The Bookish Tag

Hello! Today I am going to be doing a tag post from Sonya @sonyalovesbooks (on YouTube). I actually got tagged by http://loveliterature713.blogspot.ca and her blog, so tagging is moving into the blogger community! So without further ado, the tag.

What genre of books do you prefer?
Science-fiction. I love putting myself into future worlds, and I find that the plot is generally fast paced. I also think that they have the most creative story-lines and they always give me a unique read.

What are some of your must-have books in your library?
The Maze Runner. Since I don't buy books, this is really the only book that I own that I really enjoyed.

What is the most expensive book on your shelf?
I have these non-fiction text-book type things and they talk to you. They would probably be the most expensive book(s) on my shelf, although I don't really know.

What book do you covet the most?
The "Uglies series" by Scott Westerfeld. I actually just bought the first book, Uglies from Indigo and I am so excited to re-read it. I also really want Variant and Feedback by Robison Wells as well as Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (I just bought the first book).

How much do you spend on books?
I am proud to say that I don't buy books so I don't spend too much money. Trust me, if I let myself into a bookstore with money I would spend... a lot. The

What are you thinking of the current trend in YA?
I LOVE IT! Sci-fi is really awesome and books like Angelfall and Rebel Heart are coming out.

What series do you wish you had more books of?
The Maze Runner series, as that is the only book that is part of a series that I have.

What are your go-to books in the library?
Instead of using specific titles, instead I will choose a genre - dystopia/sci-fi. I have liked this genre for such a long time, even before the Hunger Games phase.

What book is currently in your bag?
Blood Red Road by Moira Young.

What is your most prized book in your collection?
Either The Maze Runner, Uglies or The Hunger Games. Probably Uglies though.

What are some non-fiction books on your shelf?
I have four chicken soup books, baking books, and text-book things about animals, space and plants (etc.) I actually have quite a few (you can see all of them in my book shelf tour which will be uploaded soon).

Name your favorite authors (up to 3).
Scott Westerfeld, Moira Young, and Bill Bunn.

Favorite bookstore?
I only go to one bookstore which is Indigo.

I Tag...
Kalindee @ Get Litspired! (http://getlitspired.blogspot.ca)
Also, anyone who would like to do this tag can do it as well. Be sure to leave your blog link once you've done it in the comments below. I will try to get to looking at all of your blogs. :D


I hope you have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Top Ten Books I Read in 2012

A bit late, but here are the top ten books I read in 2012 – Dec. 18th

1. Varient by Robison Wells
2. Divergent by Veronica Roth
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
6. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
7. Specials by Scott Westerfeld
8. Extras by Scott Westerfeld
9. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
10. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

See my book reviews for specifics on the books. Comment below if I have not made one and I will make one for you!!

If You Liked... The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

I recently read Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder and I liked it quite a bit. I gave it a 4.5 our of 5 stars on Goodreads. I also really liked The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, and I was reminded of it in Snyder's work. In both novels, the main characters are trying to find a way out of their broken society and it has much of the same plot. Little details were also quite alike. I found that Cog and Trella's relationship was much the same as Lina and Doon's. So, if you enjoyed The City of Ember, go and check out Inside Out! It was just as amazing as DuPrau's. ;D




What did you think of these books? Leave a comment below and explain. I would love to hear your thoughts. :D <3

DIY: Ribbon Bookmarks

Hi Guys! It's my first vlog... Yay!¡!¡ It just so happens to be a Do It Yourself for ribbon bookmarks. As Christmas comes and you receive gifts, use the ribbon that they wrap it in to create a bookmark! Super easy and fun.

Materials:
- Ribbon
- Scissors
- Small Book (I used The Book of Awesome)
- Bigger Book (I used The Maze Runner)
- Decorating Tools (glitter, markers...)

