Halloween Book Tag

Thanks to the wonderful internet, I was able to find this gem of a tag right before Halloween. I had all plans on finishing this post sooner, but trick-or-treater were comming to the door and I needed to see everyone’s costume. So without futher ado, let us begin.

1. Carving pumpkins- what book would you carve up and light on fire?

I have a feeling that this is becoming my go-to book on anything about what I hate. Sadly it is because I had such high hopes and expectations and to be disappointed so badly at the end was beyond frustrating.  The only thing that I would need would be a physical copy of the book so that I could carve it up and light it on fire. That book is Perfectly Dateless.

2. Trick or treat- what character is a treat, what character is a trick?

Even though I am choosing this character as a treat, in his own right he is also a trick. However, I just love this character to bits, and comic relief is always perfectly times. The character that I am choosing as a treat is Brain from the 80AD series. This 10-year-old thief, can win everyone’s heart, and his smarts and wit can outshine every bad situation.

For my trick, I am going to go with Julian from Wonder and Wonder and Me. He was the most heartless annoying kid to ever exist in real life.

3. Candy corn- what book is always sweet?

Originally, I almost copped out and choose Harry Potter, but then I got to thinking and realize that I have several books that I love and enjoy. One of them being the 80AD series. However,m the biggest book that I find sweet is Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patrica Polacco. That book always makes me tear up at the end, and I just love sharing it with students of all ages.

4. Ghosts- what character would you love to visit you as a ghost?

I am not sure who I would want to visit me as a ghost. I have a list of people that are good potential, but the more that I think about it the more I realize that I do not want to be visited. I am not in the mood for some otherworldly visitors.  However, with deep consideration, I would love to be visited by some of the characters from the Imaginarium Geographica series by James A. Owen. Though if I would choose one, I would choose Tummler. I just love that little badger and would love to see him light up as I take him on an adventure in our present day world.

5. Dressing up in costume- what character would you want to be for a day?

There are a lot of characters that I would love to be for a day. Many of them, you would discover are very strong female characters like Professor McGonagle and Agnieszka. Mainly, I just want to be a powerful female with magical abilities.

6. Wizards and witches- what is your favorite Harry Potter moment?

I have two favorite moments in the series. The first is when Harry is connecting with Sirrus Black at the end of The Prisoner of Azkaban. I really love that scene and it is heartbreaking because Harry is given the opportunity to leave the Dursley’s and to live with a person that loves him. My second favorite scene is when Professor McGonagle tells Peeves to turn the bolts the other way. The line, “It’s the other way Peeves.” was just as shocking to me as it was to Harry in the middle of the fifth book. This was the scene that redeemed the fifth book. I was so upset when it was not in the movie.

7. Blood and gore- what book was so creepy that you had to take a break from it for awhile?

To tell you the truth I did not take a large break from this book, but I did have to modify when I could read the book since it did affect me that much. The book that I am talking about is The Call. Even though that book is good, it is still bloody and gory. There are parts of that book that will give your nightmares’ nightmares.

There is one book that I am currently taking a break from. That is the Titanic Young Survivors Stories. That book is just too depressing.

That is the end of the book tag. I do hope that everyone is having a fun, safe, and dry Halloween.

Until next time. Happy reading!

2016 Book Recommendations

I would like to thank Iamabloggertoo for making a comment in my about my page asking for some book recommendations. I have about 20 books that I would love to recommend in four different categories.

Series – Because one is just not enough. 

1. 80 AD Series by Aiki Flinthart – I absolutely love this series. When I got it, I got it for free on Barnes and Nobel as an ebook for free. The Whole Series. That was way back in 2013, I and it is still free today! Amazon also has the series (5), but you have to pay 99 cents for the last few books in the series. This series is about two present day teenagers who gets transported back in time (80 AD) through a video game to save the universe through different quests. The series is super fun and the characters are amazing!
2. The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica by James A. Owen – What is better than a quest to save two worlds? How about a quest with some of your favorite classic authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Jules Vern?
3. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann – This book is a little bit complicated to summarize. However, the book does have an amazing magic system that I complete love. This books looks at a society where creativity is rejected and being creative will place you as an unwanted (automatic death). However, we follow some young Unwanteds as they discover that they will not die but are given a chance to live and to learn magic through their art. 
4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan – I personally love the Blood of Olympus over the Percy Jackson series, however it would benefit you to read the Percy Jackson Series before the Blood of Olympus. Both series takes you on amazing journey of the demigods who help save the world using Greek and Roman mythology.

