Friday, July 31, 2015

Book Blogger Hop: July 31th - Aug 6th — Book Swag Collector?



"Book Blogger Hop" is a weekly meme where our fellow blogger submit new topics and everyone joins in with their answers.

This Week's Topic/Question:
Do you collect things that are book related? Like bookmarks, nameplates, 1st editions. (submitted by Bunnita @ Worth Reading It?)

My Answer:
For my favorite authors, absolutely. I keep everything I've gotten from events I've gone to. I've had custom jewelry made, and I've got plans to frame some of my favorite quotes on a my walls.

I'm also a fan of interest-related tee shirts. So I've got some "book nerd" and "quotables" tees.




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2015 Audiobook Challenge - 2nd Quarter Update

The Book Nympho

For those who don't know,  the Audiobook Challenge is hosted by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens. The rules are pretty simplelisten to audiobooks. My Participation Level is that of a Marathoner, which translates to my committing to read 50+ audiobooks this year.

So far, I'm at 17 audiobooks read. My problem has been re-listening to books I've already read. I'm currently going back through the Psy/Changeling series by Nalini Singh whilst at work, which if they were new books, would give me about 8 more books. Must... stop.... but the pull to fall back into the series is strong

Currently, I'm reading Grey by E.J. James. And I must say, Zachary Webber is becoming a favorite of mine, falling into the "must read all narrations" category. His portrayal of Christian is HOT!!! And can I say that I'm not sure if James' writing style has improved or if its just Christian's perspective, but Grey is 1,000 times better than 50 Shades of Grey. No inner goddess + no "what" exclamations every five minutes = a happy Page.

Next on tap will be Armada by Ernest Cline.


MY PROGRESS

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Friday, July 24, 2015

Book Review: Nearly Found (Nearly Gone, #2) by Elle Cosimano


Book Series: Nearly Gone, Book #2
Author: Elle Cosimano (Twitter)
Genres: YA, Thriller, Mystery
Format: Hardcover (Amazon)
Length: 384 pages
Release Date: June 2, 2015

Reading Challenges: 2015 Goodreads Challenge

After Nearly Boswell starts working as an intern at a crime lab, a girl from her trailer park turns up dead. Then the corpse of a missing person is discovered, buried on a golf course, with a message for Nearly etched into the bones. When Nearly finds out the corpse is the father of Eric, a classmate of hers, she starts to worry that the body is connected to her father's disappearance five years ago. Nearly, Reece, and Nearly's classmates--Vince, Jeremy, and Eric--start a dangerous investigation into their fathers' pasts that threatens Nearly's fragile romance with Reece, and puts all them in the killer's path. 



This is hard. While I did enjoy this book, I feel like it had less to do with this particular work and more to do with my being invested in Nearly's world. I loved the first book, but this. Meh. For me, the plot was a little too recycled. I would have much preferred the book to have gone in a different direction when it came to motive. While I did say engaged, I feel like that was more because I was invested in Nearly as a character than I was in the story.

One thing I did miss was the scientific element. Yes, it was present but it was more flat. In Nearly Gone, the ways that science was used to execute the murders was so much more interesting. It was almost as if science was a sinister accomplice In this book, just the formulas left me underwhelmed.

I didn't enjoy was how angsty Nearly came off in this book. She was such a strong character in the first book, and that was missing. So much of what she did was driven by guilt and a sense of duty to relieve her guilt. Last time, she was more of a detective. I liked that.

I hope this isn't the end of the series. I like Elle's storytelling. She's created an intricate, mysterious world full of interesting characters. I will be happy to read more from her, and home she gets her "ultimate" answer.






“But maybe we aren't the sum of our mistakes or our genes or our circumstances or our fears.  Maybe, in the end, we're the products of our choices. And maybe it's when we hold someone's life in our handsthe choices we make in those momentswhen we get a taste of what we're truly made of.”
― Nearly





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Book Blogger Hop: July 24th - 30th — Bookmarks



"Book Blogger Hop" is a weekly meme where our fellow blogger submit new topics and everyone joins in with their answers.

This Week's Topic/Question:
Do you use bookmarks? If so, do you match them to the book you're reading or do you use random scraps of paper? (submitted by Bunnita @ Worth Reading It?)

My Answer:
Not in the traditional sense. The physical books I read usually come from the library, so I'll often use the checkout receipt for a bookmark. Then my Audible app remembers my place, so there's no need. But it's a definite yes with for eBooks.

The actual bookmarks I own came from book signings, and those are used as bookshelf decor.




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Thursday, July 23, 2015

Book Beginnings & The Friday 56: Avalon (Avalon #1) by Mindee Arnett



"Book Beginnings" is a weekly event that shares the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. "The Friday 56" is also a weekly event, sharing a sentence from page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's ok.)


My Pick This Week:  Avalon by Mindee Arnett
STEALING A SPACESHIP SHOULDN’T BE THIS EASY.

Jeth Seagrave peered around the corner and counted the number of sentries standing at the terminal into the docking bay. There were two of them, both sporting the tan uniforms of local guards, with matching bored expressions.

He slipped back before being spotted. Around him, Kordan Spaceport’s massive concourse, filled with restaurants, shops, and hotels, was mostly empty of people. Even in space, there was such a thing as nighttime.
~ p. 1 

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Friday, July 10, 2015

Book Blogger Hop: July 10th - 16th — Book Club



"Book Blogger Hop" is a weekly meme where our fellow blogger submit new topics and everyone joins in with their answers.

This Week's Topic/Question:
If you are in a book club, where do you meet? A restaurant, someone's home, the library? If you aren't in a book club, why not? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)

My Answer:
I belong two two book clubs, Mocha Girls Read and Nerds & Novels.

For Mocha Girls Read, we've met in book stores, libraries and community centers. We only meet at restaurants for book swaps.

Nerds & Novels mostly has been restaurants and pretty much any place who will allow our voracious group to congregate.





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Saturday, July 4, 2015

Top 5 Best Book Covers: July 2015


Top 5 Best Book Covers is monthly meme created by The Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. The rules are simple: on the first Saturday of every month, post your 5 favorite books covers that are being released in the current month!


#1
SERAFINA AND THE BLACK CLOAK
Author:  Robert Beatty (Twitter)
Genre(s):  Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Release Date:  July 14, 2015

A spooky mystery-thriller about an unusual girl who lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate.
"Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there and they will ensnare your soul."

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of Biltmore Estate. There's plenty to explore in the shadowed corridors of her vast home, but she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate's maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore's corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of Biltmore's owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak's true identity before all of the children vanish one by one.

Serafina's hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.
 
Serafina and the Black Cloak Serafina and the Black Cloak