Reading and Rereading Series.

Since June (when school got out), I have been on a big series binge. While I've grabbed a few new ones, I'm also taking the time to revisit some that I haven't finished, or that I want to reread.

I love rereading books, and try to take advantage of doing so whenever I can. There is something very soothing about rereading a series and falling back in love with a story that you love. However, it's easy to make excuses not to do so. This summer, I decided that I just needed to read more, and if rereading was how I was going to jump-start that, then, I would do it. It started with a new to me series-The Throne of Glass series. I inhaled the first 4 books before telling myself I had to take a break. The 6th book just came out, so I am planning on getting around to the next 2. I also read a 4-book series that had been sitting on my shelves for a very long time-The Books of Pellinor. It was after finishing that series that I decided I needed to consciously work at reading, and rereading series on my shelves.

I'm sure I'm not alone in the fact that I will often start a series of books, read the first couple, and then set them aside (or have to wait for the next to come out). And sometimes, it is hard to make the time to go back. I'm also a fan of diving back into the series before reading new titles, especially if it has been awhile since I've read them. For example, I already reread the entire Harry Potter series before a new book came out-I did the same this past year before Cursed Child hit the shelves.

In any case, I thought it would be a good idea to start a list (I love lists) of the series I have sitting on my shelves that I would like to get to reading...or rereading. I should note that if a book has a sequel, I'm counting it as a series for the sake of this post. :)

• The Heroes of Olympus Series by Rick Riordan: I'm working my way through this series right now! I finished book 3 (The Mark of Athena) last night and will start The House of Hades later tonight. I never got around to reading book 5 when it was released, so I'm excited to get to it!
• The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan: I bought each of these when they came out, but again, never got around to reading them. Since I'm enjoying the other series so much, I'm sure I'll get around to reading these very soon!
• The Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas: Like I said above, I read the first 4 books (technically the prequel and the first 3 titles) early in the summer, so I just want to read book 4 and 5. I think I might save them for the readathon!
• The Cinder Series by Marissa Meyer: While I have read the main titles, there is one collection of novellas I haven't gotten around to yet, and I'd like to!
• All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness: Technically, I only have the first title, A Discovery of Witches, on my shelf, but this is a series I've been meaning to read for a very long time!
• Across the Universe by Beth Revis: I read the first book in this trilogy when it debuted and enjoyed it enough to buy the other two books when they came out. And I haven't gotten back to them...
• Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev: I followed Lisa a long time ago on a writing site and purchased her debut when it came out. I read it and loved it (Shakespeare? YES), and like many others, bought the other two books on release as well. Whoops!
• The Temeraire Series by Naomi Novik: I LOVE this series, but I have only made it through book 5! I think there are 9 books out now and the series is done? Will be done after one more? In any case, this is a great fantasy series and I love the originality of it!
• Seraphina and Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman: Another set that I purchased shortly after release and never got around to. And I have heard amazing things!
• The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo: Say it with me...another series I bought and never got around to. I almost started it this summer, but picked up The Throne of Glass Series instead, so at least I tried...
• The Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan: I love Flanagan's books, and always buy them when they release. I think I am only 1 behind in this series, but I love it so MUCH. 
• The Crown of Stars Trilogy by Kate Elliott: I bought this series (all 7) YEARS ago-I was still unmarried and living with my parents. I used to inhale big fantasy series like this one, but since they take such a time commitment, I now stray away. BUT. I still want to read it. 

Phew. I think that's it for now. I mean, I know there are more on my shelves, but I think I'm off to a good start, right?

Tell me about the series you love. Do you reread before a new title comes out? Or are you a standalone kind of a reader? Let me know below!

#15in31: Reading Challenge October 2015!

A few days ago, Andi at Estella's Revenge posted about a reading challenge she was undertaking in the month of October. After looking at it and mulling it over...for about 20 minutes, I decided to jump in and join the fun.

The #15in31 challenge is basically to read 15 titles in the month of October. Since that's rare for me even in a fabulous month of reading, it truly is a challenge. However, I think I can do it.

School is finally getting a calm point (it always seems crazy at the beginning of the year). I also have a couple free weekends, and the 24 hour readathon later this month. What better time to challenge myself?

And even if I fail to hit 15 books, at least I'll make some progress and hopefully put a dent in the piles of books I've been meaning to get to.

