Spooky Book Recommendations For October

These books will not be on this years October reading because I have already read them. Instead these are recommendations for readers who may be looking for some spooky books to read during this October.

"Bird Box" by Josh Malerman

Guys, I cannot recommend this book enough! I don't easily scare but this book scared me.

"Dracula" by Bram Stoker

A classic horror.

"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

Another classic.

"The Monstrumologist" by Rick Yancey

This book was frightening with a beautiful gothic style of writing.

"The Boy who Drew Monsters" by Keith Donohue 

This is a chilling book, and one that kept me guessing all the way up until the end. Suspenseful.

"The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells

Another classic.

October TBR | 2015

For the month of October I have a selection of horror/spooky/creepy/dark/paranormal books picked out from my personal home library. October is the perfect time to read this genre, and read them I shall. I am not sure if I am over extending myself on this months reading goals but these are just the books that I would like to read but might not necessary get to.

The last three books in "The Monstrumologist" series by Rick Yancey. I read the first book in this series earlier and absolutely loved it. I think that these three books will make delightfully spooky reads for this month, and it will also be completing a book series in the process. "The Curse of the Wendigo", "The Isle of Blood", and "The Final Descent".

"The Archived" and "The Unbound" by Victoria Schwab. I adore Victoria Schwab as a writer so this may just be a excuse to read more of her books.

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

"Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman.

"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" by Jack Finney.

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and other stories" by Washington Irving.

"The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson.

And one or two books by H.P. Lovecraft.

September Wrap Up | 2015

I am disappointed with this months reading quota, having read five books and starting, but not finishing, two books. I shame myself with such a measly number.

4 to 5 Star Rated Books - Favorite books read in September
"Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline - "Ready Player One" Book Review
"A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas - "A Court of Thorns and Roses" Book Review
"The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan - "The Last Olympian" Book Review

Disappointing Reads of September
"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs - "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" Book Review
"Falling Kingdoms" by Morgan Rhodes - "Falling Kingdoms" Book Review

Books that I gave up on in September
"The 5th Wave" by Rick Yancey - "The 5th Wave" Book Review
"Queen of the Tearling" by Erika Johansen - "Queen of the Tearling" Book Review

"A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas

"A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. A retelling with such originality and magic surrounding it.

Two things about this book surprised me. I was first surprised by how much I adored it. I have heard a lot of mixed opinions concerning this book so I was nervous about reading it, anticipating dislike, and instead discovering a magical gem. Sarah J. Maas, I will read anything that you write and never doubt that I will feel anything other then love for it! I was also surprised by the maturity level of this book however. This book is classified as being young adult fantasy, but I would consider it more of a 'new adult' due to swearing and sexual content. It didn't bother me but I do feel like this book might not be appropriate for a younger reader.

The best part is that this book is going to be a trilogy! I look forward to continuing on with this world and the cast of characters contained within it.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Waiting For The Next Release In A Series

Guys, I'm sure that we have all related to this subject at least once as a reader, some of us series readers much more frequently then others. Waiting for the next release in a book series.

One part of me enjoys discovering already completed book series so that I can marathon right through the series without having to wait for each of the books to be published, the other part of me kind of enjoys the excitement and anticipation that comes with the wait.

Regardless if you are one or the other, or perhaps both such as myself, this brings me to my question. If reading a series do you typically reread all of the formerly released books in that series in order to bring yourself up to date before each new book is released? For myself I would have to say that it really all depends on the circumstances. Some authors are very proficient in their writing, managing to release one to two new books each year. If that be the case then I usually don't feel the need to reread a entire series before the next is due to be released as I have a fairly good memory and retain most of the important information that one needs to know. If however a certain author takes longer to publish a book then I may feel the desire to refresh myself by rereading the series.

"The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

The final book, and the conclusion, to the "Percy Jackson and the Olympian" series by Rick Riordan. This was one of those series that I wish that I had discovered during my teenage years rather then now as a adult since I feel like the reading experience would of been far greater. I love the story premise and how Riordan created this entire series based around the gods from Greek mythology, I enjoyed the humor, I enjoyed the overall story, but it is all just a tad juvenile for me. I was hoping for a repeat of the Harry Potter series where the books grow and mature with the characters, and Percy does go from a twelve year old to a sixteen year old over the course of these five books but the books never seem to develop in a maturity level as far as the tone of the books go. I still vastly enjoyed this series however, and this book had a very satisfying conclusion where everything was nicely wrapped up. I find myself very interested in reading the mythology where Riordan's stories originated from, as well as Norse and Roman mythology as well. I do plan on eventually reading Riordan's other book series.

My Rating: 4 Stars

"Queen of the Tearling" by Erika Johansen

One hundred and five pages into this book and I had had enough. It started off on a promising note and I was actually rather enjoying it for the most part, but things went sour rather quickly. First I was a little put off by how our main character, Kelsea, kept ogling any male that crossed her path. She was raised in isolation with a older couple as her sole companions so perhaps this can be excused but it doesn't excuse her personality and stupidness. I believe that the part that bothered me the most however is that this book seems to be taking place in the future ... if we reverted backwards in technology. There was mention of the British and Americans, lost medical technology, birth control, etc. This is not the kind of Fantasy that I look for in a book and I did not enjoy it.

