On My Wishlist!

It's time for "On My Wishlist"!  It's a meme hosted by Book Chick City.  It's where you list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post over at the Book Chick City blog!


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This week I chose three books, all with one word titles, all sharing a common thread of what lies beneath the surface of human character.

My first one is Beautiful by Amy Reed  


When Cassie moves from the tiny town where she has always lived to a suburb of Seattle, she is determined to leave her boring, good-girl existence behind. This is Cassie's chance to stop being invisible and become the kind of girl who's worth noticing. 

Stepping into her new identity turns out to be easier than Cassie could have ever imagined...one moment, one choice, will change everything. 

Cassie's new existence both thrills and terrifies her. Swept into a world of illicit parties and social landmines, she sheds her virginity, embraces the numbness she feels from the drugs, and floats through it all, knowing that she is now called beautiful. She ignores the dangers of her fast-paced life?but she can't sidestep the secrets and the cruelty. 

Cassie is trapped in a swift downward spiral tinged with violence and abuse, and no one—not even the one person she thought she could trust—can help her now.  (from Goodreads)


I'm excited for this book because it is always intriguing to follow the adventure (positive or negative) that life can take you.  I also like exploring why people do what they do, and this book should deliver.


The second book I chose is Lifted by Wendy Toliver

When 15-year-old Poppy Browne moves from Boulder, CO, to Pleasant Acres, TX, with her professor mother, she has to attend Calvary High even though she's not Baptist. She makes friends with the popular girls and has a date for the Sadie Hawkins dance. Poppy gets caught in an ex-BFF rivalry between her friend Mary Jane and another schoolmate, Bridgette. Then she starts shoplifting. The first time, it's an accident. The second, it's induced by peer pressure. Subsequently, however, it's for the rush. Poppy, Mary Jane, and Whitney steal regularly, and Poppy doesn't know whether or not she can stop. Eventually, she overcomes her fear of disappointing Mary Jane and Whitney, but she still faces the consequences when her mother finds out what she has been doing.




 I'm excited about this book because yet again, it shows what people are capable of under pressure; what sort of things they'll do out of the norm.  It has good reviews, and hopefully when I do mine it'll be the same!  Can't wait to read it!




The third book I chose is a bit different than the other two.  Hater by David Moody

REMAIN CALM DO NOT PANIC TAKE SHELTER WAIT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL Society is rocked by a sudden increase in the number of violent assaults on individuals. Christened 'Haters' by the media, the attackers strike without warning, killing all who cross their path. The assaults are brutal, remorseless and extreme: within seconds, normally rational, self-controlled people become frenzied, vicious killers. 

There are no apparent links as a hundred random attacks become a thousand, then hundreds of thousands. Everyone, irrespective of gender, age, race or any other difference, has the potential to become a victim - or a Hater. People are afraid to go to work, afraid to leave their homes and, increasingly, afraid that at any moment their friends, even their closest family, could turn on them with ultra violent intent.  

Waking up each morning, no matter how well defended, everyone must now consider the fact that by the end of the day, they might be dead.  Or perhaps worse, become a killer themselves.  As the status quo shifts, ATTACK FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS LATER becomes the order of the day...  only, the answers might be much different than what you expect.... 

In the tradition of H. G. Wells and Richard Matheson, Hater is one man’s story of his place in a world gone mad— a world infected with fear, violence, and HATE.


I am EXTREMELY excited for this book, as murder/mystery/sci-fi is right up my alley.  But it just seems the most interesting of the three as far as stretching the human capacity for action under pressure.  I hear it's going to be made into a movie soon.  That should be interesting as well!  Can't wait to read and review this book!

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Those are a few of the many books that are on my wishlist.  I hope you check them out as well!  And head on over to Book Chick City to see what everyone else is hoping for!

Teaser Tuesday (5)

It's time again for Teaser Tuesday, hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading !

Here are the rules:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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"The problem with explosions is they nearly always wreak havoc on one's hair.  And when one has to spend one's entire morning having one's hair pinned and curled and twisted just so, having it go up in flames is to be avoided at all costs."

                                                     -Tick, Tick, Boom by Kiersten White
                                                     from an anthology with 12 other writers
                                                              Corsets and Clockwork

 Taken from Amazon:

Dark, urban fantasies come to life in the newest collection of Steampunk stories, Corsets & Clockwork. Young heroes and heroines battle evils with the help of supernatural or super-technological powers, each individual story perfectly balancing historical and fantastical elements. Throw in epic romances that transcend time, and this trendy, engrossing anthology is sure to become another hit for the fast-growing Steampunk genre!

This collection features some of the hottest writers in the teen genre, including: Ann Aguirre, Jaclyn Dolamore, Tessa Gratton, Frewin Jones, Caitlin Kittredge, Adrienne Kress, Lesley Livingston, Dru Pagliassotti, Dia Reeves, Michael Scott, Maria V. Snyder, Tiffany Trent, and Kiersten White.