What did you think? Leave a comment below ;D

Top Ten Favourite New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2012

Hello! Today is tuesday, therefore, time for the top ten (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish)! This weeks list title is "Top Ten Favourite New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2012. – Dec 11

1. John Green - I fell in love with him and his writing style after reading An Abundance of Katherines and I will definatly be checking out more of his books.
2. David Levithan - Dash and Lily's Book of Dares was amazing!! I'm so excited to read Every You, Every Me by him as well. I have it in my bookshelf this very moment!
3. Maria V. Snyder - I read Inside Out and I really enjoyed it. I gave it a four and a half stars out of five and I am super excited to check out Poison Study, Storm Glass and Touch of Power.
4. James Dashner - Recently I finished The Maze Runner and I absolutely loved it! His writing style was so powerful, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series, as well as his "13th Reality" Series.
5. Suzanne Collins - Of course. Who doesn't like The Hunger Games? Of course, I am going to look into reading Gregor the Overlander, which is another series that she has written.
6. Amanda Hocking - I enjoyed her "Trylle Trilogy" in September, and I enjoyed it, even though it was quite mature. Therefore, her other series including "My Blood Approves," "The Hollows," "Watersong," and "Witches of Honalee."
7. Robison Wells - He may have very well written the best book that I read in 2012 - Variant. I am also currently reading the sequel, Feedback, and will be looking out for more novels by him.
8. Lauren Oliver - Delirium was a really good book so I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series, as well as a couple other stand-alone novels that she has written.
9. Scott Westerfeld - Oh my goodness Uglies! Amazing!!! :D :D :D Really want to read the "Peeps Duology, "Leviathan Trilogy," "Midnighters Trilogy," and the "Succession Duology."
10. Rachel Cohn - Again, I read Dash and Lily's Book of Dares and I throughly liked it, so I will definatly be searching for more of her books. (Gingerbread, Beta, and Nick and Nora's Infinate Playlist just to name a few...)

What are your top ten new favorite authors of 2012? Leave a comment below. ;)

Hex Hall Book Review

Written Version:
Sophie figures out she is magical in a series of interesting events and is sent to Hecate Hall to control her magic. While she is there she encounters 3 enemies, 1 crush, 1 creepy figure stalking her, and a vampire as a roommate. And that is just the first day. Over the course of her entire stay at Hex Hall she finds out that a mysterious murderer has been lurking around, and Sophie must find out who it is before it's too late.

Hex Hall was a very enjoyable, fun read. The characters were relatable, and the writing style was easy to get through. I especially felt connected the Jenna, and hated it when she was the number one suspect. I refused to believe that she did it, at least at first. I eventually gave in when the other characters convinced me. I also really liked the genre which was a great mix for me. Fantasy/Mystery/Romance/AWESOME!!  The theme was also a great reminder in trust and friendship. I would recommend this book to people who are aged 12 and up because of inappropriate content and swearing.

Video Review Coming Soon!

Cover to Cover: The Maze Runner

Hello all! It has been such a long time since I've posted anything (not including the other post that I posted today), and I apologize. I've been so busy lately!!

Today I will be introducing "Cover to Cover". Inspired by Danika over at Books To Dream (http://loveliterature713.blogspot.ca), I have decided to try it. "Cover to Cover" is basically where I will put a few different covers of the same book into a battle. I will discuss my thoughts on each of the covers, and choose my favourite one based on my criteria: general looks, gender appeal, connections to plot, connections to characters, connections to setting, each getting points for how good the cover fits. If I am especially impressed with the cover, I will give extra points. For my first Cover to Cover, I have decided to compare The Maze Runner's US cover to the UK cover to the Polish cover. I hope you enjoy!

Firstly, I would like to share with you the US cover (above). This is the copy that I have in my bookshelf. I won it for a local library challenge. I'm so happy that this was the book I received because I loved it, and since that I don't buy books it was a more than wonderful treat. Not only was it filled with an amazing plot and story, it added colour to the small shelf that I do have. It looked pretty in my shelf and fit the setting of the book. Throughout the book, details about vines hanging on the walls of the Maze and the green fits this description well. As for gender appeal... meh. I am a female and I really enjoyed this book, but I didn't pick it up because of the cover. I chose to read this because of the hype and the description on the back of the book. Therefore, the gender appeal is a bit lacking as far as both sides go. I think that I would be more drawn to this cover if I was a male, although that is the target audience. This cover also didn't have much to do with the plot. Yes, the whole book is about the Maze and the fact that it surrounds the Glade, but no specific scenes are directly drawn by the scene on the front. Last but not least, characters, and this is a hands down, no. This version of The Maze Runner lacks any faces or bodies, so this category is not applicable.