My Rating: 2 Stars - Did not finish

"Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline

I didn't know very much about this book before going into it other then that it is widely known and beloved by a wide verity of readers, especially in the gamer and geek community. It is easy to see why once you've dipped your toes into it.

It is the year 2044 and the world has become a ugly place. Poverty, unemployment, hunger, homelessness, is at an all time new high. People escape their reality by turning to the OASIS, a  free virtual utopia that offers them a getaway from their real life and offers them something more, and better, then what life itself does.

Halliday, the creator and owner of OASIS is now dead. In his Will he states that he has created a game within OASIS and that the winner will win the rights to OASIS and his vast fortune, leaving just one small clue to jump start the entire operation and ultimately win the prized egg. As you can believe, all players immediately set out to play the game. Years go by and no one has made any progress, a lot of the players having given up but some have made it a profession of theirs, studying Halliday and making it a goal of theirs to read, play, watch, and listen to anything that he did in the hopes that it would hold a clue. These players are called Gunters (egg hunters). Our character Wade has devoted his life to this game.

Some desire to win the game for not the prize money but control of OASIS, and wouldn't hesitate to cheat, or even kill, to achieve these means.

I was born just on the cusp of the 90's so although I didn't get a lot of the references to video games, music, and movies throughout the book I still found it to be immensely fascinating. The references that I did get took me back to my early childhood and were delightful.

At one point in the book I was beginning to dislike most, if not all, of the characters contained within the book but by the time that I found myself parting with them I could understand their character development much better, and therefore understood them better.

Bottom line? I freaking loved this book. It wasn't like anything that I have ever read before.

My Rating: 4.75 Stars

September 2015 Updated Library Tour And Shelfie

Since my last library tour and shelfie I have bought a lot of books, unhauled a lot of books, reorganized, and redesigned, so here is a updated batch of pictures for you guys! In a attempt to make my library feel more warm and inviting I placed a map of middle earth above my bookshelves as well as placed this beautiful map of middle earth tapestry on my wall. Getting my nerd on as well as bringing a nice flow to the room, its a win win. Next I would like to get a small electric potbelly stove for the room as well as possibly find a small reading chair to create a reading nook complete with a small end table and tabletop lamp. Maybe a small little fuzzy area rug. Heaven.

And here is a closeup on my shelves. Difficult to fit the entire bookcase in the shot but I wanted to get closer so you can better see the titles.

Updated book count: My last book count was 239 physical books, and 282 book titles (book titles because my Barnes and Noble editions are often multiple books in one). I now own 231 physical books and 302 titles. 

Book Depository Book Unboxing/Haul | September 2015

I was impatiently awaiting this book order from Book Depository. Because Book Depository is located in the UK books ordered through there will take much longer to arrive through the mail, but guys I highly recommend them! Their prices are about the same as our prices here is the US, they offer free world wide shipping, and it is the opportunity to obtain some of these stunning UK editions that you just can't get here. I opted to buy these UK paperback editions because our editions just aren't very pretty. This is my second book order through them and I continue to be pleased with them each time. The books arrive wrapped very carefully in bubble wrap, and I haven't had any damaged books yet. This first picture features the first two books in "The Stormlight Archive" by Brandon Sanderson. These books are massive and have been split into two parts each, hence the four books. The first book is "The Way of Kings" part one and part two, and the second book is "Words of Radiance" part one and part two. I have not yet read any Brandon Sanderson, but fantasy is probably one of my favorite book genres and all fantasy readers rave about him as a author, his books are considered some of the best out there.

These next two books are from the "Reckoners" series by Brandon Sanderson. The first book in the series being "Steelheart", and the second being "Firefight".  I did not realize that there was a size difference between the two when I purchased them ...  still amazingly beautiful but now they don't match *pout*

I adore these editions! The cover art is gorgeous and they look great on your bookshelves. I am really looking forward to delving into the world of Brandon Sanderson, I hear nothing but good when it comes to his abilities as a writer and the magical worlds that he creates.

e-bay Book Unboxing/Haul | September 2015

If you have been reading my former blog postings you may have seen this one that I wrote back in April : The One That Got Away based on this book edition that I am about to showcase. This book has been my book collectors hearts desire for several years now and when I stumbled across one on e-bay that was for a buy it now or best offer with free shipping priced far below the average listings for this book ... I couldn't resist myself. I won't disclose the official price paid because it sickens me, but I did make a offer on it and scored it for twenty dollars cheaper then the original asking price. And I did pay less then the book formerly seen at Half Price Books, and the condition of this one far exceeds that one. This is a leather bound Barnes and Noble leather bound collectors edition of "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis, containing all seven novels in the series. The cover is beautifully designed with embossing on the front cover, the spine, and the back cover. The end papers are a beautiful map of Narnia, and there are illustrations on each chapter header.