In choosing my books, I decided to go completely random and snatch things that I've been meaning to get to for awhile, some slim classics, and some fun reads. I think I have a good eclectic pile to pick from for the month, so hopefully I don't get bored. I also picked more than 15 books to give myself some variety. Let's take a look!

From left to right and top to bottom:

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: I might be cheating by adding this to my list since I've already started it, but I do plan on finishing it this month, so....it'll count. 
2. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells: I haven't read anything by Wells in quite some time, so I thought this would be a good short read (perhaps the day of the readathon). 
3. Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather: This is another shorter read that I thought we be good for a one-sit read. I also keep meaning to get back into Cather, so this might be a good starting point. 
4. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards: I've had this title sitting on my shelf for a long time, so perhaps it might be time for me to get to it!
5. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier: I've read this once before-a long time ago-and I've been wanting to reread it at some point. I know it'll be a fast read, thus why I picked it. 
6. March by Geraldine Brooks: This is another book that has been sitting on my shelf for far too long. I love Little Women, so I know I'll like this one. It's also pretty slim. :)
7. The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith: It's Smith. I'm not sure if it needs more explanation....but I did just get this in a book swap, and I've been holding onto it until I could devote an evening to it. 
8. Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon: This is a newer release that I've been hearing a lot about. I have a hunch it'll be another fast read.
9. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: This is a title that has also been sitting on my shelf for a really long time. I bought it shortly after it came out, but I just haven't gotten around to it! I think it is also perfect for the season, so I'm looking forward to reading it on a gross evening. 
10. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: I might be the last person alive to read this. But based on what I know, I know it'll be another fast read.
11. Teacher Man by Frank McCourt: I've been meaning to read this for ages. My copy is old, and it needs to be loved, I think.
12. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: As soon as this book debuted I marked it as a title I needed to read. But I haven't gotten to it (are we sensing a trend?). It's a bit longer, but I think it'll be perfect for this month.
13. The Red Pony by John Steinbeck: I wanted another short classic to read, and this was probably one of the shortest on my bookshelves. It's also been awhile since I've read any Steinbeck.
14. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster: I loved the other Forster I read a few years ago-A Room with a View- so I have high hopes for this one.
15. A Lost Lady by Willa Cather: Another Cather. I'm pretty sure this one is well loved, and after reading the back, it's close to the top of the pile.
16. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: Fitting for this time of year? I think? It's also been some time since reading Gaiman (I think the last Gaiman I read was The Ocean at the End of the Lane), and that was a couple years ago...if I remember correctly.
17. Stand-Off by Andrew Smith: Not going to lie, I'm probably going to read this one this weekend. Winger might be my favorite Smith title, so the sequel? Yes please.
18. Gwendolen by Diana Souhami: This is an old ARC that I've held onto because it sounded so darn interesting.
19. Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Wells: I've never gotten around to this one, even though I've meant to. I love The Glass Castle, so high hopes!
20. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez: Yet another title I've been meaning to read for years. I also thought I owned a copy, but in my book culling this summer I couldn't find it. Thankfully our media center had it!
21. Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson: This was an impulse grab from a media center display. It looked interesting and different from some of the other things I grabbed.
22. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: I've heard a lot of positives about this, and I need a sappy YA story. I do.
23. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins: I'm also sure I'm one of the last people to read this...a student keeps harassing me to read it, so I feel like I owe it to her (I convinced her to read The Martian and she loved it, so I need to return the favor).
24. The Husband's Secret by Lianne Moriarty: I really liked What Alice Forgot, and this is the only other Moriarty title our media center had. 
25. Not pictured, but probably more Fables....I'm really into the series, so I'm sure I'll read a couple volumes. I only have one more here that I haven't gotten to, but I'm hoping to pick up a few more.

There you have it. My super ambitious list of titles to read this month. I'll be updating my progress as much as possible and posting on instagram (@alliedanielson) as I get to each title. Let me know if you have any other fast reads to recommend!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Fall TBR.

Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday!

This week's topic is one of my favorites-our top picks for our Fall "To be Read" lists. For some reason, these topics are always my favorite. I love searching my shelves to find new and old gems.

Truthfully, I failed at my summer TBR list, so I'm trying to be a bit realistic in what titles I'm going to read this fall season. School has only been in session for two weeks, and I'm already drowning in papers (English teacher plus 2 AP history courses. It's a lot of writing). But I've been working towards spending a little more time on myself and the things I really enjoy at home. Reading is up there on that list.