US Cover Points (out of 5)
General: 1
Gender Appeal: 0.5
Connections to Characters: 0
Connections to Setting: 1
Connections to Plot: 0.5
Total: 3

Above is the UK cover for The Maze Runner, and I think that, just in general, this book cover is amazing. The title of the book is expressed in a creative way, although it looks a bit dark and would look dull on a bookshelf, but that's not the point. I think that the individuals that created this cover did this because it emphasizes on the part that is lit-up. Again, I think that this cover does a bad job at appealing to both genders, but since this book targets males I guess that this is logical, but it still would have been great to change this cover to something more appealing to both females and males. Then there is the characters, which I cannot help but love in this cover. Firstly, there is a person in the cover, which I can only assume to be Thomas, although it could also be Minho. It isn't exactly in detail, so I will dock half a mark for it, but it pleases me that there is actually a person in this cover, which the other two covers lack. Which makes me even more happy is the how much the plot fits into the cover. When I see the darkness I think "elevator" the first chapter in the book.  SPOILER ALERT! When I see the guy running through the walls of what I assume is the Maze, I think of when Minho is watching Thomas the first time he was in the Maze. SPOILER OVER. Another great thing about the cover and it's connections to the plot is that it doesn't give because it's concise yet precise. Then there is the setting, which again isn't exactly great great. As I said before, there are vines mentioned in the book, as well as the Maze in general (which is on the cover), but the "vines" in this cover aren't exactly the colour of vines, so I will give "connections to setting" a half point, leaving the whole cover at a 3.5

UK Cover Points (out of 5)
General: 1
Gender Appeal: 0.5
Connections to Characters: 0.5
Connections to Setting: 0.5
Connections to Plot: 1
Extra Points: 1 (Plot was portrayed SO well)
Total: 4.5

This final cover is the polish cover. Yes, I know it is in another language, but I am going to ignore that part of it and focus on the other critiera. It's not my fault that I can't read the words! Just for reference, the translation is Prisoner of the Maze. So ya. On with it. So.... I like this cover. I can see the main setting of the book, which is the Maze, and I cannot see the end of the Maze which is a big detail throughout the book. I just have a couple questions. What's with the eye for firsts? Very, very creepy, and it adds the mood that this cover deserves, but I cannot understand why there is an eye in the first place. I'm going to have to dock a mark from "Connections to Plot" for the misunderstanding. The remainder of the plot is shown nicely though, as the Maze is on the front cover. Again, gender appeal is lacking, and characters aren't shown.

Polish Cover Points (out of 5)
General: 1
Gender Appeal: 0.5
Connections to Characters: 0
Connections to Setting: 1
Connections to Plot: 0.5
Total: 3

So... The winner is.... the UK (and it's cover)! The cover portrays the plot so nicely, and it is interesting to look at, even though it is a bit dull. And, of course, the connections to the plot are demonstrated nicely without giving any spoilers away. 4.5/5, including extra points!

What cover is your favourite? Leave a comment below!


http://www.wondrousreads.com/2010/03/us-vs-uk-maze-runner-covers.html
http://www.thereadingfever.com/2012/02/foreign-cover-friday-maze-runner.html

Vlog post coming soon!

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me (2012)

The story: I have been busy.
The verdict: To do not-so-weekly weekly posts.

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish, and after seeing it on my buddies blog (Books to Dream), I have decided to try it as well. Of course, these may not come every week, due to business, but hopefully they will come fairly regularly (this goes the same for the other weekly posts I have been trying to do, but failed). Top Ten Tuesday is basically a list of ten books that I will be posting every (or not-so-every) Tuesday. Depending on what the list title is, the books will vary. For December 4th, the list title was "Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me". So without further-ado, the first post of "Top Ten Tuesday".