This gorgeous edition will be replacing my original seven paperback set. I may give the paperbacks to either one of my sisters or my niece.

Rain Rain Go Away

It has been down pouring rain the past two days here in Iowa. Apparently there have been two attempted deliveries made during those two days but because I was gone at work during those attempts, and because it was raining, the packages were not left at my house as usual (my deck is not covered, therefore not providing any protection against the weather). I could have stopped at the post office to pick up my packages during my lunch break today if I had known, but alas I did not. One of the packages is from Book Depository, and the other two are from Amazon and contain items for my home library. It's a surprise that you guys may see in pictures if these packages are delivered tomorrow, or possibly picked up at the post office by me. A hint, I have been redecorating my library and changing up the look of it. I am so impatiently awaiting the arrive of these three packages, how will I ever sleep tonight?!

The Jungle Book Official Teaser Trailer #1 (2016) - Scarlett Johansson, ...

Has anyone read "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling? I did a few years ago, really enjoyed it, and am now looking forward to seeing this film in 2016!

Books That Went Back To The Library Unread | September 2015

I have been attempting to read more of the unread books that reside in my personal book collection rather then seek out books through the libraries, but I did have two books from the library this month that have gone back unread for the most part.



"The Darkest Part of the Forest" by Holly Black. I started to read this book during my lunch break one day, needless to say I didn't get very far into it. The part where I walked away from it was when one boy randomly asks our main female character at a party if she wants to make out, she replies with "Sure" and then they head off into the woods together. I'm not going to waste my time on this drivel.







"Seraphina" by Rachel Hartman. This one was much better as far as the writing goes, and I got farther into it. I found the entire premise to be really interesting ... but it didn't interest me as much as the other books awaiting me on my shelves. I would of read it despite, except that I haven't heard very many good things on the second book, so I didn't desire to invest too much time into it.

Mini Barnes and Noble Book Unboxing/Haul | September 2015

I have a small Barnes and Noble book unboxing/haul to show you guys today. I purchased this deluxe edition of "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien. It contains all three books in the trilogy ("The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers", and "The Return of the King"), its floppy, the cover feels like suede, must I really say more! Of course this trilogy already resides in my book collection in its place of honor but it is a very large leather bound collectors edition so I wanted to get a edition that would be easier to read and that I wouldn't have to worry about the very act of touching it or breathing on it while attempting to read it. Yeah, I have issues. I also purchased this beautiful 75th anniversary hardcover edition of "The Hobbit" with original artwork by the author himself. Gorgeous. This title also already resides in my collection but as a leather bound pocket edition, I wanted to upgraded although I will probably be keeping both.

Next I purchased "The Wise Man's Fear" by Patrick Rothfuss, soft cover edition. This is the second book in the kingkiller chronicles. A behemoth of a book that is just shy of a thousand pages. Sadly this one arrived damaged. The back cover and some of the back pages are crinkled. I contacted Barnes and Noble about a replacement.

Stay tuned for my Book Depository book haul that I will hopefully be receiving in the next day or two!

Venturing Away From A Book Genre

A reader's tastes in books are never completely set in stone. Maturing, developing, and changing throughout the course of their reading life. Shifting also based on mood.

I have never personally developed a taste for several book genres and at this point and time in my life I feel fairly comfortable in stating that I probably never will. Those genres would be romance, chick-lit, non fiction, and contemporary. My genres of choice being fantasy, science fiction, and adult fiction/classical literature.

I did recently venture back into the young adult genre earlier this year after having not read any for several years. Although I enjoyed the ride I do remember now why it is that I had originally ventured away from this genre the first time around. The books are typically repetitive with little to no originality, the cast of characters are too young for me to find relatable, the writing is usually dumbed-down, and dare I say not very good ... going from the young adult genre back to the adult genre there is a significant difference in the reading experience. A difference that I can appreciate. Now, I am not bunching all young adult into this category, just the majority. I have vastly enjoyed some YA authors, Sarah J. Maas, Patrick Ness, and Victoria Aveyard to name a few of my favorites. These authors are all labeled as being young adult but truthfully their writing abilities far surpass other young adult authors that I have read. I think of their books more as 'new adult'. I will never stop reading young adult altogether because there are some gems mixed in with the trash, and thankfully I have no issue with starting a book and not finishing it as this will allow me to more quickly shift through the ones that I don't want to read. But at this point I feel weary of the genre and I feel myself venturing away from it. I'll stick with the authors that I have discovered, but I hesitate to try out any new ones at this time as I have been disappointed with the last few books that I have read so far this month. I feel a lot of adult fantasy in the reading forecast for the coming months.

Have you ever gotten sick of a certain genre? Did you take a break from it and found that you enjoyed it again once going back to it? Or did you venture away from it permanently?