In no particular order:

1. Stand Off by Andrew Smith: This book just came out and my copy is already here and waiting on my bookshelf to be read. I loved Winger, so I have super high hopes for this one (but it's by Smith, so I know it'll be amazing). I think I might reread Winger before diving in, but we shall see. :)

2. The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith: Yep, a second Smith title. This is one of his older books, but I've been meaning to finish reading his backlog (I have 3 or 4 to go). And after just rereading the blurb, I'm even more excited to pick this one up. I have a feeling it'll be amazing. Because Smith.

3. Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon: This is one of those books that has been EVERYWHERE and I finally caved and bought it because it just looks...so good. I'm thinking it'll make a perfect readathon book this fall, so I'm saving it!

4. More Fables by Bill Willingham: I'm officially halfway through the series and just acquired a few more, so I'm ready to dive in and finish the series. These are incredibly addicting, but the plot is great and I love the break from normal reading. If that makes any sense.

5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: Truthfully I've already started this one, but it's a perfect fall reread. It's been giving me a lot of things to think about on this reread, but I'm loving it and can't wait to finish it (and write about it).

6. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: This was actually inspired by last week's TTT post, where I mentioned that a Dickens seem fitting for this time of year. I feel like I've been pulled to this one, and giving it another shot to impress me. We shall see.

7. The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather: I need to reboot my Willa Cather Project, and this is the next title on the list. I think this is another one I'm going to save for the readathon. I read My Antonia for one a couple years ago and it was a fabulous experience. Time for a repeat.

8. Winter by Marissa Meyer: I LOVE this series, so I'm excited for the final title to come out in November. It'll be one of those books that I buy the day it debuts!

9. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz: I have longed claimed that this is one of my favorite YA titles of all time, but it has been a number of years since I've read it. I think this might be another one for the readathon pile.

10. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: Since I'm currently reading her sister's work, I think it might be time to return to Emily as well. This is the perfect read for a cool fall day when Matt is at work. :) I'm looking forward to it.

What books are you looking forward to this fall? Let me know below!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors I've Read The Most Books From

Hi everyone! Happy Tuesday!

For this week's Top Ten Tuesday, the folks over at The Broke and the Bookish are asking us to name the top ten authors we've read the most books from! At first I wasn't sure if I could answer this question, but after looking through my reading log and Goodreads, I'm pretty sure I got the big ones. :)

Let me know below if we have any in common, or if there is an author you think I should check out.

1. John Flanagan: I actually wasn't that surprised since I currently have......16 of his books on my shelves and I just finished rereading them not that long ago. His middle grade/young adult series, The Ranger's Apprentice, has long been a favorite of mine. It's just....fun reading.

2. William Shakespeare: I'm not surprised by this one either. To date, I've read more than half of his plays, all of his sonnets, and have plans to read everything at some point. I love the bard.

3. Edith Wharton: Considering my obsession with her fabulous work, I knew she would be on this list. I've read a good majority of her novels, but I still have a small chunk to go. I keep meaning to pick up A Backward Glance, but never seem to make the time.

4. Charles Dickens: AH! My arch-nemesis....oh, I'm kidding. I consider Dickens to be a frenemy at this point. And I have read a good chunk of his work. I planning on launching into a Dickens fervor when school picks back up, so I'll be adding on more titles to my read list.

5. Willa Cather: I still have so many Cather titles to read, and The Song of the Lark has been sitting on my nightstand for far too long.

6. J.K. Rowling: Another one that I'm not surprised by. I actually want to do another reread....too soon?

7. Andrew Smith: When I saw his name in my top ten on Goodreads, I was bit shocked, but I do have a bunch of his novels on my shelf, and not one of them is unread. He's fabulous.

8. Rick Riordan: Another one that popped up on my Goodreads list that I was surprised by! I still need to read The Blood of Olympus (after I went and bought it the day it came out.....) and the Kane Chronicles!

9. Bill Willingham: Oh, you author of Fables you...it's easy for his titles to rack up since they're comics, but I love them. So much. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

10. Sara Douglass: I haven't read a book by Douglass since before I started blogging, but I've read everything she published. If you're looking for a great fantasy writer, give her a try. I loved her books. :)

There you have it! I like that my list has a lot of diversity! What does yours look like?