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me – Dec. 4th

1. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - I loved this series!!!
2. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld - My least favorite in the series, wouldn't mind not having it on my bookshelf but it bothers me when 
3. Specials by Scott Westerfeld - Again, the series was amazing.
4. Extras by Scott Westerfeld - As mentioned before, awesome.
5. Divergent by Veronica Roth - Amazing book.
6. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - Liked it.
7. Divergent #3 (Untitled) by Veronica Roth - AHHHHH!!!
8. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - Bothers me when I don't have the whole series in my shelf. Won the first in a contest so I "need" the rest. Plus the first book in the series was awesome...
9. The Death Cure by James Dashner - Need the rest of the series.
10. The Kill Order by James Dashner - Need the rest of the series.

2013 Resolutions + January TBR

As 2012 is coming to a close, I am making a list of books I'm planning on reading in 2013.

1. Divergent #3 by Veronica Roth
2. Unwind by Neal Shusterman
3. The Book Theif by Markus Zusak
4. Princess Acadamy by Shannon Hale
5. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
6. Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
7. Crossed by Allie Condie
8. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
9. Ever by Gail Carson Levine
10. The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Fredrick
11. Gone by Micheal Grant
12. The Selection by Kiera Cass
13. The Unidentified by Rae Martiz
14. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
15. Pride a Prejudice by Jane Austen
16. Eon by Alison Goodman
17. Eona by Alison Goodman
18. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
19. Legend by Marie Lou
20. Prodigy by Marie Lou
21. Mind Games by Kiersten White
22. The Knife of the Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
23. The Rules by Stacey Cade
24. Ashes of Twilight by Kassy Tayler
25. Fury by Elizabeth Miles

I'm hoping to read the sequels/series to the books that have them but I did not add them to my list just in case I don't like the first book. Comment if you have read any of these books and tell me what you think of them.

I am also going to be going with some more themes for 2013. I completed this task for the month of November, but then I didn't feel like reading any of the books for the theme of December, which was christmas. I think that this was because I planned too for ahead. Instead I'm going to announce at the beginning of each month what the theme is going to be, as well as 4 books to go with that theme. So... The theme of January 2013 is going to be realistic fiction. I feel like I haven't been reading much of this genre lately, and it's about time I try something other than sci-fi. A few books that I'm hoping to get through that are in this genre include:

• Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
• The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Fredrick
• What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
• Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

I am also hoping to read more recent releases, as well as reading a minimum of 48 books.

What are your 2013 book resolutions and January TBR? Leave a comment below telling me.

:D

In My Mailbox: Nov. 16

Again, this has been lagging. Sorry for any inconvenience.

I haven't really been getting many book lately. In fact, the only books that I have gotten recently I got on Tuesday of this week (2 days ago). From the library I picked up the following books:

• Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
• Winter Shadows by Margaret Buffle

I am also going on a trip the the library later to pick up Feedback by Robison E. Wells.

This was a really un-interesting post... Sorry!

What have you gotten this week? Leave a comment below!

WoW: Feedback by Robison E. Wells

Sorry... I haven't been keeping up with this....

Hope you don't mind! Anyways, for this weeks WoW I have decided to talk about Feedback by Robison E. Wells. After reading the first book and getting so jittery due to the nerve-racking ending, I have been so excited, ever since July this summer, for this book to come out. When I saw it I was like, "Yes!!!"

Feedback Synopsis: SPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVEN'T READ VARIANT DON'T READ THIS!! Benson Fisher escaped from Maxfield Academy’s deadly rules and brutal gangs. Or so he thought. But now Benson is trapped in a different kind of prison: a town filled with hauntingly familiar faces. People from Maxfield he saw die. Friends he was afraid he had killed. They are all pawns in the school’s twisted experiment, held captive and controlled by an unseen force. As he searches for answers, Benson discovers that Maxfield Academy’s plans are more sinister than anything he imagined—and they may be impossible to stop. Variant blew readers away with its breakneck pacing, flawless plotting, and impossibly high stakes. It earned starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and VOYA, which described it as “an exciting, edge-of-your-seat read that combines psychological themes from works like Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, and Ender’s Game in a truly unique way.” In Feedback, Robison Wells delivers all the answers you’ve been craving—with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very last page.

What are you excited for this week? Leave a comment below and tell me about it!

Synopsis taken off of Goodreads.

