Bookish Academy Awards 2015!

Last year I did a tag awarding all the good books that I have read. You may check out the previous post here.  It was so much fun, I thought that a great way to look back and the multitudes of books that I have read, I will be doing the same thing. This time I am only focusing on books that I have read during the year 2015. There are 15 categories and the bonus challenge of not using the same book twice. So let us begin.

1. Best Actor (Best Male Protagonist): I am giving this award to Mathew from Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern. Mathew was a great lead, who always tries to do his best. I loved seeing how he grew and tries to over come his OCD.
2. Best Actress (Best Female Protagonist): This award is going to Celena Sardothien from Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Mass. I enjoyed seeing her strength and playing out all the different odd for her advantage. Even with all the negativity, Celena is still positive and holds onto light and good that is still in her world.
3. Best Cinematography (Best Plot Twist): This is going to Daughter Of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. If I even gave you an inkling of what the plot twist is I would be spoiling the book. Trust me. It is good and gets you hooked onto the rest of the series.
4. Best Costume Design (Best Book Cover): I have two books for this category. The first is The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgordoff. The cover was so beautiful that it alone made me want to read the book. However, the story itself, as well as the artwork inside was not what I expected. Let’s just say that I regretted that I judged this book by its cover. The second book that is getting this award is Soundless by Richelle Mead. The book was good. I gave it three out of five stars. he cover is amazing and give it this epic feel.
5. Best Supporting Actress (Best Female Sidekick): I am giving this award to Keisha from Fish In A Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt. She is a very supporting friend who helps our character grow.
6. Best Supporting Actor (Best Male Sidekick): I have to give this award to Jack the talking sword from Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. I love Jack. He is so funny, but at the same time is supportive to Magnus and guides him through his battles. Personally Jack is the inspiration for the desire of wanting a flying, talking sword. I don’t know how I am going to us it, but I want one.
7. Best Original Screenplay (Most Unique Plot/World): If you have been reading my blog for the past year, especially since July, I believe that you have already guessed which book earned this award. This world was amazing and my favorite part of it was its unique magic system of art being magic. It almost replaced my desire for going to Hogwarts, since its magic system is something that I could work with. The book that has won this award is The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann.
8. Best Adapted Screenplay (Best Book-to-Movie Adaptation): I have only watch one book to film adaptation this year, in which I have read the book. So the automatic award goes to Mocking Jay Part 2.
9. Best Animated Feature (A book that would work well in animated format): I am giving this award to a graphic novel. I know that most people would feel like it is already done in animated format and most of the work would be done, but I still feel like there is so much potential in this series that I would love to see in either on the big screen or on television/computer. It is the story line that is intriguing and I feel that it would be great to the switch. I would love for the artwork to stay consistent between the two formats. In the end, I do believe that the switch would work well. The series that I have chosen for this award is The Amulet by Kazu Kbuishi.
10. Best Director (A writer you discovered for the first time): This book has become my new obsession since I finished reading it as an audiobook. I have never heard of this author until I saw this book on audible. Trust me this book is amazing. Part of me wished that I actually read the book and not listen to it. The author that is receiving this award is Cherie Priest with her book I am Princess X.
11. Best Visual Effects (Best Action in a Book): I do not know if I gave this book an award last year, but I did reread it in 2015. I am giving this book the award for its epic battle scene. I not giving the award for just its bloods and guts during the battle, but for the symbolism that happens throughout the battle. The book that won this award is The Valley of Silence (The Circle Trilogy #3) by Nora Roberts.
12. Best Musical Score (Best Music in a book-to-movie adaptation): I will admit that the musical score in Mocking Jay Part 2 is amazing however, not amazing enough to give it another award. I am giving this award to a book that is completely inspired by an 80’s soundtrack. Let’s just say that I am a little upset that I could not download the soundtrack as an album anywhere, but I could recreate it (let’s be real, that takes up to much time and effort). Armada by Ernest Cline, won this award for some pretty awesome music that goes not only great with video games but with the book as well. I was listening to 80’s music for a few months, which was annoying my sisters.
13. Best Short Film(Best Novella or Short Book): Rick Riordan wins again. Are we at all surprised by that? No? Good. I am giving this award to his Percy Jackson and Kane Chronicle crossover novella series. They were fun and adventurous. Long enough to get the story and enjoy it, but short enough that you still want more.
14. Best Picture (Best Stand-Alone): I am giving this particular book this award because I was not only obsess with this book but upset that it was a stand a lone. I am still wanting more. That, in and of itself is a good reason to give this award to The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black.
15. Best Documentary (Best Historical Fiction or Non-Fiction): Again, I am putting up another reread. However I realize that I lacked a lot of historical fiction and non fiction books. This particular book is a shoe in for this award. Not only was the writing amazing, but the story itself is beautiful and its meaning amazing. The winner of the Best Documentary goes to To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

