of Crafters, Hackers, and Tinkerers by Mark Hatch is a book written by an author with my same initials.

And I'm currently reading The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton and The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater.  The Dream Thieves won't count for any checklist items, but The Miniaturist is a book based entirely on it's cover.

A big shout-out "THANK YOU!" to commenters two weeks ago who helped me flesh out the rest of my reading plan.  I think I might be set!

But still, as always, feel free to comment with any suggestions for the remaining checklist items!  (One can never have too many books to read.)

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer | Audiobook Review

(I'm thinking back over the book and maybe I missed something... but I really don't remember an apple figuring into the story.  Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews talking about my first Twilight experience.  You might be surprised at what I have to say!  (And no, I don't choose Team Edward or Team Jacob.  At least, not yet.)  See you there!

*I checked out my copy of Twilight from my local library.

A Year in the Life of Downton Abbey: Seasonal Celebrations, Traditions, and Recipes by Jessica Fellowes | Book Review

This book wasn't quite what I expected, but it was still a really good book.  It's broken up month by month, and takes us through the 5th season of the show.  In each chapter, we find out what the behind-the-cameras crew are doing, what the actors are portraying, a couple of pertinent recipes, and a "Spotlight" section that highlights a cast or crew member, or a historical note.

I learned a lot of fun little facts about the show and all the effort that goes into a season.  I don't know about you, but knowing more about the behind-the-scenes work actually deepens my appreciation of movies and shows.

One little drawback was the recipes.  Most of them weren't appealing at all (like Potted Salmon, a method of preserving flaked salmon in butter in jars) or were too complicated or called for too many out-of-the-ordinary ingredients.  Oh well.

A bonus:  lots and lots of photos of the actors on set, both in a show's scenes and behind the scenes!

I would definitely recommend this book to any Downton fan.

*I checked out my copy of A Year in the Life of Downton Abbey from my local library.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  For more information, or to join the fun yourself, check out their blog!

Top Ten Five Most Anticipated Releases for the Rest of 2015

1. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee.  Really, who isn't anticipating this one?

2. Storm by Amanda Sun.  I have yet to read Rain, but I loved Ink and am ready to binge-read the rest of the trilogy!

3. No Such Person by Caroline B. Cooney.  A new thriller by Caroline B. Cooney?  Yes, please!  How much fun will it be to recommend this author to teens at work, knowing how much I loved her Face on the Milk Carton series when I was a teen myself?

4. Another Day by David Levithan.  I was so intrigued by Every Day, and I recommend it all the time; definitely intrigued to see the story continue!

5. The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.  A political intrigue book from the author of The Naturals!  The Naturals was like Criminal Minds for teen readers; I think this one will be like House of Cards for teen readers!  And this adult reader!  Yay!

I could only come up with five off the top of my head this week.  I went camping this past weekend and my body and brain are tired.

What about you?  What books are you looking forward to this summer and fall?  Leave your link in a comment and I'll definitely visit!

Somebody Up There Hates You by Hollis Seamon | Book Review

This is going to be a very short review because the book only gets 1 of 5 stars from me, and I really hate writing non-positive reviews.

Also, I want to be clear:  I did not care for this book.  That's not a personal attack on the author.

I read somewhere, can't remember where, a comparison of this book to The Fault in Our Stars.  I read The Fault in Our Stars.  I really fell hard for Hazel Grace and  Augustus and Isaac.  I laughed out loud at Augustus' witty repartee and nearly cried when a character passed away.  That connection simply didn't happen in Somebody Up There Hates You.  The main character just isn't likable, and I think he's supposed to be.  He's definitely pitiable.  But definitely not likable.  And other characters are outright caricatures, or just totally 1D.  (Flatter even than 2D!)  

The entire book takes place in a hospital hospice wing, and the main character is a teenage boy with terminal cancer.  I couldn't quite discern a plot, other than just following the day to day action in this kid's life?  

I really do hate to say this, but not only was this book not for me, but I can't imagine who it could be for.  