Young Adult Stand Alones – Sometimes you just need to visit a world once as an adult.

1. I am Princess X by Cherie Priest – This book is part story part graphic novel. However, I heard it through audible so I cannot tell you anything about the graphic picture, but I can tell you that this story is amazing. It is about two best friends finding each other after a horrific event occurred.
2. Finding Audrey by Sphie Kinsella – This is about a 14 year old’s over coming her anxiety.
3. Aramda and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline – It is interesting since both books received interesting ratings. I myself prefer Armada over Ready Player One, but both are good books to read. If you are a fan of the 80 these two books are for you to geek out on. Armada looks at a young hero saving the world through video games while Ready Player One is about a young man who goes through different challenges to receive an inheritance.
4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – This was an amazing book, and part of it was the Harry Potter reference through Simon Snow. The book is about Cath a freshman in college learning about life and growing up.
5. Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – Another book that deals with anxiety and depression as well as the growth in friendship and growing up through the mind of a freshman boy.
6. The Help by Kathryn Stockett -Looking at the life of one young woman through the 1950’s and dealing with racism as she writes a book inspired by her favorite person.
7. I Killed the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora – If you are a fan of To Kill A Mockingbird, than you will love this book. If not, I have heard that this book is so-so. This book looks at three teenagers as they try to bring back the hype on an old classic that they will have to read for school.

Middle Grade Stand Alones –  Don’t discredit this genre. Sometimes you just need to visit a world once as a kid.

1. Fish in A Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt – This is a cute book about an 11 year old girl with Dyslexia trying to get by in school.
2. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper – This books looks at a 10 year old with Cerebral Palsy and trying to get by in school.
3. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine – This books take a look at a 10 year old girl with autism having to deal with loss and finding closure after the tragic death of her brother. I will have to put a trigger warning on this book since the brother died from a school shooting.
4. Ungifted by Gordon Korman – This hilarious book looks at Max a 13 year old boy who seems to be gifted in getting into trouble. When he accidentally destroyed the school’s gym with a stick and a bronze statue he realize that he is in a lot of trouble with the district, but they somehow lost him when they shipped him to a school filled with gifted geniuses.
5. The Angel Tree by Daphine Bendis-Grab – This books looks at friendship and community when four kids work together to solve the mystery of who is behind their town’s greatest tradition.
6. Every Soul A Star by Wendy Mass – I actually recommended this book to my sister’s elementary school librarian, and she sadly had to turn the book down because it was not in hardback. UGH! Though I am recommending this book now. This book focuses on three middle schoolers as they grow and learn from one another while waiting for a solar eclipse. This book is amazing and I know that I am not doing it any justice, so please just pick up this book and read it!

Graphic Novels – A fast quick read with pictures, what is better than that?

1. In Real Life by Cory Doctorow – This book is amazing as it looks behind the art of video games and the economic industry of gaming, through both the high school girl who plays the game and the young boy in China working in the industry. Both lives are changed with the two meet.
2. Amulet Series by Kazu Kibuishi- Looks at a family who gets transported into an alternative reality and how they not only try to survive the new land but also save both their new reality as well as their old one.
3. The Woods by James Tynion IV – This is an interesting series about a whole entire high school being transported onto another planet into a distant galaxy.
4. Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley – This graphic novel looks into the life of an aspiring chef who wants to own her own restaurant. When she is given the chance to change her life through some magic wishing mushrooms, she learns of the consequences that life offers.

I do hope that this list is helpful in being able to pick out some great reads for the new year. See you next time. Happy reading!

The Character Book Tag

It is time for another tag post! This one, as you can tell by its title, is about the characters we have read and love(or hate). I saw it on Regan’s channel PurseProject and thought this would be fun. So let’s begin.