Hex Hall Book Talk

Disclaimer: This is not a book review! It's more like a "Let's Talk" episode from theReadables (http://thereadables.tumblr.com).

No-Spoilers! I've finished this book in such little time... It was such a fast read! The pace was perfect, and the style of writing was amazing and easy to get through. It was obvious that Rachel Hawkins put in a lot of thought before starting this book because the story was a bit complicated, but was still easy to understand (if that made any sense).

SPOILER ALERT! I was so mad when Archer was an Eye. Although I was super glad he loved Sophie still (at least it seemed like it because he didn't kill her) but I was still terribly upset!! I was also unhappy when I found out that Alice was a demon. I mean, it was stupid of me not to notice before the end that that is what she was, but it still was frustrating.

I'm so excited to read the second book! Have you read any of the books in the Hex Hall Trilogy? Leave a comment below with your thoughts!

The Maze Runner Book Talk

Disclaimer: This is not a book review!

Spoiler-Free Discussion: I really liked how this book was played out. It sounded a lot like Variant by Robison E. Wells, which is one of my favorite books of all time. Also, some of the characters were a lot like people I know in real life. For example, 13-year-old Chuck is very much the same as one of my best friends. She is a bit annoying at times, yet I'm still very grateful to have her as a friend, just as Thomas was glad to have Chuck. Minho also reminded me of a couple people in my generation. His annoying, defined personality is very much the same as a few of my peers. Other characters such as Gally (the mean and crazy boy), FryPan (the cook) and Theresa (Thomas' companion) also remind me of people in real life. I found it especially interesting to read The Maze Runner because of the well established characters.

SPOILER ALERT: If you are reading this now then you should have read the book. So... When Chuck died it was almost like Rue from the Hunger Games died all over again! I felt really connected to Chuck, especially because his character reminds me of my friend. Also, this book was so intense. At the end of each character it was either, "The doors of the Maze slammed shut." or "She sat up with frozen blue eyes." (VARIANT SPOILER!) I thought she was going to be a robot like Jane was in Variant! (VARIANT SPOILER OVER) 

What did you think of The Maze Runner? Did it remind you of people you know in reality as well? Leave a comment below and tell me about it!

Also, be sure to look out for another post of The Maze Runner!

Reading Update (3)

Over the weekend I have read quite a bit. Due to the 5 hour bus ride going to my destination and the 4 hour drive back, I had a lot of time to read! I finished The Maze Runner, which was a really good read. I can understand even better now why people enjoy it so much!

Since I had so much time to read, I also read a little bit of Duck Boy which I'm really liking so far. It's really interesting to see Bunn's writing style because I've always known him for how he speaks in real life.

I know it's a sin, but I've also started to read my Literary Olympic book for the Relay Race. I need to read it soon so that my friends that I am passing it on to don't read it before I do! I'm really liking it so far, and I love the vamp!

I'm also decided to ditch The Book of Awesome because I just can't get through it. It's really slow, and although I enjoyed it at first in those moments when I was in the mood, the rest of the time it was a pain. I made it to page 244, and it's not going to go any further.

So that's that! I'm done 2/4 of the books that were on my November TBR list, started on the third. The last book that I'm planning to read is Inside Out by Marie V. Snyder. I'm super excited, but getting kind of annoyed at the same time. I'm in 2nd place in the hold list at my local library, have been for weeks! You know, I bet that someone has it sitting in their bedroom and it's getting ignored. RETURN IT TO THE STINKIN' LIBRARY!

What have you been reading so far this month? Leave a comment below to let me know.

Variant Book Talk

I read this book over the summer... and I loved it!!! It was defiantly a 5 star read.

Non-Spoiler Section: At the beginning of the book I hated Benson. He was so well made that Benson's annoying now-it-all personality. The other character's were just as good. The plot was also very fast-paced (my type of book), it got into the action right away. So did the maturity. In the first few chapters of the book a couple inappropriate topics were mentioned, but it didn't carry on. But you should keep on going, read this book, and enjoy it!