"Falling Kingdoms" by Morgan Rhodes

The "Falling Kingdoms" series by Morgan Rhodes has been referred to as being Game of Thrones for young adults. I can't really disagree with that observation, but the resemblance however was not the reason as to why I wasn't very impressed by this book. It was the young adult aspect to this book that felt distasteful to me. This was the authors first attempt at writing fantasy and it shows. I wanted so badly to like this series that it felt like I spent more time trying to tell myself that I was enjoying it rather then actually enjoying it. It wasn't horrendous by any means, it just didn't fit my definition of what fantasy is. When I was a teenager I wasn't reading young adult fantasy, I was reading adult high fantasy and epic fantasy and this just doesn't equal the quality of those. I grow weary of the young adult genre in general and this book has just reinforced my recent distaste. The young cast of characters, the dumbed-down narration. I have stumbled across a few young adult series that have completely blown me away, but sadly this was not one of them.

The disturbing feelings that one particular brother has for his sister was very off putting to say the least.

Now I can't only call out the negatives and not mention the positive aspects. I did like the way that Rhodes had all of her characters lives intersection throughout the book, and the relationships that she had developed between them. This is a decent read, just not one that comes with my highest recommendations.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

My Most Anticipated Fall Book Release | 2015

Hey guys, fall time is upon us and with fall comes anticipated books due to be released in fall. Here are my most anticipated books that are to be released this fall.


"Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo. Available on September 29th

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price--and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction--if they don't kill each other first.

"Winter" by Marissa Meyer. Fourth and final book in "The Lunar Chronicles". Available on November 10th

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer's national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.

"Carry On" by Rainbow Rowell. Available on October 6th

Rainbow Rowell continues to break boundaries with Carry On, an epic fantasy following the triumphs and heartaches of Simon and Baz from her beloved bestseller Fangirl.

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters. 

"Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard" by Rick Riordan. Available on October 6th

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . . 

A Disappointing Week Of Reading

This week was very disappointing as far as reading goes. Not one book was actually completed this week, not a one. I am currently reading two books but I haven't actually finished any books. Work has been hectic, time consuming, and exhausting. It hasn't left me much free time in order to read. I have been reading of course, just not as much or as often as I would personally choose.

Reading will be taking place over this weekend ... and I suppose household duties will have to be accomplished as well.

Book Sequel Title Reveal For "An Ember in The Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Announcing the title of the book sequel for "An Ember in The Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir. This book is to be published in 2016, exact release date has not yet been set. The title for this sequel has just been released. Cover design is still to come.


A Torch Against the Night

"An Ember in the Ashes" is a book that I have not yet read but I plan on doing so in the very near future.

Book Series - The Perks And The Downfalls

The perks of book series -

We all know that there are perks to book series, otherwise we wouldn't be reading them. A series is able to become more fleshed out then your typical stand alone. The character development and the world building is often most noticeable. There is more possibility for stronger characters that we are able to get to know through extended books and we often become very attached to them in the process, and the world building can be quite phenomenal. A talented writer can have the same results in a stand alone, but a series can offer so much more. There is something magical about returning to a world that has been created and that of which you already know and love, our previously acquainted characters welcoming us back into their lives.

The much anticipated release of a new book to a series. First you await the official announcement, then you await the title release, the release date, and the cover design. Once the publication date has been set you then eagerly count down to the big day. It's like being a child at Christmas time.

The downfalls of book series - 

There can be a negative to any book form, these are just my personal opinions of the cons of book series.

I find myself beginning a lot of book series but not finishing them. This has become a problem and one that didn't use to exist for me. I used to typically marathon a entire book series regardless of how many books it contained or how large the books were. Now, it has nothing to do with whether I liked the book or not but rather it being more of a issue of there being too many other books that I desire to read as well. It is merely a time constraint. The popular phrase of "Too many books and so little time" has never been truer. I have begun a lot of series that I need/want to finish. So there is obviously a time commitment when reading a book series.

The other one? As exciting and as thrilling as the anticipated book release is, there is a very real possibility that you may have forgotten some of the plot by the time of the next books release date unless you plan on rereading the entire series in order to refresh yourself on it. Or it could very well end at a cliffhanger, making you wait a entire year or possibly longer ... causing you to go into a depression in the meantime.

Book series are terrific, and they will probably be the death of me.

Author Disappointments

I just posted a book review that I feel closely discusses this issue, but I wanted to further discuss it in its own post.

I have heard some people say that they almost have a fear of starting a new book because they are scared that it is going to disappoint them. One part of me wants to call them insane because how can your reading life even function in this manner, while the other part of me is slowly starting to have the same fears.

I recently read a book by what I used to consider as a favorite author of mine. I read one of his books and I loved it so much that I proceeded to purchase the four paperback boxed set of that series as well as his most recent two hardcover editions to a trilogy. I felt safe in doing so because I now considered him as one of my favorite writers. Upon reading the first book to this trilogy of his I was dismayed to discover that his writing wasn't anything like his writing from his other series, the one that I love so greatly. The difference was so disbelieving that I very nearly had to do a double take and check the authors name on the book just to be sure that it was indeed the same guy.