The Questions:
1. Who is the best kick-ass character?

Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass. She is an assassin as well as a girly girl, who owns who it. I love how proud she is of herself, as well as being both physically and mentally strong. She is not afraid to ask questions and prefers doing what is right.
2. Which character do you most dislike?

Oh…. Where do I begin? I somehow have a list of characters that I dislike, and amazingly they are all pretty high up there on the dislike list. Let me just list some of those characters for you.

a)Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Not only do I hate this character, but this is a shared hatred with millions of other people both real and fictional. You know it is big when you have characters help another hated and despised character do harm onto this one.

b)Dr. Caldwell from The Girl With All The Gifts.  I said it before, and I will say it again, I don’t see how this person could be the world’s most smartest mind with all the stupid choices she has made throughout the book.

c) Daisy Crispin from Perfectly Dateless. She is the main character of this book, and the main reason why I gave this book such a low rating. She started off with so much potential and strength and lost it all in the end.

d) The King of Adarlan (Don’t Know his name) from Throne of Glass. Let us just call him the king that must die. He is so desperate for power that he is willing to kill off his own subjects and children to gain more power. In addition, this guy makes rules and purposely breaks his own rules. What kind of a leader is he?
3. If you could date any fictional character who would it be and why?

James “Jem” Carstairs from The Clockwork Angel. Jem is very sweet and gentle and was welcoming to Theresa.
4. If you could change a character in any way what would it be?

Aaron Tyler from Trouble. The one thing that I would love to change would be his courage to tell his best friend what really happened that afternoon when everything went down. I would also love it if Aaron realizes that the situation was not his fault.
5. What character to you made all the wrong choices that didn’t add anything to the book?

Aouda from Around the World in 80 Days. The chick did nothing in the book for the exception of being rescued and saying yes to Mr. Fogg’s proposal. The most useless character in all of history.
6. Which character was the best villain whom you love to hate?

Lilith from the Circle Trilogy. If the lady wasn’t just plain evil, have a desire to suck my blood, or just place me as her lowly servant, I would label her as a kick-ass character. She is really good at planning, fighting, and standing up to what she believes in. In addition, she is really good at caring about others in her own way. It is a little sad that she seems a little psychotic.
7. A favorite side-kick character with the most heart?

Brynn from the 80AD series. I love this character! What makes him a great sidekick is the fact that he is not perfect. He is a thief, he tends to lie and cheat, but he is lovable and hilarious. His sense of humor and heart makes him a great pair with Pheniox.
8. What is your favorite fictional romantic relationship?

Jack and Hazel from The Darkest Part of the Forest. I loved the relationship that these two have, and how they bonded over time.
9. What character did you think was the strongest?

Liz Taylor from Just Like Elizabeth Taylor. This girl is not strong physically but has strength in courage. For her to admit a situation and just leave is huge. On top of that, she helps other as well as keeping her best friend safe. It took a lot of courage for her to change her environment.
10. Best protagonist?

Picking your favorite main character is like picking your favorite book. I do not have a favorite main character. However to pick one, I would choose Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, and The Percy Jackson and Kane Chronicles Crossover. I love how smart she, and isn’t afraid of danger. She gets in there and tries to fix a problem.

I do hope that you have enjoyed this tag. This tag was a bit harder to do, but I enjoyed the challenge. See you next time and happy reading!

Book to Movie Tag

I decided to break things apart with another book tag. Found this book tag on PurseProject, and thought it would be fun. I have provided a like link to the tag above. Let me forewarn you about the rant, but the tag itself is fun. I just pick five books that I would love to see as a movie.

5. The Circle Trilogy Trilogy by Nora Roberts – There is so much that I would love to see on the big screen, beyond the big epic fight scene at the end of the series. The characters are great, and each moment of the book is fantastic. Every time that I have read this series I always want to see it in a movie format. If anything, I would love to see it as a live action, believing that it would fit better with the story line, characters, and settings of the movie.

