Saturday 22 December 2012

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!

Friday 21 December 2012

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!!

Wednesday 12 December 2012

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

Tuesday 11 December 2012

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. ;)

Friday 7 December 2012

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!

Wednesday 5 December 2012

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.