This got me thinking on two different things. The first being that you won't necessary enjoy all of the books that a certain author produces, as horrible as that thought is ... and the second being that I have noticed a slight hesitation when it comes to reading unread books on my bookshelves, because I do worry that I won't like them. The hype gets your expectations up so high that sometimes the fall back down can be crushing.

I will read the books even if they do crush and destroy my dreams in the process.

"The 5th Wave" by Rick Yancey

Have you ever read a book by a certain author, loved that authors writing style and skill so greatly that you immediately went seeking for more books by that author only to be incredible disappointed and letdown? This generally doesn't happen to me but it did just recently which is what brought about this entire review. I read "The Monstrumologist" by Rick Yancey, and I loved it, five stars kind of loved it. His writing was stunning, he really captured the gothic atmosphere making his book feel like "Dracula" or "Frankenstein" in that dark chilling way, his story was horrifying and attention capturing. I was completely sold on his ability as a writer, buying not only his four book "Monstrumologist" series, but also buying "The 5th Wave" and "The Infinite Sea" in hardcover editions. How could I go wrong on this author? Oh how terribly wrong I was to assume, because we all know what they say about assuming. I started reading "The 5th Wave" a few days ago ... and I nearly had to check and make sure that this book was indeed written by Rick Yancey as it just felt so wrong in oh so many ways. The writing was so different from his previous writing, and not in a good way. I know that you can write better then this Rick! The whole premise of the book has just been overdone as a whole at this point in the young adult genre, that should of made me leery in itself, but it's the author of "The Monstrumologist" that we are talking about! I trusted him! The Monstrumologist was dark, gory, a little violent, but fairly clean cut for the most part. No swearing or sexual content. The 5th Wave however had a surprising amount of crude and vulgar language, in the sense that there was multiple swear words on each page. Sexual content also existing. There was also a slightly disturbing relationship happening ... borderline stalker creepiness.

Another thing that I have realized that I don't like in books is the use of modern terminology. Facebook, twitter, snapchat, YouTube, etc. I am sure that this is just a personal issue of mine, but I really don't enjoy this modernism use of words in the books that I am reading. I enjoy reading about futuristic worlds but what I don't like making a appearance is Facebook.

This book was also incredible predictable to the point that you know exact what was going on even before the characters did.

Like I said, I bought this book as well as the sequel, so despite not enjoying it from the very first chapter on-wards I was forcing myself to read it because of that mere fact alone. Finally, two hundred and thirty four pages in I gave up on it. I was half way through and I just couldn't do it any longer. I wanted to like this book so badly that I had a hard time giving up on it. I see that fans of this first book aren't exactly fans of the second book ... so what does that say for my chances?! I learned a hard lesson today and it stings.

My Rating: 3 Stars - Did not finish

Barnes and Noble September 2015 Book Unboxing/Haul

Technically this is a August book haul as I did place the order back towards the middle of August, but as I did not receive it until yesterday it has now become a September book haul.

Earlier in August I read "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas. I loved her talent as a writer, I loved the story, I loved the characters, and I loved the world that she developed. I later unhauled my paperback edition of Throne of Glass ... because I wanted it in hardcover! So I purchased "Throne of Glass" book one, hardcover edition, "Crown of Midnight" book two, hardcover edition, "Heir of Fire" book three, hardcover edition, "The Assassin's Blade" a novella in the series, hardcover edition, and "Queen of Shadows" book four, hardcover edition. This last one is the reason that my order was so very late. It is a newly released novel in the series, being released on September 1st. Her next "Throne of Glass" book will not be released until 2016, a release date not yet being set. The title and cover design also has not been released at the time. I am so excited to read further into this series! I hear that it only continues to get better as the series progresses. This series is classified as young adult fantasy.

I also bought "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss, soft cover edition. I find myself returning to the world of adult fantasy after continuing to be disappointed by young adult time after time. I have heard so many good things about this book. There is a second book, "The Wise Man's Fear", that I may also be purchasing here in a bit, but the third book sounds like it will not be published until 2017, at the time not having a release date, a cover design, or a title. Patrick Rothfuss is described as a master story teller but a slow writer ... ah well the best books do take a while to develop. I would rather wait for a well developed book then a rushed book. This is "The Kingkiller Chronicles" and I believe that it is a trilogy but it's not very clear on that. It is adult fantasy. So excited to read it! The second book featured here is "Falling Kingdoms" by Morgan Rhodes, hardcover edition. This series is classified as young adult fantasy. I have heard some great things about this series but it seems that there are a lot of really mixed feelings on it as well ... so I am a little scared to read it at this point and time because I hate becoming really excited about a book only to discover that I don't personally like it ... this is a six book series with four books currently released. I am going to read this first book before purchasing any of the other books. It is actually a part of my September TBR goal.