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Inspiring Quotes from Books.

Another Tuesday, and another top ten list from the folks at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week asks us for our top ten inspiring quotes from books, which I am all over. I keep a small pack of post-it tabs near me when I'm reading, so I am constantly marking favorite passages and lines.

I hope you enjoy what I picked-I think there is a wide variety here!

In no particular order....

from "All the Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven

Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth"

from "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

from "The Odyssey" by Homer

from Kate Chopin's "The Awakening"

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte

"Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville

from "The Great Gatsby"

from Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

from Charles Dickens' "David Copperfield"

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books from My Childhood/Teen Years to Revisit.

It's Tuesday, which means another Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they name a topic, and book bloggers give their list to match.

When I saw this week's topic, I got very nostalgic and excited, so I knew I had to make an effort to figure out the titles for this list. And, once I got started, I was super excited to write out this list.

I hope you can relate to some of these titles, and perhaps find a few titles to check out. :)

In no particular order...

1. It Zwibble, The Star Touched Dinosaur: This book was one of my childhood favorites. I know I still have my copy somewhere, but I haven't seen it in awhile, and I miss it. The story basically follows It Zwibble, who is sent to earth in search of lost dinosaur eggs. It's adorable. There's a toucan and a moose. And it is made of awesome.

2. The Sweet Valley High books: I discovered these as a preteen during a library book sale. There was a big brown paper bag full of them, and I begged my mom to buy them for me (this was the mid-90s?). I became obsessed with the series and read them all numerous times. I have no idea what happened to my old copies, but I do feel a wave of nostalgia just looking at that cover-the drama. The heartbreak. Ugh. And I still can't believe my mom let me read them when I was only in the 5th or 6th grade. 

3. Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder: No list about my childhood would be complete without this series. I actually reread them a few years ago and blogged through the process, and they stood the test of time. I know I read these at least a dozen times as a girl, and there are scenes that are still incredibly vivid in my memory. They also remind me of my grandparents, since their copies were the ones I originally read.

4. The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell: I actually loved all of O'Dell's books, and my copies are safely tucked away in a box somewhere. I actually read this one after one of my older brothers came home from school and complained about it. I fell so hard for Karana's story and this jump-started an early love of history. I also went on to read all of O'Dell's books, and all of my copies are beat up from multiple rereads.

5. The Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Books by Betty MacDonald: I can remember reading these in the second grade, hidden away in our classroom castle (yep-we studied medieval times and built a castle in the classroom). I LOVED these books. Of course, they're cheesy and meant to teach children lessons, but I loved them anyway. When we moved into this apartment and I had to decide what books to keep on shelves, you better believe Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is out. YEP.

6. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner: This was another big hit in the second grade. My teacher had this big bookshelf FULL of books, and the Boxcar Children were always in big demand, especially this second book. Everyone fought over it (no idea why), and it was always joyous when someone new got to read it. I went on to read a majority of the series (my older brothers also had them). Great series of books!

7. The White Dragon by Anne McCaffery: I have another vivid memory for you. In 8th grade, my English teacher told us we had to read a book outside our comfort zone. My best friend Jenny and I decided we needed to read the same book. We scoured the school library and painfully passed up our beloved Mary Higgins Clark (it was a phase....at one time I owned everything she wrote). This was the only book we found that had two copies and that our teacher agreed to. DO YOU SEE THAT COVER? Anyway, it ended up being the best thing ever, as it launched my love of fantasy. I own a bunch of the Pern novels (some are more battered than others), and I know I need to reread them at some point.

8. Loves Music, Loves to Dance by Mary Higgins Clark: So....like I said, I went through a phase in 7th and 8th grade with my friend Jenny where we obsessed over Mary Higgins Clark. I have no idea why it started, but I blame Jenny completely. We each bought tons of her books, traded with each other, and gushed over the "romance" and "mystery." This one was a favorite of ours, and I'm pretty sure I read it 5 or 6 times. I'm happy to say that I sold all my Clark books years ago, and while I have a huge wave of nostalgia every now and again, I've resisted. ;) And please know I say that all in good fun.

9. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card: I debated whether or not to put this book on my list because of the controversy surrounding Card, but this title remains a large part of my reading history. This was required summer reading for my 9th grade English class (we actually had to choose between this and David Copperfield, which I now love, but would have hated then. And for those interested, the other required titles were My Antonia and The Count of Monte Cristo). I loved this book. It created my love of science-fiction and really drove me as a reader throughout high school. It also encouraged me to branch out to trying new things and exploring different kinds of fiction. Now...I have mixed feelings about the book and Card. I actually taught this book in the fall to my struggling readers class, but they hated it and the experience was not that much fun for me....but it still remains a book I keep on my shelf and think about from time to time.

10. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: This series started to debut when I was in high school, and while I avoided them at first, I caved in when my aunt gave them to me when I ran out of things to read on vacation. I soon became a Harry Potter nerd, attended midnight release parties for the last 3 books (the first 4 were already out when I started reading them), and saw all the movies on their debut. It's a series I will always love. I mean, it's Harry Potter, you know?

So, there's my list. There's a few more I could have added, but I think these were fun and representative of my early reading life. :) Do we have any books in common?

Top Ten Tuesday: Rewind (Books I Bought But Haven't Read!)

It's Tuesday and today's Top Ten Tuesday is one of my favorites-Rewind! This topic is for participants to go back and redo a topic that we may have missed, or that we want to do again!

After scouring the list of old topics, I decided to do an oldie based on the books I had to go out and buy....but haven't managed to read yet.

I don't know if you're like me, but I tend to buy books in big batches. And, generally speaking, I don't read through that batch before going out and buying more (as evidenced by my huge TBR list).

For this, you'll see a mix of new releases and classics-all of which I was determined to read when I bought my copy, but have since found their place on my bookshelves.

1. A Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling: I'm pretty sure I bought this the week it came out. And I haven't read it. I also bought The Cuckoo's Calling. Haven't read that one either. Whoops.
2. Salinger by David Shields and Shane Salerno: I bought this the week it came out, which was perfect since I was teaching The Catcher in the Rye at the time. And...still on the shelf.
3. Wither, Fever, and Sever by Lauren DeStefano: I bought each of these close to their release and still haven't even read the first one. The covers for these are lovely, which is probably why they came home with me!
4. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman: I've heard wonderful things about this one (dragons!), but still haven't found the right moment to start reading it. I might wait until the series is finished...
5. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: This was one of those hot books that everyone was reading, and since it sounded interesting, I bought a copy too. I even lent it to a few people, but I still haven't given it a chance!
6. The Autobiography of Mark Twain Volume 1: I bought this right after its release (notice a trend) and I had the best intentions of settling in and reading it. Since purchasing, volume 2 has come out and this volume is collecting a bit of dust.
7. The American  by Henry James: After finishing The Portrait of a Lady a couple of years ago, I bought a slew of James novels in hopes of tackling more by him. This was the title I was most excited for....still haven't read it.
8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: This is another one of those titles that was everywhere and it sounds really interesting....just haven't give it a chance yet. Like Gone Girl, it's another title I've lent out a few times!
9. Beloved by Toni Morrison: Back when I made my 250 list, I was really excited to read my first Morrison novels, and Beloved was at the top of that list. And while I've read Morrison, I haven't touched this one yet.
10. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin: Technically I've started this one, but this is another that I was anxious to read, but haven't found the time or urge to do so!

 What books did you really want to read, but haven't found the time to pull them off your shelves?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Things on my Reading Wishlist.

Hi everyone!

It's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is about the Top Ten Things on our Reading Wishlist-those characters, settings, themes, trends, etc that we want more of in our reading!

I had a lot of fun thinking about this list. Please let me know what things would be on your reading wishlist!

1. Strong Heroines: I like a girl with sass and attitude. So give me more of them.
2. Well-crafted worlds: I started off my year by reading A Game of Thrones, which, let me tell you, takes place in a very well-crafted world. I love being able to disappear into another world like that!
3. Revenge: I LOVE revenge themes! Maybe a reread of The Count of Monte Cristo is in order!
4. Victorians: I love the Victorian writers, and it has been some time since I've read one!
5. Cats who aren't evil: Why are cats always the bad guys? The bad omens?
6. Redemption: This is another one of those themes that I've been yearning for....
7. Inventive Fantasy: I see a lot of the same things in fantasy literature....I'm looking for something new!
8. Better Book Covers: Granted, not a writer driven category, but I really love a book cover and nothing has caught my eye recently!
9. A non-orphaned hero: I know orphans make things easier for writers, but for once, can we have a hero with both parents? Just once?
10. No more dystopia: I've read too many of them. I want something else!