"Keep calm and read Variant!" - Brianna >:P

SPOILER ALERT!! Don't make me ruin you. If you haven't read this book yet then stop reading this paragraph. Seriously. You're still reading this? Whoa. You're a bad kitty. Anyways... I couldn't believe it when Jane turned out to be a robot. She felt so real with personality, and Benson lost his lover. It made me so sad! I thought that when Jane took off her black ear that she was a real person... it was a pretty darn nasty image in my mind. I was really excited to see that the characters I hated were robots to. He he he. Oh and the end was so creepy. I read this before I knew there was going to be a sequel and I literarily threw the book on the ground and was like, "Seriously!!! I need you sequel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"I couldn't handle Jane coming back. It still gives me butterflies in my stomach when I think about it. (Behind the Scenes: The people around me are looking at me creepily because I'm putting my hands to my face and screaming. I promise you, I'm not insane. You will understand as you come to the end.)

So please read Variant. Please.

WARNING! It is not guaranteed that the comment section with be spoiler free.

Comment below if you enjoyed this post!

If You Liked... The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I'm 54 pages into The Maze Runner and I knew right from the first few sentences that I was going to like this book. It was so much like Variant by Robison E. Wells. The plot was very much the same. The trap, the secret. The death.

The Maze Runner Synopsis: He wakes up in the elevator with no memory of anything but his name. Thomas doesn't remember anything about his parents, his home, or where he got where he is. It's like his brain is empty. But he isn't the only one. The the doors open boys surround him and introduce him to the Glade, a large, open space surrounded by stone walls. They too don't remember anything more than Thomas does, except that every morning (as far as they know) the stone walls to the Maze that surrounds them opens. The doors also close every night, and know one wants to be in there after nightfall. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift, so they were expecting Thomas' arrival. The thing that they wren't expecting was an arrival the next day, a girl for the first time in history. And more surprising yet is the message she explains, the thought that maybe the Maze can't be resolved. But there's more. The girl's arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he might have some answers, if only he could take them out of the dungeons within his mind. "Everything is going to change..."

Variant Synopsis: When Benson Fisher was accepted to Maxfield Academy, he thought that it would be a good escape from his boring life. But he was wrong. Dead wrong. The gates are razor-wired, video camera's watch every single move of every student, and there are no adults. He has been trapped in a prison where kids split into tribes to survive. Where breaking rules is death. It gets even worse when Benson finds out what the school's real secret is, and knows that following the rules may create a fate worse than death. His only real hope for survival is escape, the nearly impossible mission. "Trust no one."

So if you liked The Maze Runner, be sure to check out Robison E. Well's Variant.

Have read these two books? Do you agree that they are similar? Comment below with your thoughts.

The Maze Runner synopsis based off of the back of the paperback edition of the book.
Variant synopsis based off of the description on Goodreads.

Notice!

Here's the news: I will be gone on both Friday and Saturday for a trip so I will be unable to complete my first "If You Like..." post on time. Fortunatly, I will have time today (Thusday, November 8th, 2012) to get this done. Yay! Early post!!!

WoW: Duck Boy by Bill Bunn

You have no idea how excited I am to read this book. Having a special connection to the author, Bill Bunn, this book is an absolute must-read. Yes, that is party why I am going to read it, but that's not all. The plot sounds really interesting as well, plus I want to read more realistic fiction and this is the perfect way to start off.

Synopsis: His mom disappeared without a trace. Believing his mom abandoned the family, Steve Best can barely function. School is a failure. Home is a disaster. Even his attempt to save a duck from the school bullies led to the nickname he’s dying to forget. When he’s sent to his Great Aunt Shannon’s house for the holidays, he encounters a curious power that lets him travel and transform the world. He might be able to use it to save his mom–but only if the thugs or the police don’t stop him first.

Is Duck Boy on your TBR list? Are you excited to read it? Leave your answers in the comments below.

Synopsis Taken Off: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15729034-duck-boy

In My Mailbox - Nov. 5

I hope you guys have all had a great past week! I know that I have had a great one, collecting books from the library to share with you. I haven't gotton too many, but I'm still super excited for me first "In My Mailbox" post.

From the Library:
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha

What books did you pick up this week? Comment below!