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So far I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book.  Well, these books.  These short stories.  :) 

Can't wait to review them all!  Hope you pick this up and check it out!

The Muse-ic Writing Blogfest!

Over at Aleatoire there is a blogfest going on that was actually yesterday, but as I didn't find it until today, I will post now, hopefully not missing it by too much.  Sorry!!


You were supposed to pick a song and write something that was inspired by it.  Whatever it may be.  I struggled with mine, I just tried to write without thinking too much about it - just let the song take me away.  So here goes:

Kary drug her feet down the dusty road, her feet blistered and bleeding from the many miles she had walked. All she carried with her was her father's ring, a journal from her mother, and the clothes on her back. The sun seared her already burned skin. Her mind was heavy with dark thoughts of all she'd lost, of all she'd never get back. The only hope she had left in her empty heart was for someone to take her out of her misery. If she knew how, she'd do it herself. Everyone she loved was dead. The world was dead. She was dead.

Being dead wasn't new to Kary. This was her second time around. When she sold her soul to the Big Guy, the deal was simple. Do his bidding until he let her go, or her family would die. Whenever that would be. Now her family was dead; she had a little less motivation to help the tyrant that was Mr. S. Kary stopped, looked at the sky, and screamed through the dust clouds.

“YOU'RE MINE, S! IT'S OVER!” She unclenched her fists and fell to her knees, tears cascading to the ground. Her hands burned on the molten asphalt, but she left them there; she needed to feel the pain. She looked at her father's ring on her left middle finger; a silver band with a cross cutout in the center. She'd left that cross in plenty of people's faces with her sharp left hook. “For you Daddy.” She reached for her mother's journal she had stashed in her back pocket. Such a small, tattered thing, most would hardly think it was beautiful. But Kary knew every word on the old brown pages, every curve of the letters written from her mother's delicate hands. “For you, Mom.”

With all she held precious in her life right there in her hands, she vowed to do anything to stop Mr. S. from doing this to someone else. He didn't deserve to be the King of the Underworld. Not if Kary had anything to say about it.

The song/music video that inspired this short blurb is "New Low" by Middle Class Rut.

Hope you enjoy it!  It's a really great song, IMO.

Inspiration Comes in all Forms...

So if you have been following my blog at all (thanks, btw!) you will have noticed a slump in my creativity.  Life has kept me so preoccupied that creativity has been a less than a last thought.  However, lastnight I had an epiphany.  I was playing my VERY favorite game, Sims 3, when I realized my favorite part of any game is character creation!  I thrive on picking out how my character is dressed, what their personality traits are, and what their house looks like.  I like deciding what they have to eat, what they read, and where they work.  Perfect for trying to write a story about a person! 

So I paused the screen of my game, and started writing about what I saw.  I saw Egyptian vases, leather couches, marble statues.  I saw an easel, a vast bookshelf, and maroon carpet.  It was amazing!  To have your thoughts visualized, but backwards! 

I'm so very excited to have found this path of inspiration!  Now the possibilities are endless.  Well mostly, as Sims 3 only has so many combinations. :)  But it is a starting point!  Off I go to create!!

-Charlie-

To Blog or Not to Blog?

Well, as it seems to be the usual, it has been awhile.  I seem to be going at a pace of blogging once a month.  I used to blog everyday.  How does this get away from me all the time?  I think it started to become a job instead of fun.  I have so many things on my plate that blogging was just low on the priority list. 

Hmph.

To blog or not to blog?

Winter's Respite Readathon! 17Jan-23Jan

Well I have found another read-a-thon!  I'm so excited!  I love read-a-thons!  It's being hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict <---That's the starting line post!

I have made my very hopeful list of books I intend to read, and as I only found out about this at 2 am this morning, I'm already behind.

Here is my list:

-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
-Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
-The Woman in Red by Eileen Goudge (finishing it)
-Room by Emma Donoghue

Short list, I know, but sort of realistic for me.  I might actually complete them all!  I do have to do other things though, like go to class and clean and stuff.  But I'll try!

Good luck to everyone, hope you have fun!

Potter-Thon Update! (And review)

It is already the 19th of January, and I have only just finished the first book in the Harry Potter series.  I had surgery last week, so that slowed me up.  Either way, I finally read a Harry Potter book!!  And I'll do a short review of it now, before I forget.
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This book has been reviewed a zillion times, so my review may not hold any weight.  I will, however, still share my opinion.

It's no secret that J.K. Rowling hit the jackpot when the idea for Harry Potter took over her brain.  She has successfully crafted a series of stories that have enchanted all ages for over a decade.  I can now include myself in this group!  Of course I have already seen all the movies, but as it is with most movies made from books, the written word prevails.

J.K.'s words are creative, humorous, and full of emotion.  She expertly describes the world from her mind so that all who read can experience it for themselves.

I finally started reading the book for a reading challenge over at Pure Imagination, but will finish the series because of J.K Rowling's fantastic writing.  She made me care about the characters, and I must see then through to the end.