Now that you've seen my list, do you have any recommendations for me?

Mini-Reviews Part 3 (Adult Titles).

This is the third and final post in my attempt to catch up talking about the books I've read this year and haven't reviewed. The first two posts focused on young adult titles and this one is all about those adult books I've picked up and read in the last few months.

Keep in mind that these are just short little blurbs about the books and my impressions of them.

Loteria by Mario Alberto Zambrano

I was actually pitched this book for review and accepted for two reasons. First, the cover. Second, the title. If you are unfamiliar with Loteria, it is a card game-a bit like bingo-from Mexico. I took a lot of Mexican and Mexican-American history courses in college for my history degree (I have a specialization in Mexican-American Culture and Studies), and in one of my courses, a professor taught us how to play Loteria. I haven't played or seen cards since then, but when I saw the title of this book, I knew I had to read it.

Young Luz Castillo has been taken in by the state while her father is in jail and her sister is in the ICU. Alone and feeling very isolated, she takes to writing a journal in a very interesting way. With a deck of Loteria cards at her side, she pulls a card and writes a piece of her history. What unfolds is a very touching and emotional story of her childhood and how her family fell apart.

I loved this book. It was raw, emotional, and tugged at every heart-string. This is one of those books you don't see coming...but you need to read it. I promise.

*I will warn you that Zambano throws in quite a few Spanish phrases. Most you can pick up from context clues, but some are a bit trickier. I figured them out from my background, but some might be hard for you if you don't know any Spanish.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

This was a book not at all on my radar. I really don't read contemporary adult fiction. I really couldn't tell you what's "popular" right now. But I remember hearing someone on the blogosphere raving about this book, and I had it in the back of my mind. So, while down in Indiana in May for the Indy 500, I went to the bookstore with my sister-in-law. This was on a shelf and jumped out at me. So I bought it.

At times this book was...absurd that I laughed out loud. There were phrases that just jumped off the page...including quite a few f-bombs. It just seemed so raw and edgy. It was in my face and aggressive. The footnotes were insightful and interesting. I just sucked them up.

The book is about the life of Oscar Wao, a Dominican living in the United States. Through a series of different narrators, the book explores Oscar's life and how he became the person he is. In some ways, the book reminded me of One Hundred Years of Solitude-not the magical realism part, but the depth of family history and strength.

By the end of the novel, I was completely obsessed. It was a book that just took me over. And told me that perhaps I need to read more adult fiction...from this era. :)

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

I've never read anything by Sedaris, but he is one of those writers I've been meaning to get to. Then this book came out and I was so intrigued by the cover and title that I figured I would read it soon. Then I happened to win a copy from the 24-Hour Readathon, so it was perfect.

This is a collection of essays from Sedaris about a whole range of topics. Many made me chuckle and I flipped through them rather quickly. I will say that some of them would have gone over better had I been listening to Sedaris talk. I feel like a lot of his humor is lost in the written form. He must be hilarious in person.

I did enjoy my first exposure and have another one of his titles on my shelf (Me Talk Pretty One Day). He is someone I will definitely read more of in the future!


As you can see, I don't read much in the way of current adult fiction and non-fiction, so please give me some recommendations for other titles to check out. I think I read diversely, but I know this is an area I know nothing about. :)

Mini-Reviews Part 2 (YA).

Today I bring you the second half of the young adult mini-reviews from what I've been reading this year. Like the first post, this will focus on those novels I've been reading and not writing about. And this second half has some GOOD books!

Every Day by David Levithan

My first Levithan experience wasn't as awesome as I had hoped, so I decided to try another novel before giving up on Levithan. I am so glad I did.

I settled on Every Day after a few people raved about it. The story focuses on a boy who wakes up in the body of someone new every day. Each morning he has to determine who he is and what his life will be. And each night he closes his eyes knowing he will end up somewhere else.

It's a great concept for a novel, and Levithan executed it brilliantly. I found myself truly sympathizing with the main character and his struggle to build some kind of a life with the people he meets. It got me thinking about the people you see every day-how you really don't know what their life is like at home. This book gave you a glimpse of it.

I'm ready to tackle more by Levithan, so please tell me some other titles to read!

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

I am in LOVE with Between Shades of Gray, so I bought Out of the Easy the day it came out. It didn't disappoint me.