That is it everyone. That is the Bookish Academy Awards for 2015. I do hope that your new year is going great and that you are having a lot of fun with friends and family. I hope to see you later.

Happy reading!

2015 Reading Challenge

I originally found this challenge on Facebook and few months ago and decided that I wanted to participate in it. It is a year-long challenge that would force me to read books out of my comfort level. I thought it would be really cool and fun. Recently I found the original Goodreads group that set up the challenge and all the mini challenges to read throughout the year. I found out that there are a lot more challenges that what was posted on Facebook. With this new list, I have taken all the books that I have read this year and placed them in each category. I have doubled up on books because a lot of challenges allow you to do that. My goal for the rest of the year is to make updates on this challenge periodically.

1. a book with more than 500 pages

• The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2. a romance
3. a book that became a movie

• Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling

4. a book published this year

• The Crown of Ptolemy by Rick Riordan

5. a book with a number in the title

• Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

6. a book written by someone under 30
7. a book with nonhuman characters

• Rat Queens Vol. 1 & 2

8. a funny book

• The Crown of Ptolemy by Rick Riordan

9. a book by a female author

• Adventures of Funeral Crashing #1 by Milda Harris
• Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling
• Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne
• How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O’Connor

10. a mystery or thriller

• The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

11. a book with a one-word title

• Trouble by Non Pratt
• Compendium By Alia Luria

12. a book of short stories

• Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan

13. a book set in a different country

• The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

14. a nonfiction book
15. a popular author’s first book

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

16. a book from your favorite author that you haven’t read yet
17. a book a friend recommended
18. a Pulitzer-prize winning book
19. a book based on a true story
20. a book at the bottom of your to-read list

• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

21. a book your mom loves
22. a book that scares you
23. a book more than 100 years old

• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

24. a book based entirely on its cover

• Fish In A Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
• Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee
• I Killed the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora

25. a book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t
26. a memoir
27. a book you can finish in a day

• Ms. Marvel Vol. 1
• Ms. Marvel Vol. 2
• Rat Queens Vol. 1
• Rat Queens Vol. 2
• Smile
• Anya’s Ghost

28. a book with antonyms in the title
29. a book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit

• The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
• Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

30. a book that came out the year you were born
31. a book with bad reviews
32. a trilogy (the first)

• Morrigan’s Cross by Nora Roberts

33. a trilogy (the second)

• Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts

34. a trilogy (the third)

• The Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts

35. a book from your childhood

• Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
• Oh The Places You’ll Go
• The Wizard, The Witch, and the Two Girls from Jersey by Lisa Papademetriou

36. a book with a love triangle

• Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley
• Death Wish by Megan Tayte

37. a book set in the future

• The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

38. a book set in high school

• The Adventures of Funeral Crashing #1 by Milda Harris
• This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
• Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

39. a book with a color in the title

• Peach and Plum Blossom by Kara Jaynes

40. a book that made/makes you cry
41. a book with magic

• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass
• Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
• The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

42. a graphic novel

• Amulet series
• Seconds
• Ms Marvel Vol. 1 & 2
• Rat Queens Vol. 1 & 2
• Smiles
• The Woods Vol 1 & 2
• Blankets

43. a book by an author you’ve never read before

• Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

44. a book you own but have never read
45. a book that takes place in your hometown
46. a book that was originally written in another language

• Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

47. a book set during Christmas (or similar holiday)
48. a book written by an author with your same initials
49. a play
50. a banned book
51. a book based on OR turned into a tv show
52. 52. a book you started but never finished

So far that is what I have completed for the 2015 reading challenge. I am planning on giving you an update for this challenge either the end of August or the end of September. I am not doing the challenges in order like everyone else since I started so late. I do hope that you will enjoy seeing my progress. 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!