I have some serious bookshelf reorganization to undertake!

As a side-note, all of these books arrived in excellent condition which I was really pleased about.

September 2015 Book Unhaul - 5 Books

My sister in law, Lydia, and I plan on going to Half Price Books tomorrow because of the 20% off sale that is going on over the weekend. I have a large amount of books to bring in with me in order to sell, and I have added to that unhaul over this past week. First are my four paperback editions of "A Song of Fire and Ice" series by George R.R. Martin. These copies are a little beat up at this point, so I purchased a five paperback boxed set updated version that I just featured in my book haul earlier today. That's the only reason that these books are leaving my library. I fear that these probably won't fetch much however. Next is my paperback edition of "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs. I read the book earlier this week and I did not care for it. It has no place in my library.

I have a lot of books to lug around with me tomorrow ...

Barnes and Noble and Book Depository Unboxing/Haul Late August 2015 - Belated

I have two book hauls to show you today. One is from Barnes and Noble and the other one is from Book Depository . I actually ordered these back in August, and while I did receive some in late August the rest of these didn't actually arrive until this month. So I am just going to have a combined book haul of the two and term it as a late August haul, belated version. Another very late Barnes and Noble book haul will be arriving tomorrow so I thought it best to showcase these now.

The first are from Book Depository. I ordered this simply gorgeous boxed set of the "Mistborn" trilogy by Brandon Sanderson, paperback editions. This is the first time that I have ordered books through Book Depository, and I was impressed! Book Depository is located in the UK, so although their prices are roughly about the same as our prices in the US it does take longer for the books to actually arrive through the mail. They have free shipping! I decided to order these through Book Depository because of the UK editions being so much prettier then our editions. Quite frankly, our editions are ugly. Book one in the trilogy is "The Final Empire", book two is "The Age of Ascension", and book three is "The Hero of Ages". These arrived very carefully packaged, wrapped in bubble-wrap. I was surprised to receive them so quickly too, I thought that the delivery would take longer then it did. These books are very good quality and in beautiful condition. I already placed another order with Book Depository, and I expect to order from them in the future as well. I have never read Brandon Sanderson before but I hear only good about him. He is considered the king of fantasy, and I hear that his writing is very clean as far as lewd language and sexual content go which is kind of rare in the fantasy genre. His writing has been described as very unique, and very imaginative. I am really looking forward to reading these! They come highly recommended from all fantasy readers.

Next I have these two from Barnes and Noble. I just finished "Uprooted" by Naomi Novik earlier last week and gave it five stars, I loved it that much. So of course I was going to purchase it for my library. This hardcover edition is stunning, but sadly I received it damaged. The dust cover is torn, most noticeably in the front bottom left corner. A page or two is also sewn in wrong so that you notice a difference in how the pages lay. Very disappointed. I am returning it to Barnes and Noble tomorrow for a replacement copy. Also pictured here is a paperback edition of "His Majesty's Dragon" book one in the "Temeraire" series by Naomi Novik. After reading "Uprooted" I was eager to try more of her books.

Also from Barnes and Noble, the complete (current complete) "A Song of Fire and Ice" series by George R.R. Martin, paperback boxed set edition. I have not read these yet, or any of them for that matter, but I really enjoy the television series and hear really great things about the books too. A lot of people put off reading them merely because of the size of the books, but I grew up reading high fantasy. I read eleven of "The Wheel of Time" books by Robert Jordan straight through as a teenager and those are not short books, typically between six hundred and a thousand pages each. I also read ten of the "Sword of Truth" books by Terry Goodkind straight through as a teenager, the page quantity being similar. I hear that Martin's writing can be a little vulgar but it doesn't bother me as much in fantasy as it does in young adult, or other genres. Brandon Sanderson's books are also really chunky books, as most fantasy are, but I love getting lost in big books. The world building is some of the most amazing that you will ever read. These will make really good fall/winter reading! I actually already owned four of these books in paperback but my editions are kind of grimy so they are being replaced with this beautiful set.

And last are these two books also from Barnes and Noble. First is "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas, hardcover edition. I took a chance on this one. I hear really conflicted opinions on this new series by Sarah J. Maas, but I loved her writing so much in "Throne of Glass" that I wanted more by her. I hope that it doesn't disappoint. The physical copy did disappoint however, the book arriving damaged. The dust cover is torn (you can kind of see the damage at the front top right corner). This will also be returned to Barnes and Noble tomorrow for a replacement. I am becoming very annoyed at this time. It seems as if half of the books that I order are arriving damaged in some way, and the boxes are in good condition upon arrival too which means that they are being sent out in that condition ... this makes about the sixth damaged book that I have received through them now. I know that I have been ordering more through Barnes and Noble then any other source, but honestly I haven't received any damaged books from other book sellers ... Anyway, the second book is "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman, hardcover edition. This book sounds really good. I have only read "The Graveyard Book" by him at this point, so I am really interested to read some of his adult works.