The novel takes place in New Orleans in the 1950s. Our main character, Josie, has lived there since she was a little girl. Her mother works at a brothel as a prostitute, and Josie is responsible for cleaning it each morning. She refuses to fall into a life like her mother's, so she works hard to save money to get away and out of New Orleans.

This novel truly sucked me in. Sepetys has the ability to craft truly engaging stories with relate-able and likeable characters. Josie was someone I really rooted for. Her life was hard and her mother was truly a horrid person. But she persevered with class and strength. It was riveting.

Sepetys is an author that I will continue to follow!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

This was a title I picked up at the book fair after seeing a bunch of students reading it and favorable reviews online. I decided to read it near the end of the school year when I was stressed out because I needed to be entertained. And entertained I was.

This is a cute story of an angry girl, Hadley, traveling overseas to her estranged father's wedding. She meets a cute and dashing boy, Oliver, at the airport, and the next 24 hours chronicle their time together.

The story was cute. I'm not a big fan of the whole "angry girl meets cute boy who shows her the error of her ways," but this was truly entertaining and very sweet. It was a just a happy book that delivered on its title. And that is something you need once in awhile!

Legend and Prodigy by Marie Lu

So, I do this thing where I buy new books that are coming out, then learn they are part of a series, and then I let them sit on my shelves until all are published. Perhaps it has to do with my need for instant gratification, but I really enjoy reading a series straight through. Legend was one of those books, until my husband picked it off the shelf for me to read next. It helps that the third and final book will be out this fall...I really don't have long to wait.

These are some of those novels that are for "fans of The Hunger Games." I personally find that to be an annoying comparison, since novels shouldn't have to be compared to something else to find readership. And while they do have things in common with The Hunger Games, they aren't that similar.

Anyway, Legend introduces the reader to a future world full of violence and anger-especially with children. June, a young prodigy in the military of the Republic, is on a mission to find the Republic's most notorious criminal, Day. It's a very action-filled book and I read it quickly. The point-of-view switches each chapter between Day and June (and I find it really annoying that Day's portions are in a different colored font. It made my eyes hurt. Don't try to be cute publishing houses).

I really enjoyed both titles and will definitely be picking up the third title when it debuts (I also plan on finishing my reading of the Divergent series), but after that, I need to step away from the post-apocalyptic world titles. While they are all entertaining, they are all starting to contain the same elements and it's driving me crazy. I just need a breather from the YA. :)



There you have it-I'm caught up on mini-reviews for all the YA I've read this year. Stay tuned for one more mini-review post on some adult titles. 

Mini-Reviews Part 1 (YA).

Since I haven't been blogging on a regular basis, I have a pile of books waiting that I've read and haven't talked about. I figured I should remedy that, so I give you mini-reviews! I read some of these so long ago that some details are hazy, so this is really the best option for me to at least tell you what books I liked and didn't like. :)

This post will focus on half of the young adult novels that I've read over the last few months. Since this post has been sitting in "draft" mode for...well, a long time, some novels are a little hazier than others (these are in order from the furthest away to the most recent reads).

Feel free to tell me in comments if you've read the same novel and your thoughts! :)

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

I read both Delirium and Pandemonium shortly after they were published, and I was ready to read Requiem when it came out. I wasn't all that happy with the end of either of the two previous books-both made me roll my eyes. Of the two, Pandemonium irritated me more, but I still wanted to know how the story ended.

While I certainly flew through Requiem, I was left feeling very unimpressed. The book felt a bit disjointed. And the romantic conflict felt forced to me. It left a bitter taste in my mouth. However, I did like the storyline with Hana, and felt that it connected well with Lena's story.

Overall, I enjoyed the series, and I've recommended it to a bunch of students. They all seemed to really enjoy it, so I consider that to be a success.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling is one of those titles I've been meaning to read, but hadn't picked up at the store. I finally caved when one of the students from the school's book club convinced me it was really good.

And she was right. Hands down, Graceling is one of the best YA fantasy novels I've read in a long time. I found it to be original and compelling. Katsa was a narrator and character that I truly rooted for. She underwent a great deal of change in the novel, but maintained her identity no matter the circumstances. That was something I really admired from Cashore-that she didn't sacrifice her character's real identity to go along with what the read might want.