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.

The Throne of Glass Review

Throne of Glass, by Sarah J. Mass, is about a young assign who is given the chance to earn her freedom by participating in a challenge to work for the king. Throughout her time at the castle, she is learning about a dark evil that is attacking people and other champions, for the challenge, and is quested to save these people.

There are several things that I really enjoyed about this book. I really enjoyed the context of this fantasy world. The idea that magic use to exist in this world before a tyrant king decided to wipe it out. It is really fascinating to see this world, and to see how everyone responds to the magic ban, and the balance between a world without magic, and a world fear. I also enjoyed the characters. Each one was fun and dynamic, for the exception of a select few. In all, it was great to get to know each character, and to see their growth throughout the book. I also enjoyed seeing how all these characters interacted with each other, and helped each other grow. finally, the last thing that I enjoyed about this book is how not only the main character, but her friends as well, took an event in her life and helped her continue on and grow from that event. Not only was it made sure that our main character could function from that event, but her friends were also inspired that she has used her past to help create a better future.

There are a couple of things that I did not like. The first one is not being able to see this ancient language, the wyard marks. I would love to see this language and know more into how it is connected to magic. The fact that Sarah J. Mass is using an ancient language for magic and communication, does give the book a vibe for Lord of the Rings.  I also feel, that it has that potential. Sadly, you are only given descriptions of what the marking look like. I would really love to see this language, and this history brought to life within this fantasy world. The second problem is the ending of the book. I cannot go into details because I do not want to spoil the book, but I feel as though some of the choices that were made by our characters were not wise choices, and they just rushed into a conclusion. I felt as though she tried to drag out the end, and then just rushed it.

Other than that, I really enjoyed this book. I gave this book four out of five stars on Goodreads. I recommend this book to everyone. I really believe that everyone will enjoy the fantasy land and the idea that magic can easily be lost with a tyrant king. The characters are fun, and enjoyable to be with, and the plot is just captivating.

Children’s Books Reviews for January – Week 2

So this week was really busy in reading to the students that I work with, and I have decided to give a little review all 10 children’s books that I have read this week. I am hoping to keep each review to a paragraph. Just listing a short summary, my rating and why, and whether or not I recommend this book. Without further ado, let us begin!

1. Maybe:A Little Zen for Little Ones by Sanjay Nambiar

Is a story about a little girl who goes through a series of events as they are, and does not label them lucky or unlucky. I gave this book four out of five stars. It is one of my favorite zen shorts, however there were too many errors within the book to count. I recommend the story to share with little one, just not this book. There were to many errors that created problems when I was trying to read the book aloud.

2. The Scar: A Halloween Story by Kirsten Lenane

This is about a pig who loves Halloween and scaring people, and finally getting the experience of a life time. I gave this book five out of five stars on Goodreads. I really loved the story as a whole, and the students thought it was great as well. I would recommend this book to everyone who has small children. They will love the story, especially around Halloween.

3. Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmeiman

This is a fun quirky story about chickens helping on the farm. I loved this book and its quirkiness. I ended up giving this book four out of five stars on Goodreads. I recommend this book to everyone! It is too much fun to say no to.

4. Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

This is a fun little story about a little llama going to bed and being afraid to be by himself. I gave this book four out of five stars on Goodreads. It is a fun book that all will understand, and the drama that the baby llama causes is just so funny. I also recommend this book to everyone.

5. One by Katheryn Otoshi

This books looks into bullying and how everyone can count by standing up to stop bullying. i gave this book five out of five stars on Goodreads and I will recommend this to everyone especially classroom teachers. This is a great book to use as a tool to help your kids/ students to stand up to bullies and to stop bullying on campus. What is great about this books is that this book is not easily stigmatize people, but one can relate to emotions and actions.

6. Zero by Katheryn Otoshi

This books looks into self-worth and how just because you feel like nothing doesn’t mean that you are nothing. You can always contribute and make something more by being apart of something. I absolutely love this book. I enjoyed some of the puns that were in the book, as well as the meaning. I gave this book five out of five stars on Goodreads. I recommend this book to everyone, especially classroom teachers.