I have another Barnes and Noble order scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I am almost scared to open the box at this time, the horror of seeing mangled bookie bodies!

The Issues That I Have With Booktube

I discovered the Booktube community over on Youtube several months back now and I have been watching videos on there ever since, of course having my favorite channels that I have subscribed to. Booktube is basically vloggers, rather then blog they vlog. I really enjoy getting a glimpse into other peoples reading lives, and I must say that to a book lover such as myself these videos can be really addicting! But I do have issues with some of the things that go on over in the Booktube world.

The lack of reading. A lot of these booktubers are frequently posting videos of book hauls, and discussing soon to be released books as well as really popular books, but it would appear that they don't actually read very many books themselves. 0 to 4 Books a month seems about where their reading hovers. Life happens, people become busy, I get it, but if you are a book reviewer and you have a entire channel dedicated to books and reading, and you're reading zero books a month or maybe possibly four books ... what's with that?

The book related games. As I just mentioned previously, a lot of booktubers don't actually seem to read very much, so what do you make videos of if you aren't reading any books? You make videos of book related games and challenges. I'm not interested in watching that, skipping those videos altogether. Are they just using the booktube community because they know that there is a audience out there, not actually being very big readers themselves?

The massive book collections. Okay, okay, I own a lot of books. But I am actually very selective about what books I do own. I buy books that I have already read and rated a 4.25 or higher star rating because these are the books that I desire to own and will eventually return to and reread, I buy newly released books from favorite authors of mine or newly released books to a series that I already own, and I also will purchase books that I really desire to read but I usually first try to get it through my library as these are the books that I typically later will unhaul because I didn't like them enough to keep. Some of these booktubers however have never seemed to have heard of this thing called a library. They will literally buy any and all books that they have the slightest inkling to read rather then seek them out through the library first. Its like a contest of who can haul the most books, and who owns the most books. I have no issue with people owning large quantities of books except for when those books are for the most part going unread. I have to ask, what is even the point then? I think that I was most bothered by one booktuber giving us a tour of their bookshelves, stating that they own well over nine hundred books and that they have read less then 25% of the books that they own. They said that they love owning a large amount of unread books because they like the feeling of unlimited possibilities ... yes, okay, I like having some unread books on my shelves as well because I like the feeling of being able to browse my own shelves for my next reading venture, but what I don't like is owning books that I am never going to actually get around to reading or books that I didn't love. There are libraries out there.

The book hoarding. Booktubers don't seem to really part with their books despite if they didn't really enjoy them or not. They will talk about not really caring for a certain book but that book stays on their bookshelves  despite that fact ... Okay ... I can't stand to have unloved books sitting on my shelves. A book has to rate at least a four star in order for me to keep it. I know that I have my weird rules and everything, but I just get the impression that its once again all about how many books you own.

The ARC's (advanced reader copies). Some of the most popular booktubers basically have free books thrown at them left and right. ARC's and finished copies. Now I know that you won't always be inclined to read a book that you didn't request when it isn't normally a book that you would read anyway, but some of these books were requested and still aren't read. The smaller scale booktubers usually put in much more of a effort to read and review ARC's.

Booktuber popularity. This one only bothers me over in the Goodreads community where these booktubers also reside. Do you know who the top reviewers are over at Goodreads? The booktubers. Generally their reviews consist of "OMG this book is so good!" or "SoooooOooooo GooooOooood!" which then promptly receives hundreds of likes from their followers which instantly boosts their review ratings up. They don't write out well executed book reviews on Goodreads, but theirs usually receive far more attention then the well thought out and well written reviews.

The sameness. It seems as if all booktubers just read young adult and graphic novels. I have recently stumbled across a few however that read a lot more adult fantasy and science fiction.

The unreliability. So many booktubers are being sponsored for their videos, which makes it really difficult to take them at their word. After all, if they are being paid to promote a certain book can you really trust them when they rave about it? So many books that booktubers seem to go cocoa for cocoa puffs over I actually find myself hating ... so does the sponsoring affect their true opinions? I'm guessing that it does. Be honest in your book reviews, readers will respect your honestly and trust your judgement and thoughts.

This by no means refers to all booktubers! It's just a cycle that is getting tiring.

Now that I got all of that off my chest I am off to watch some booktube videos!