4. Eragon by Christopher Paolini – I know that there was a movie done on the first book, however, they did not follow the book or made a good movie. I was very upset after the first movie. However, I still love the series, and I feel as though they should try and redo the series. New cast, new everything, and a chance to follow the book better.

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – I love this book, and I wished to see it as a movie the moment I finished reading the book. I enjoyed the characters as well as the story. I do see this book as a mixture of live action and animation. I believe that the fan fiction or writing that did not belong to the storyline should be done in animation, while the story itself should be live action.

2. The Heroes of Olympus Series by Rick Riordan – I loved this series, and wanted it as a movie the moment that it was finished. I loved all our characters, and would love to see their movie counterparts. Maybe we can also have a remake of the Percy Jackson series. That way the transition from the original series to this spinoff would not only be great, but smooth.

1. 80AD Series by Aiki Flinhart – I loved this series, and enjoyed reading it. When I first read it, I did have a problem if I wanted it as a real live action or as an animation. However, I believe it would be cool if we can see it as both. A mixture of both live action and animation. I believe that this series screams for this. It would not only be fun and adventurous but great for family and people of all ages.

That is it. Those are the five books that I would love to see as a movie, hopefully sometime soon. I do hope that your week is great and that you are enjoying the many adventures around you. Happy reading!

Disney Book Tag

Found this fun book tag a while back. I wanted to do it then, but I somehow did not have the time. I do hope that you do enjoy this. It is a fun little tag with ten categories relating to Disney character/ themes. Happy reading!

1. The Little Mermaid – a character who is out of their element, a “fish out of water”

In some ways, I feel as though every character that we read will always be “a fish out of water.” How else are we suppose to have a plot or any growth for the character?

However, I have chosen The Amulet series by Kibuishi Kazo for this first category. To me, Emily and her family not only go out of their world, but they also out of their element with politics, magic, and epic battles to bring peace throughout all the worlds.

2. Cinderella – a character who goes through a major transformation

This category I had a hard time narrowing down. However, I have chosen two books to fit. The first one is Elise from This Song Will Save Your Life by Lella Sales and Melanie from The Girls With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey.

For me, Elise has grown a lot from the shy girl who would not confront her fears or people to a person sitting in the DJ booth controlling the situation and having the ability to read and confront people and her problems. On the other hand, Melanie was a mutant prodigy who never experience life outside her cell. The moment she left her cell she quickly learn how to survive and protect those that she loves.

3. Snow White – a book with an eclectic cast of characters

I feel like I am cheating. The book that I chose for this category is The Crown of Ptolemy by Rick Riordan. I enjoy seeing both Percy, Annabeth, Carter and Sadie, and it was fun to see the mix of both Greek and Egyptian Mythology.

4. Sleeping Beauty – a book that put you to sleep

The book that I have chosen for this category not only put me to sleep, but it also disappointed me. The book for the Sleeping Beauty category goes to The Diary of Darcy J. Rhone by Emily Griffen. I ended up giving the book two out of five stars on Goodreads and I found the main character shallow with a lack of growth.

5. The Lion King – a character who had something traumatic happen to them in childhood

The book that I have chosen for this category is After Math by Denise Swank. Our main character Scarlett Goodwin had a very traumatic past who is overcoming all obstacles to make her life better.

6. Beauty and the Beast – A beast of a book (a big book) that you were intimidated by, but found the story to be beautiful

Again, this is another category that I had a hard time. I actually have two books that I believe will fit in this category. Both of these books are not in here for their size, but they did intimidate me. I tend to stay away from books that make you cry. I don’t like to cry whether in public or in private because of a book. A book should be both fun and pleasurable and I never had associated crying with pleasure. Both of these books are a joy to read and I am glad that I have read them. These two books are The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

7. Aladdin – a character who gets their wish granted, for better or worse

For this category, I have chosen both Jade and Phoenix from the 80 AD series by Aiki Flinthart. Both characters get what they wished for when they are transported into a video game. Both do discover it is not all fun and games and surprisingly also get their other wishes granted as well when they saved the worlds.