The novel, as a whole, was well-written and evenly paced. I flew through it in a night and couldn't read it fast enough. It also caused me to go out to the store and immediately pick up Cashore's other 2 titles.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fire is set in the same world as Graceling, but takes place in a neighboring realm. While in Graceling certain characters are marked with different colored eyes as a sign of their grace, or high skill in a certain area (Katsa's is survival), the country in which Fire takes place is one of violence and anger. The main character, Fire, is a woman with brilliant hair-a trait that attracts violence and anger since her hair also has power.

The story was similarly paced to Graceling. Again, I found the world believable and well-developed. In many ways, the country of Fire's story was similar to the places Katsa journeyed through. Both women had to struggle to be understood for their particular traits. However, I did find Fire to be more...violent than Graceling, and it was missing something to really push it over the edge (and that isn't to say I didn't enjoy it, I did, but not as much as Graceling). In any case, the book left me thinking after I closed it.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

The last of my Cashore binge is her most recent novel. Bitterblue goes back to the realm that Graceling takes place in and reintroduces us to some of the same characters, but focusing on Bitterblue.

Of the three novels in this world, Bitterblue was by far the most political. That is an aspect of fantasy literature that I really love, but puts some people off. I also really enjoyed seeing old characters in new roles, and seeing how Bitterblue had changed from the first novel.

I also loved that like Katsa, Bitterblue stayed in character throughout the duration of the novel. She didn't slip into any YA character traps that seem to be so popular in YA lit, and I found it refreshing.

After finishing all 3 of Cashore's novels, I can say that she has a fan for as long as she writes fantasy literature. She writes beautifully and I love her characters.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

This was a book I picked up at our school's book fair on a whim. I think I heard some murmurs about it on a few blogs, and since I was focusing on the Holocaust in my history classes, it was good timing. This is a historical fiction novel set in Nazi-occupied France. A girl was taken captive by the Nazis for spying, and as the novel unfolds, she tells her story.

At times the novel was very beautiful At other points, it was gruesome and harrowing. There is also THAT SCENE that shocked me very deeply (I had to reread it to let it sink in).

However, it was well-written and I enjoyed it well-enough. I do think there were a few pacing issues in spots, but the story was powerful enough to overwhelm that.

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

I had heard many good things about Levithan, so I decided to try one of his novels on a whim, and this happened to be the lucky title.

I probably should have started elsewhere, since I really did not enjoy this that much. I found out, after I read it, that the novel was a bit experimental for Levithan. The pictures included were shot and given to Levithan as he wrote the book...so the story unfolded as new pictures emerged. It's an interested concept for writing, but the final product didn't work for me.

In a nutshell, Evan starts finding photographs that seem to be targeting him in some way. He begins investigating the source of the images and a whole bunch of things unfold.

For me, the story felt off from the beginning. The pacing jolted me, and it felt...just awkward.

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen

Our media specialist bought this and begged me to read it over our Spring Break, and I caved in. She wanted someone's opinion on it since it was a new title, but she hadn't been able to convince a student to read it.

Ummm...yeah. It's a good thing that the novel was short and very simple. I flew through it in about an hour or so. Basically, the story is about a young girl in a plane crash who ends up in a raft on the ocean when her plane crashes. It's the story of her "survival" and how she copes with things on the raft.

It was not my cup of tea. I found the writing to be almost childish considering that the novel focused on a teenager. And then there was the "twist" near the end that made me roll my eyes and almost throw the book across the room.

It just didn't work for me.

The Jessica Darling Novels by Megan McCafferty

Apparently I was living under a rock when these novels debuted when I was in high school. Had I found the first title, Sloppy Firsts, back then, I would have been a total fan-girl over these. The narrator, Jessica Darling, is the perfect amount of sassy I always wanted to be. She is also funny as all get out and makes some very humorous choices.

The rest of the series continues her life through the end of high school, through college, and then when she is out in the workforce. They come to a satisfying ending that I almost feel McCafferty wrote for her fans rather than her characters, but they were entertaining enough.

By far the best in the series is the first novel, followed closely by the second. They are funny, sarcastic, and wonderfully written. I just found Jessica got to be a bit stale as the novels progressed, and I didn't see her growing or mature. But, they were funny and light-hearted, which is what I needed when I read them.

And I will say...I don't get the fascination with Marcus Flutie. I just don't. He doesn't float by boat ladies-not even close.


So, there is part 1 of who knows how many mini-reviews. Let me know below what you think!