*I received an ARC of Somebody Up There Hates You in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Stacking the Shelves

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews, stacking the shelves!  Click on the picture above to see what books I've brought home recently, and to join in the fun!

The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens | Audiobook Review

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews, talking about how much I'm enjoying this series!

*I checked out my copy of The Fire Chronicle from my local library.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller | Book Review

(Sheep!)

OHMYGOODNESS!  This is definitely one of those go-tell-all-the-peoples-to-read-it-NOW books!  (Told the hubby he needs to read it before I'd even finished it.  I read the last sentence and immediately texted my sister-in-law to tell her she should read it.  I plan to email my mom to recommend this for her church book club.)

This is a very, very short book that packs a very big punch.  Keller goes through Psalm 23 line by line, imparting insights from his time spent as a shepherd.  We all know Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

The message of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 is overwhelmingly one of reassurance and comfort.  The way that the author connects actual shepherding to the ways in which God loves us and takes care of us is so sweet as to nearly bring me to tears of joy.  

Personally, I also loved reading about the actual action of shepherding.  I'm enraptured with the idea of shepherding, and I ask the hubby to get me sheep every couple of weeks.  (So far, it's been a big, resounding "NO."  But I'm eternally optimistic.)   This book actually led me to recall two readalikes:  Scouting the Divine by Margaret Feinberg and Adventures in Yarn Farming by Barbara Parry.  Scouting the Divine connects actual modern-day winemaking, beekeeping, and shepherding to passages in the Bible and Adventures in Yarn Farming is a good overview of modern shepherding (with lots of fantastic pictures).  I gave both of those books 5 of 5 stars too, and highly recommend all three.

*Random note:  I could not find any connection between W. Phillip Keller and the famous Pastor Timothy Keller.  Both are excellent Christian nonfiction writers, but I don't think they share any blood.

*I own my copy of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.  Sadly, my library doesn't own a copy.  But this book was so good I would've bought my own copy even if the library had it.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  For more information, or to join the fun yourself, check out their blog!

Top Ten Books I'd Love to See as Movies/TV Shows

This is probably not nearly a complete list.  But it's pretty good.  :)  Oh, and listed in no particular order.  I want all of these dreams to come true!

1. The Sweetheart by Angelina Mirabella.  A female pro wrestler in the 1950s?  Yes, please!  (TV show; I think Mad Men proved that the 1950s have a lot of appeal!)

2. The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett.  A mystery involving history, rare books/documents, and a book lover?  Yes, please!  (Movie)

3. Dreamfire by Kit Alloway.  A family who travels in the Dreamworld and saves people from their nightmares.  (Movie or TV show)

4. The Maker Movement Manifesto by Mark Hatch.  This one's nonfiction, and mostly focuses on a single makerspace in CA, and highlights different awesome innovations coming out of makerspaces.  (TV show.  Specifically, a reality TV show.  Maybe the crew visits a different makerspace each episode?)

5. Heirs of Watson Island series by Martina Boone.  I might be biased on this one, as it's set on a seaside plantation in the South, and I love plantations of the South.  But what a great setting!  (Movie or TV show; just make sure you get the accents right!)

6. The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey.  I will never pass up an opportunity to include Edward Abbey on a TTT list!  I love that guy's writing.  (Movie)

7. The Martian by Andy Weir.  To be honest, I'm not positive this would work, as it's mostly just a single guy alone with his thoughts on Mars.  But the book was genius and I loved it and I literally laughed out loud.  (Movie)

8. Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina.  I just loved this book!  I totally connected with the main character, and that's saying something, seeing as I'm a white adult and she's a Latina teen.  I also feel like this book sparks some good and necessary debate/conversation among teens.  (Movie)

9. The Velva Jean books by Jennifer Niven.  No adequate books for how much I love these books.  (TV show; a movie isn't long enough.)

10. The Zhivago Affair by Peter Finn.  Non fiction about the hoopla surrounding the original publication of Doctor Zhivago.  There's intrigue, Russian politics, the FBI, and a Worlds Fair.  (Movie)

What about you?  What books do you want to see on the big or small screen?