8. Mulan – a character who pretends to be someone or something they are not

For this category, I have chosen Ally from Fish In A Tree by Lynda Hunt. In the beginning, Ally pretends to be the class clown and troublemaker to hide her secret from her family and teachers.

9. Toy Story – a book with characters you wish would come to life

Almost all of the characters from James A. Owen Imaginarium Geographica Series. Who would not want to meet a bunch of famous authors throughout history, along with their most famous characters?

10. Disney Descendants – your favorite villain or morally ambiguous character

The person I picked for this category is not a villain but is a bit morally ambiguous. The person that I picked is Kat from The Heist Society by Ally Carter. I would love to get to know Kat more and understand her thinking and skill sets.

The Book Courtship Tag

Found a quick fun tag on Youtube and decided that it would be too much fun to do. I enjoyed seeing both Jesse and Regan doing the tag, and figured you would enjoy reading it. Here are the questions below.

Phase 1 – Initial Attraction: A book that you bought because of the cover?

There are several books that I bought because of the cover. To list just a few: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler, Every Soul A Star by Wendy Mass, Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper, Everliving by Christina Dudley, and Mockingbird by Katheryn Erskine.

Phase 2 – First Impressions: A book that you got because of the summary?

The book that I chose because of the summary is I Killed the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora. The summary is amazing and it hooked me in. However the amazing summary that I first read is only apart of the hardcover book.

Phase 3 – Sweet Talk: A book with great writing?

There are two books that fit this category. The first one is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. The book is dripping with similes, metaphors, and figurative language. It just made the book so much more magical. The second book is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I really enjoyed the writing and how the author chose a letter format to tell the story. Not only was it refreshing, but it was fast pace and eventful.

Phase 4 – First Date: A first book of a series which made you want to pick up the rest of the series?

The Jewel of Asgard by Aiki Flinthart. This book is the first book in the 80 AD series. It is an amazing book, and I picked it up because I needed something to read while I was up with my dad in Washington.

Phase 5 – Late Night Phone Calls: A book that kept you up all night?

When I was younger the Series of Unfortunate Events kept me up late at night reading, especially books 2-7. I wanted to know what will happen next.

Phase 6 – Always on my mind: A book you could not stop thinking about?

Most likely because I am reading the book right now, The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. I really want to get back to the book and finish reading.

Phase 7 – Getting Physical: A book which you love the way it feels?

When I first time I heard this question, I understood it as a book that I love how I feel emotionally not physically. The book that I have chosen for this category is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I just love this book, and the nostalgia it gave me. Not only did I fall in love with the book and the characters, but I also was happy for our characters when I was finished with the story. In all, it was a book that made me feel happy and good.

Phase 8 – Meeting the parents: A book which you would recommend to your family and friends?

All of the book that I have listed here I would recommend, especially Fangirl, the 80 AD series, and I Killed the Mockingbird.

Phase 9 – Thinking about the future: A book or series you know you will re read many times in the future?

There are several books and series that I will reread in the future. To list just a few: Harry Potter series, 80 AD, Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, and Fangirl.

I do hope that you had fun with this book tag and that you will try it. Have a great weekend and I cannot wait to see you until next time. Happy reading!

Coffee Book Tag

First off, I want to wish everyone a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. I just felt like doing another fun book tag. I do hope that you enjoy this. A little fun fact before starting this tag, I am actually allergic to coffee. Lucky for you and me, I am not allergic to answering these fun questions, so let us begin.

QUESTIONS:

1. 1. Black: Name a series that’s tough to get into but has hardcore fans: I would have to say The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. I have sadly never finished the first book. I have always meant to go back to finish reading the series but life and other books have gotten in the way and I never sadly gone back to the series, but I do know that there is a hard core fan base.
2. Peppermint mocha: Name a book that gets more popular during the winter or a festive time of year: I am not sure. I would have to say either the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling and/or The Lord of the Ring Trilogy by J.R.R Tolkien. I believe that these series are not read the most during this time period, but are the most sold at this time period. As I have mention, I am not sure what book or books would be popular during the winter months.
3. Hot chocolate: What is your favorite children’s book?: I have several, however I will only list two. The first children’s book the I love is Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman. I loved this book when I was a child because it was my first book that I was able to successfully read. The other book that I love is Tuesday by David Weisner. I love the artwork and the story line. It is always fun to read, and I enjoy sharing this book with everyone.
4. Double shot of espresso: Name a book that kept you on the edge of your seat from start to finish: I would have to say that The Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass kept me on the edge of my seat. there were many points in the book I was curious as to what would happen next, and fearing what would happen to our characters.
5. Starbucks: Name a book you see everywhere: Ironically, right now it is The Giver by Lois Lowery and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Being a tutor, I am seeing these book being read by 6th through 8th grade students for homework. I am helping these students answer in depth questions on what they have read.
6. That hipster coffee shop: Give a book by an indie author a shout out: The only author that I could think of is Aiki Flinthart with her 80 AD series. However, I have been reading Daniel Waltz The Water Travelers, and I must say that I am loving the book.
7. Oops! I accidentally got decaf: Name a book you were expecting more from: Recently, the book that I expected more is The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgorodoff. I expected so much more from this book. From the artwork to the story line, it just did not hit a home run.
8. 8. The perfect blend: Name a book or series that was both bitter and sweet but ultimately satisfying: I would have to say Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. There were many moments that I thought about putting the book down, but I am glad that I persevere and finished the book. I love it, and it is one of my favorite classics.

I do hope that you enjoy this little tag. I also hope that you had fun on Saint Patrick’s Day. Can’t can’t wait to see you next time, and Happy Reading.

Bookish Academy Awards 2014

I know that I am a little late for giving out awards… But it is better late than never, right? Well I saw Regan from PeruseProject do this tag, and thought it would be fun, I will post a link to the original creator here. Basically, you are taking movie categories and applying them to the book that you have read for the previous year. For a challenge, try not to repeat any of the books. Let’s begin.

Categories/Questions:

1. Best Actor (Best Male Protagonist): I would have to say Leo Valdez from the Heroes of Olympus Series by Rick Riordan. It was really to place Leo. In the beginning he was a sidekick, but towards the end of the series he had more of an active role that made him one of seven main characters. But no matter which book he was in, I love Leo! He is so funny and a joy to read. I am so sad that the series is over because I want more Leo.
2. Best Actress (Best Female Protagonist): I would have to go with Tris from Divergent. I really enjoyed how much she had grown throughout the book, not only in fighting skills, but within herself. Understanding who and what she is, as well as where she belongs.
3. Best Cinematography (Best Plot Twist): I would have to give it to John Green in The Fault in Our Stars.  If I were to tell you the plot twist, you would kill me because of spoilers. Let’s just say that I did not see a particular event happening in the book.
4. Best Costume Design (Best Book Cover): I have to give this book to The House of Hades by Rick Riordan. I really enjoyed the book, but I also loved the cover of the book. I just enjoyed the color palette as well as the details that were in the cover. I can tell you that I spent hours just staring at this cover.
5. Best Supporting Actress (Best Female Sidekick): I am giving this award to Nan from Unenchanted. I really love Nan and how she supported Mina through her trials, and helped not only giving her confidence, but morale. It was a lot of fun seeing Nan throughout the book, but I was upset when the story was over she was lost her role as the sidekick and forgot everything that had happened. I really did wish the Hahn allowed Nan to remember what had happened, and to continue to be Mina’s support system.
6. Best Supporting Actor (Best Male Sidekick): This goes to Bryn in the 80 AD series. I love this series, and I especially love Bryn. He is such a great sidekick, with a wonderful sense of humor and take on life. No matter how bad the situation may seem, Bryn is there to cheer you up.
7. Best Original Screenplay (Most Unique Plot/World): This awards goes to Unenchanted by Chanda Hahn. I just loved the complexity of the world and how the land of fairy tales coexisted with the real world. Hahn did an amazing job with this world development. You have to read the book to understand it.
8. Best Adapted Screenplay (Best Book-to-Movie Adaptation): Sadly I only read two books that had a film adaptation, but only watch one movie last year. I would have to give The Fault in Our Stars by John Green the award. I must say the the movie is beautiful and funny. I also felt as though the movie adaptation not only honored the book, but also blended the book in better with our time period.
9. Best Animated Feature (A book that would work well in animated format): I would love to see Molly Moon and the Incredible book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng. It was a fun wacky story that I could not wonder what it would look like if Hollywood made it into a movie.
10. Best Director (A writer you discovered for the first time): I would give this award to Rainbow Rowell. I know that I first read her book late in 2013, but I ended up continuing to read her word in January as well. Her work is not only funny, but is relatable. The stories that I have read are wonderful, and fun, and I do recommend her to everyone.
11. Best Visual Effects (Best Action in a Book): I would love to hand this award to the 80 AD series. However, the book that I enjoyed the action sequence is the third one – The Tekhen of Anuket. This book not only had some great fighting scene, but scenes in which our characters had to think their way out of a problem. The third book was my favorite, and the action scenes made it a lot of fun to read.