Reading Update (2)

I was looking through book blogs advestised on Goodreads and I came across a couple blogs. The first blog that I found out about was http://thebookbubble.blogspot.ca (amazing blog, feel free to check it out). Over at the "book bubble" the author of the blog does a few weekly posts, and I have decided to try some of them out. Here's a list of the ones that I will try, plus a brief description of what the post is.

• WoW: stands for "Waiting on Wednesday" and names one book that you are looking foreward to reading
• In My Mailbox: a haul of books that you have collected during that week (from the library, given as a gift, bought yourself) (I will do this post every Monday)

The next blog that I stumbled upon was http://magicofreading.blogspot.ca who doesn't specifically have a weekly post, but from her blog I came up with my own.

• You May Like...: a post that recommends books according to other books that are similar

If you have any other weekly posts that you would like to share, please leave your ideas in the comments below. Have a great day!

Some of my Favourite Book Quotes

You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me. ~ C. S. Lewis

This quote really relates to me because I love tea (can't get enough of it) and I love books (can't get enough of them).








I find the television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book. ~ Grucho Marx
If you knew me really well, you would know that I don't like TV and I don't watch it... Ever.








All images are copyright free, taken from Google images.

Loki's Character Playlist

Loki is one of my favourite, it not my absolute favourite character in the Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking. He is so flirty, sweet so he's hard not to enjoy reading about. Therefore, I have decided to create a fun, creative character playlist for this character. I made notes on little details, like how he through rap out the window (literally) in the short story of Switched and the artists he listened to when taking Wendy to the Vittra palace. I hope you enjoy!

       Neil Young

o   Heart of Gold

§  I chose this song because Loki cares so much about Wendy and he has a Heart of Gold himself. The song also says that the person is searching for a heart of gold. To me, it seems like Wendy is Loki’s “heart of gold”. She likes to help people and her kingdom, even if it means sacrificing herself to the Vittra King. Seen in Torn and Ascend.

o   The Needle and the Damage Done

§  I chose this song because Loki has seen so much damage done and has experienced so much damage (his father, Queen Sara, Wendy, himself). I thought that this song relates to him well and that he would feel very connected to it. From the last two books in the Trylle Trilogy, Torn and Ascend.

·      Ryan Adams

o   If I Am a Stranger

§  I chose this song because I feel like the lyrics explain the things that are happening between Loki and Wendy. I think that if Loki was a song artist that this is the song that he would write and dedicate to Wendy. This song repeats how if he lets the love go than he may not be able to be there. This is almost exactly what happened in the final book, Ascend.

o   Ashes and Fire

§  This song speaks of how “his” heart getting gnawed away and how “she” cries. It s assumed that they are heartbroken for each other but it just cannot be. This is the exact same situation that Loki and Wendy were in throughout Torn and Ascend.

·      The Raconteurs

o   Steady As She Goes

§  Loki, being the flirty guy he is, fits perfectly into this song. Right from the beginning, it just seems like something he would say to Finn or Tove. In the real song it says, “Find yourself a girl and settle down. Live a simple life in a quiet town.” If I were to “translate” this into Loki’s language, this is how it would go, “She’s mine suckers. Go and yourself another girl and leave Wendy alone.” Seen in Torn and Ascend especially.

o   Many Shades of Black

§  “It’s been a completely wasted-free year.” It’s like the Raconteurs took this line right from Ascend or maybe vice versa. In Ascend Loki says to Wendy, “Everything I went through. For you. It was worth it.” There are some things in this song that don’t relate to Loki such as the line, “Everyone sees, and everyone agrees that you and I are wrong.” But this song still relates to him a lot.

·      Bob Dylan

o   Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

§  This song reminds me a lot of Loki’s death in Ascend. He was “knock knock knockin’” on Heaven’s door before Sara and Wendy used their powers on him to bring him back. I think that Loki would have this song on his iPod to remind him of this.

o   Lay Lady Lay

§  From just the title this is sure to relate to Loki and Wendy’s relationship throughout the Trylle Trilogy, especially Ascend. The song says, “Lay lady lay on my big brass bed.” This is practically what Loki asked Wendy to do.

Do you think I made the right choices for Loki's playlist? Leave comment below on what you think.