7. Two by Katheryn Otoshi

This book is about not only making new friends, but also keeping the old ones and letting everyone be friends with everyone. I gave this book four out of five stars on Goodreads. It was not as magical as One or Zero, but it was still fun and the message is great to give to children about allowing new and old friends to flourish and grow. I would recommend this book to everyone, including teachers. It is just a great message to send to kids and to help them with changes.

8. Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard

A fun book about a naughty class experiencing a mean substitute teacher, after treating their teacher badly. I gave this classic four out of five stars on Goodreads. This book is fun and exciting, and was a pleasure to read. The students also enjoyed the book as well. I recommend this book to everyone. Children will love the story line and the crazy ideas.

9. The Red Book by Barbara Lehman

It is a cute, fun, whimsical picture book about a boy finding a magic red book that allows him to make a new friend. I gave this book five out of five stars on Goodreads. I love the artwork and the concept of a magic book. I recommend this book to everyone. It is fun to read with little one and to create the words to the story.

10. Ish by Peter H. Reynolds

A beloved book about an artist finding their niche in life, and how beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I gave this book five out of five stars on Goodreads. It is a fun book, and the artwork is beautiful.  I also enjoy the concept of doing your personal best is the best kind of work. I recommend this everyone with small children. It is a fun read, and the character is very relatable.

That, my dear followers, is my Children book reviews for this week. I do hope that you enjoy them, and that you will get the chance to experience these mini adventures for yourself, as well as with any little ones around you. I can’t wait to see you soon. Happy Reading!

January 2015 TBR

I am so happy to be creating my January 2015 TBR! I know that it is a bit early, since I am still writing this towards the end of December of 2014, but I know what I want to read for the start of this coming year and I am ready to share this list of books! So without further ado, let’s begin!

1) The School of Good and Evil by Chainani – I must admit that I do want to finish this book. However, I am not in the mood to finish it this year. Though I do have plans to finish this in January. If I keep putting this book off, I might not finish this book, and so far that book is really good. This book is about two girls who live ordinary lives being transported to a story book world in which they go to school and try to survive their new surroundings.

2) Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass – Another thing I must admit. I have already started this book and I am about 100 pages into the book. It is really good, and I am really liking this world.  I am looking forward to what will happen later on in this book. This book is about an Assassin’s chance to redeem herself by participating in a tournament to work for the kind.

3) Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern – I heard a lot of good things about this book, and decided to check it out. One of those cheap books that I paid $2.00 for. It is about two people finding their place in the world with their disabilities.

 

4) The Story of Awkward by R.K. Ryals – I chose this book because of the synopsis. It sounds really interesting. It is about a girl who tries to breakout of her awkwardness but discovers that no matter what, awkwardness will always exist. It is a really short story, being a little over a 150 pages.

 

5) The Son of Sobek by Rick Riordan  – This book is a crossover between Percy Jackson and the Kane Chronicles with Percy and Carter. That is the best that I can explain this book. This book is only 28 pages long.

6) The Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan – Like the book above, there is not a lot that I know. Again it is the same crossover but with Annabeth and Sadie. This book is only 42 pages long!

 

I am also hoping to participate in a TBR jar challenge. however, the first challenge that I received was to read a 2015 debut novel. Since the first book that I am interested in won’t be published until February of 2015, I decided to pull another challenge out and to put that challenge back in. My next challenge is to read an author that is new to me. To complete this challenge I will be reading the Sarah J. Mass and Cammie McGovern book. Both authors I have not read before, and I am looking forward to their writing. I want to see if the hype is what it is all about. I know that I have started the Sarah J. Mass book a few days ago, which is why I am also added the McGovern book to be fair and accurate.

Just so you know, I will explain all about this challenge in my next post. It just seemed like a fun idea, and it guarantees that I will be reading 12 book this year. I like the idea that it is encouraging me to go outside my comfort levels and to explore new realms.

I do hope that you enjoyed my January TBR. I am looking forward to all the books that I am planning on reading this month. I do hope that your new year will bring in lots of love, joy, and adventure.

November TBR

I am making my November To Be Read list, and hoping that I will be able to keep on track with the list . October was not the best month for reading. I read a total of nine book: two chapter and seven younger read aloud book. (I will do reviews on the books that I have read aloud to the students in the month of October).