12. Best Musical Score (Best Music in a book-to-movie adaptation): I would have to say the best musical score for a book to movie adaptation has to go to Mockingjay Part One. I just enjoyed the music, especially the Hanging Tree Song. I do have some of the song in my music library and I love it.

13. Best Short Film(Best Novella or Short Book): I am giving this award to Gracias the Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley. I loved this kids book. It was wonderful, fun, and funny. If you have children, read this book. You will not regret this. It will be your best Thanksgiving reads.
14. Best Picture (Best Stand-Alone): I will give another award to John Green for his book An Abundance of Katherines. I truly love this book. It was a wonderful short read that is inspiring and triumphant. I love our main character and his wacky friends. It was great to see how everyone grew and learned how to overcome obstacles in their path.
15. Best Documentary (Best Historical Fiction or Non-Fiction): I will pick The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason. I really enjoyed the book. It was fun and the mystery was thrilling. I also enjoyed seeing the Victorian age with some fancy technology.

Obviously I failed the extra challenge in not repeating books. There were a lot of books that I enjoyed reading that took up multiple categories. I also realize that last year was the year in which I reread a lot of series. It was fun to go back and to see all the books that I have read for 2014.

I do hope that you enjoyed reading this tag as much as I enjoyed participating in this. I am hoping that I will remember to do it next year. It was too much fun. Please let me know if you would like for me to do this tag again for all the book that I read for 2015. I do hope that your weekend is filled with friends, family, laughter, and adventure. Happy Reading!

December 2014 Book-tube-a-thon TBR!

Okay. I must admit that I am excited to try doing the December Book-tube-thon.   Last year I did not do it because I was too busy. However, I was not able to do the summer/July Book-tube-a-thon due to scheduling conflicts and trying to balance two jobs and book-tube-a-thon.  Let’s just say that it was hard, and I did not get a lot of reading done that month, let alone complete any of the challenges.  Though, I am going to rectify that. The winter book-tube-a-thon is December 19th – December 21st! It will start at Midnight on the 19th and end on Midnight of the 21st. Unlike last year, there will be challenges for this winter Book-tube-a-thon.

Challenges:

1) Read a book with red and green on the cover!

For this book, I will choose The Sudarshana by Aiki Flinthart. I just find it fitting that the book that I needed to finish reading for the Summer book-tube-a-thon is on this list for the Winter Book-tube-a-thon. It does have a red background and out characters are wearing green, so it fits this challenge.

2) Read a book you really wanted to read this year!

I have two book that fit into this category. The first book is The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan, and the second book is Defying Mars by Cidney Swanson. I will admit that the first book, I was toying with the idea of reading it, however after finishing the Heroes of Olympus series, I wanted to continue to read Riordans work, so wanting to read the series started after October. However, I have been dying to read Defying Mars since I finished reading the first book Saving Mars in October of last year.

3) Read a book that was gifted/ recommended to you!

I can honestly say that my sisters did recommend the Kane Chronicles after I read the Percy Jackson series. I know that it took a while for me to get to the series, but so far I am enjoying the books. I am almost done with the series, only having 286 pages left in the last book.  However with my rate, I think I will be able to complete the book on the first day of the December Book-tube-a-thon.  