·     

Reading Update (1)

This post is just an update on the books I've been reading lately (well, since I opened this blog up) and books I'm planning to read in the next little while.

* = 1 star
** = 2 star
*** = 3 star
**** = 4 star
***** = 5 star

August
Specials by Scott Westerfeld: *****

September
Extras by Scott Westerfeld: *****
Matched by Allie Condie: ***
Switched by Amanda Hocking: *****
Torn by Amanda Hocking: *****

October
Divergent by Veronica Roth: *****
Insurgent by Veronica Roth: ****
Ascend by Amanda Hocking: *****
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

November (Theme: Awesome/Books Recommended)
The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha: **
Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder:
The Maze Runner by James Dashner: *****
Duck Boy by Bill Bunn:

December (Theme: Christmas/Winter)
Winter Shadows by Margaret Bufflie
Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Literary Olympics Reads
The Notebook by Nicklas Sparks (Sprint)
The Host by Christopher Paolini (Marathon)
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (Relay Race): *****

Other Random Books to Read In-Between
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Feedback by Robison E. Wells

If you have read any of these books please comment below and tell me about them!

Bookmarks with Books - Matching #2

I have gotten a couple requests (some in person, some online) to make another on of these, so here it is!

The first match I have decided to make is Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler with a bookmark that says, "It's a girl thing!" on it. I have decided on this match because 1) The colours are both girly (syterotype, but still) 2) The book is targetted towards girls and so is the bookmark and 3) The cute dog on the cover looks like it  could bundle up with that pile of stuff on the cover!

The second match I have made is Twilight by Stephanie Meyer with a red, magnetic bookmark. I thought that this would be a good match because of the red on both the bookmark and the book. The bookmark will bring out the apple in the cover. Also, the bookmark is small and doesn't peak out very much so it doesn't draw too much attention and will keep the cover the centre of attention. And, although this doesn't have anything to do with why I chose this bookmark, there is a quote on it. On the front it says, "Books are the most quietest and constant of friends," by Charles W. Eliot. On the back, there is another saying. It is, "Hold that thought."

The last, but defiantly not least of the matches is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I have matched this book with a bookmark that is blue and has cupcakes on it. It also has, in a cute font, "Sweet!" I decided to do this because they are both blue and I think that the cupcakes will add a little bit of colour to the plain blue, black and white cover of The Fault in Out Stars.

I hope you enjoyed this post on the matching! Remember to subscribe to my posts.

Photo Credits
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fault_in_Our_Stars
http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html
http://elleandblair.com/blog/post/todays-video-yay-our-novel-title-and-cover-reveal

All bookmark photos are taken by me.

Divergent Book Review

         Divergent is another dystopian themed novel, complete with action and intrigue, romance and hate, war scenes and meadows. But most of all, Divergent is about a single choice. Every single person, after turning age 16, must choose which faction to belong in: Candor the honest or Abnegation the selfless or Dauntless the brave or Erudite the knowledgeable or Amity the peaceful. This is nearly impossible for Beatrice though, after finding out what the results were for her test. However, the real question is hidden under layers of lies, which Beatrice has to uncover… Before it’s too late.

         I loved Divergent SO much! After reading this, I have concluded that it was 4.5/5, a must read, and one of my all-time favourite books. I read it in all of my extra time, and stayed up as long as my body would allow just finishing it off! I loved all the characters, and how much the story pulled me in. Every time I finished a chapter I decided that one more chapter wouldn’t hurt. Then that one chapter turned into two, then three… The plot was very fast paced – very me – and was extremely descriptive. I was with the characters – Beatrice, Four, Christina, Will – every single one! This wouldn’t have been possible if the characters weren’t well developed. The only thing that is a down-side to this book is the society. Veronica Roth, the author, obviously spent a lot of time planning out the plot, characters, and ity-bity details, but somehow missed the government. It was a bit confusing to understand why and how the society formed, although that lack of information didn’t pull this read down. I would defiantly recommend it to anyone 11 or over (kisses and inappropriate content references did occur throughout the book)… Please read it.

http://thebookvineyard.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/divergent-a-different-dystopia/