Since I have a massive break in November, I am hoping to remedy that slow reading month by reading a lot of books this month. I am planning on finishing the books that I have started in October, as well as reading a lot of Rick Riordan. I am interested in Riordan’s Norse Mythology series that is rumored to be coming out soon, so I want to see how he handled Egyptian Mythology and their spin offs. I am also hoping to get to Throne of Glass.  I have heard nothing but great reviews for this book and the series.  So here is my list of books to read in November!

1. The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason  – I am planning on finishing this book. I am 70 pages away from the ending.
2. The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani – Another book I am planning on finishing. I have been reading this aloud to the kids, and it has been taken me a while to read this one aloud.
3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass
4. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
5. The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan
6. The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan
7. The Staff of Serapis by Rick Riordan
8. The Son of Sober by Rick Riordan

October 2014 TBR

I first want to apologize for not talking to you for months.  I have been busy and it has been a very interesting last few months in the real world.  For a while, it was hard to balance work, family, and life, and ended up leaving my blog behind. However, I am more than determine to write in my blog at least once a week. I am hoping to have a post up every Saturday.

Beyond that, let me get started with all the books that I am planning to read this month. This month I am keeping up with a bit of a Halloween theme by sticking to paranormal/ monsters.  I don’t feel like going into spooky, I am not in the mood for spooky, but paranormal seems like a good fit and these books I am looking forward to reading.

1. Easy Bake Coven by Liz Schulte – This book is about a witch Selene Warren who dabbles in harmless magic and hangs out with her coven of women until one day her grandmother is attacked and she uncovers an ancient grudge that threatens the lives of everyone she loves.

    I have started this book about a week ago and so far it is cute but it is a slow read and it is even slower to start. I am on chapter five and you are finally getting hints about what the problem will be for our witch Selene. Other than that, the characters are so far likeable, and events that are happening seem realistic and meet expectations.

2. The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason – Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you’re the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And when two society girls go missing, there’s no one more qualified to investigate.
   Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don’t unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they’ll become the next victims.

    I saw this book on Booktube and heard nothing but good reviews about this book. When I saw it was for free, I jumped at the opportunity to get it and to try it out. I am really hoping that it will live to the hype and expectations that I have heard.  I am looking forward to seeing how this author bring these two characters together.

3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass – After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

     It is another book that I saw of Booktube and heard nothing but good reviews for this series. Saw it was $0.99 and jumped at it. I do understand that this book is not as good as the other two, but it is still important and just as fun. I wanted to try it out and see what will happen next. I am looking forward to reading this book, even though it does not fit in well with my theme for this month.

4. Clock Wise by Elle Strauss – An average teenage girl Casey Donovan has you usual problems plus the ability to travel throughout time, though she has yet to control the ability of when and were she travels to. During one of her unexpected trips, she accidently takes one of the most popular boys of the school to 1860 and changes everything in both the present and the past.

     Saw the book and decided I had to read it. I am not so much after the romance of the book as I am after the time traveling and seeing how our modern characters will survive and deal with a new time period. I also want to see what rules Strauss establishes as well as follows in her book.  I must admit that I am a huge fan of anything that deals with time travel.

5. Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn – Is about a sixteen year old girl Kira, who live in a world where people can read each other’s mind. Those who cannot read minds and/or minds that can be read (Zeros) are outcast by society. However, everything is changed when Kira accidentally controls her best friends mind.

  This is another paranormal book that I am looking forward to reading ever since I have found it for free. It seems really interesting and entertaining. I am curious in how Quinn will develop out this world and her characters. I have realized that I can be picky with my futuristic worlds, but the plot sounds fascinating enough that I want to know what is going to happen to our main character.

6. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan – Though the Greek and Roman crew members of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they’re stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.

   I have read the previous books to this series and I am hyped up on reading this book. It does come out on October 7^th, and I am sadly the 78^th person on hold for this book, at my local library. I have calculated that it will be at least five months before I will get the chance to read this book. However, I am not sure if I can wait five months. It is hard just waiting for Tuesday to get here. Hence, this book will be a question mark as to whether or not I will be reading this book in the month of October. I am going back and forth between getting the last book verses waiting the five months for the last book. We will see.

I do hope that everyone will have a wonderful October, and my next post will be about all the books that I have read in September. Happy Reading!