4) Read 3 books!

So to recap I will read The Sudarshana by Aiki Flinthart, The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan and Defying Mars by Cidney Swanson. I am also adding Lovestruck in London by Rachel Schurig. I am adding the last book in case I finish The Serpents Shadow before the book-tube-a-thon, or just incase I decide to not read Defying Mar.

                    

In all, I am looking forward to this Book-tube-a-thon and I do hope that you will join me. It looks like it will be a lot of fun, and we will have many adventures along the way.

As always, Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!

The Tales Tag

I decided that it was time to do another tag, and I must say that this tag looks like fun. The tag is a series of eight questions focusing on the experience I had with books outside of their created world. I originally saw Ariel doing this tag on Booktube, and looked at other link and decided that it would be a fun. I do hope that you will enjoy this tag, and that you will do it.

1.      Tell a story about a book that made you cry.

I must tell you that I am not a fan of crying. I have this whole belief that as the reader I have the choice on what emotions I want to feel while I am reading, and being sad and crying is just not one of those emotions I want to feel. I do not want to deal with the awkwardness of crying or having to explain to people.

Even with that statement, I have read a book that has made me cry. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I cried at the moment she discovered that her whole block has been destroyed and her love ones are dead. It took me a few minutes to get over the trauma of her loss to continue reading.

 

2.      Tell a story about a book that made you laugh.

A book that has made me laugh is 80 AD: The Tekhen of Anuket. It is the third book of a series of five that focus on four children saving multiple worlds by bringing balance and peace within themselves and their worlds. In the third book they go to Egypt to destroy a temple in order to create balance between good and evil.

I chose this book because I was laughing from the beginning to the end of the book. It was also the book in which I switch favorite characters. The humor and the jokes and puns throughout this book was fun and entertaining to read. I truly recommend this series to everyone!

3.      Tell a story about a book in which you spent the whole entire night reading.

Okay, there are many stories that I have spent the whole entire night reading, however, I am just going to pick a series, the first in which I spent the night reading. Surprisingly, it will not be Harry Potter. I know… shock! However, I must admit that it will be a popular series when I was in eighth grade. This series is A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket. I was hooked onto the series when I saw a bunch of my classmates reading them, and asked them about the books. Deciding that I wanted to try the books out myself, I got them from the library and started reading them. It was not until the third book did I started reading them throughout the night, finishing them around 1 to 2 in the morning.

4.      Tell a story about a book in which you read a book with someone.

Okay I must admit the first book that I read with someone was the fifth, sixth, and seventh Harry Potter books. When they came out, my mom only bought one and I had to share the book with her and my brother.

5.      Tell a story about a book that you have given someone.

For me I have given my mom Star Trek books because she is a huge fan of Star Trek, as well as giving my middle sister The Night series. In both of those instances, were positive will praise of being able to receive the book. Sadly, I have given my grandmother a book by one of her favorite authors and she quickly told me that she did not like the book, or has read the book before after only reading one page. Let us just say that she was not okay with the gift in general.

6.      Show in inscription

Sadly, I do not have one. 😦

7.      Tell a story about a book you will never get rid of and why.

All of my books are my children. How does one get rid of a child? However, in addition to that, many of the books that I own are on my Nook. I will apply this to my Nook, and look at what book I will not delete.

The one book that I will not delete would be Surprise at the Library. I really did not like the story, and I got it free. Let me just tell you that it was a book that I did not expect it to be what it was. However, I just feel bad deleting the book. I feel as though I am placing that book in flames and destroying it. I cannot bring myself to delete it.

8.      Tell a story about a book that you have never talked about.

There are several books that I have not talked about. Nevertheless, one that I am hoping to go more into detail is The Hobbit. I read it once when I was in eighth grade for school, and I listened to the story again around Valentine’s Day. I enjoyed the characters and the adventure that they experienced. I am hoping that one day I will do a review of the book, explain my thoughts, and experience with book.

I do hope that you enjoy this little tag. I thought it was fun and exciting to do. Hope you will have a great weekend filled with wonderful and fun adventures! Happy reading!