Books That Went Back To The Library Unread

So, earlier I made the decision to be a little more choosy about the books that I decide to read (as if I wasn't already book snobbish enough!). Being a book reviewer I tend to feel the need to read and review popular books, but being the book snob that I am, I tend to dislike a lot of these over hyped books, especially from the young adult genre. Over hyped does not mean well written. Take Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey for example. My point exactly. Over the past few years I have slowly developed the process called not finishing a book, that's the thing where you start a book that you find yourself not enjoying and rather then finish it you simply don't. I have honed this ability to the point that I can simply read one chapter of a book and make a decision based on that alone. This doesn't exactly sound like the way to go about reading books, but I'm not even describing the plot, I am describing the writing. The opening chapter should be some of the authors strongest writing, if the author can't even sum up decent writing in their opening chapter then I'm not going to read their book. We all know that some of the greatest books may start out on a slow point, but as long as the writing is good I will stick with it. I checked out the following books from the library recently based on their popularity, and I returned all of them unread. The young adult genre in general is really dragging me down right now, I just can't relate to the younger cast of characters any longer and it almost feels as if the authors intentionally dumb down their writing ... or they just have poor writing skills and that's why they are writing young adult. I find myself venturing back into the adult fantasy world and really appreciating the writing and the more mature cast. I still read and enjoy young adult, but you have to kiss a lot of toads before finding your prince. I won't let hype define what I read.



"Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater. I read one chapter of this book before deciding that the writing was simply too horrendous. Upon reading some reviews of this book it also sounds oddly disturbing in a way. Basically the girl has developed feelings for a wolf that she keeps seeing in the woods surrounding her house. Okay ... that's not creepy at all.







"Anna Dressed in Blood" by Kendare Blake. I've heard this book referred to as the Supernatural television show, so I of course had to check it out. The writing ... again it was just bad.









"Graceling" by Kristin Cashore. Poor writing overall, and the main character is a severe feminist. I support women having equal rights, but this just sounds over the top.










"The Raven Boys" by Maggie Stiefvater. This just sounds like a complete waste of time despite the rave reviews ... remember this is the same author who wrote a book about a girl madly in love with a wolf ...







These books all went back to the library unread. These are the books that I would term young adult, while some of the better written and more developed YA books that I have read I would term as new adult, a genre generally in the 18-30 age bracket. I like new adult, the young adult genre however is just not cutting it anymore. That's where that stopping ability really pays off, I can start all manner of books and have the ability to put it down when I decide that it just isn't for me.

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" has been one of those books that I have been chomping at the bit to read. I have heard a lot of people raving about it, the summery sounds oh so weird and oh so very delightful, and the fact that Ransom Riggs incorporated real photographs into the book was simply mind blowing. I decided that this was the month that I was going to read this book, and read it I did. I was hugely disappointed and let down.

Right off the bat I wasn't a big fan of Ransom Riggs's writing. It was mediocre at best. In fact, it felt like without the pictures strewed within there would be no story to tell at all. Much as I like the idea of writing a book based on peculiar pictures and telling a story through them, not to mention the uniqueness about the entire setup, it felt like the pictures were being forcefully manipulated into the story. Rather then the words telling the stories, the pictures were. The words being forced to coexist with the photographs. The photographs are supposed to illustrate the story, but what happened is that the story was stretched out of shape in order to incorporate the photographs. I wonder if Riggs's writing would be more flattering in a different light, without him trying to make it fit into this format.

The story itself ... I love stories where the characters have superpowers. X-Men is fantastic, and if I can read a book that is based on that whole premise then of course I am going to read it. "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard has been one of my favorites, while "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken has been one of my lesser so. The difference? The quality of the writing for starters, but also the mature level. "Red Queen" read more like a adult fantasy in my opinion while "The Darkest Minds" had a very clear juvenile under tone to it. That is what this book reads like. It is just cast as too immature for my tastes. 

The premise of the book was interesting for the most part, but not nearly as interesting as it could of been. I feel like Riggs's, in a attempt to distance himself from the entire premise of X-Men, tried making enough changes to the story that there wouldn't be cries of copy-cat shouted from the roof tops. X-Men is far more interesting then this.

None of the characters had any ... well character to them to be quite frank. You never develop any connection or relationship to them. And there was a very disturbing romance in this book that left a rather unpleasant taste in my mouth.

My Rating: 3 Stars

Book Series Read In August That I'm Not Going To Finish

I started a lot of book trilogies and series during the month of August so here is my updated version of book series that I'm not going to finish.




1. The Matched series by Ally Condie. I read "Matched" and I have no desire to read the other two books in the trilogy, "Crossed" and "Reached".










2. The "Half Bad" trilogy by Sally Green. I didn't even finish reading the first book in this trilogy, "Half Bad", setting it aside and calling it quits before even getting past page sixty. The other two books in this trilogy, "Half Wild" and "Half Lost" will go unread.









3. The "Legend" trilogy by Marie Lu. I read "Legend" and while I didn't hate it I just found it to be too juvenile for my tastes. I will not be reading the other two books in this trilogy, "Prodigy" and "Champion".








4. "The Darkest Minds" trilogy by Alexandra Bracken. I actually rather enjoyed this book but I haven't heard great things about the other two books in this trilogy ... I don't feel like continuing on with it at this time. "Never Fade" and "In the After Light" will go unread.









5. The "Shatter Me" series by Tahereh Mafi. I hated this book with a passion. "Unravel Me" and "Ignite Me" will not be in my future reading.