To all who haven't read Harry Potter, (however few that may be), get to it!  You really are missing out.
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More updates for the Potter-Thon soon, as I'm starting The Chamber of Secrets in a few minutes!

Potter-Thon!

Yesterday marked the beginning of the Potter-Thon over at Pure Imagination !!

I couldn't start yesterday; I couldn't get to the bookstore to buy any of the books. :(   I know, I know, it's crazy not to own the Harry Potter books.  Not even one!  So today I'm off to the store to buy them and commence with the reading!

I'm so excited!  I've only been waiting a million years to start reading them.  I guess I figured that I'd wait until I saw all the movies, but there's only the last part left to see.....

Anyhoo, I'll try to update every week, probably on Sundays, of where I am, how I feel about what I've read, and see what you all are reading!

If you haven't signed up, head over to the SIGN UP PAGE .

Now get reading!

Triple Threat: Hunger Games Trilogy Review!

I finally finished The Hunger Games trilogy.  As you'll read, I was totally blown away.  What an amazing series!!  Here are the links to the GoodReads blurbs for each of the books so you can find out what they are about.  It's a little long to put each synopsis here.

The Hunger Games

Catching Fire

Mockingjay


The Hunger Games Trilogy Review

The Hunger Games:

I had no idea how this book would affect me before reading it. I could not predict that it would change my expectations of books I intend to read. Suzanne Collins has written a book that leaves me almost wordless. Almost.

I felt so connected to Katniss and her world; felt as if I was there with her in the arena, battling for my life. The descriptions of everything were so perfect, I could see what Katniss was seeing, what Peeta was feeling. The other tributes were so real I felt for them when they died. Though this is fiction, it felt as though the world of Panem could be a place that actually existed.

Now I know some of you might be asking yourselves, “Is this book really as good as you say, Charlie?” Well, I recommend to all of you to read it yourselves. Always be your own judge. But trust me, all the bajillion people who have read it and loved it can't be wrong.

So off I go to read Catching Fire, the second book. Hope it's as good as this one.

Catching Fire:

This book rocked me to the core! It was so emotionally charged I couldn't stop reading it for anything. I think I stopped once or twice to use the facilities, but other than that I couldn't stop turning my electronic pages.

After the first one, I didn't think a second book would keep pace. I was wrong! Catching Fire did that and more. With twists and turns that kept coming, I had no idea what to expect. I don't want to give anything away, but just know that Suzanne Collins did a fantastic job creating this world and all of it's intricacies.

Katniss's emotional journey was expertly crafted. Her inner fire leaped off the pages and kept me enraptured through the whole book. Peeta's steadfastness to stick through his love for Katniss was so heart wrenching, it was as if I could feel what he was going through. It is so refreshing to read a book with characters I can actually care about.

The only thing that frustrated me was Katniss's back and forth game with Peeta and Gale. But it is part of what kept the story interesting, so it's not that big of a deal.

Overall, this book was amazing, shocking, and moving. If I could personally thank Suzanne Collins for writing it, I would. It was so fun to read, and it has been a long time since I've read a book I couldn't put down, even forgoing food breaks. Maybe since The Hunger Games.

Again, you must read it for yourself. And I hope you do.

Now, I'm off to read the next book, Mockingjay. I bet it's friggin awesome!

Mockingjay:

Wow. Just wow. I can't believe how good this book was. I can't believe how much stuff happened, and I can't believe how it ended. Simply amazing. I don't want it to be over! I want to keep reading about Katniss, and Peeta, and Gale, and all the others. I actually cried while finishing up this book; the events were so moving.

I am completely blown away at how good this trilogy was. I am again wordless. I just sat here after finishing it, shocked. Thinking, how did Suzanne Collins do this? How did she make such magic? Everyone should read these books. They tell a fantastic story of love and war and how those conditions change people's lives.

 

I can't wait to read these again. I've never re-read a book before, but I reread the Hunger Games to prepare for the other two. And I'd do it again. 

Nook Color!!

The Nook Color has changed my world.  I thought when I got the first Nook, everything was different.  But this new Nook, well, it has shattered all that.  As soon as you turn the thing on it amazes.  It's bright, colorful, and you can touch the screen.  You have to touch the screen.  It begs you to touch the screen. 

You first have to go through a quick and easy setup process, which is made even easier if you already have the B&N account set up and all.  But after that is over, it's off to the exploring!  The first thing I did was personalize the background (I picked the white snow with paw prints and red ribbon - fitting for December).  There are only a few stock backgrounds, but there are many websites out there with free downloadable ones.  But you are supposed to be able to set your personal pictures as the background, I just haven't figured it out yet, I've been too busy reading! 

The next thing was picking out what books I was going to read first, then setting them on my home page (the main and biggest part you see here.)  I've picked out several that I need to finish and some more that I plan on starting.  It's a fantastic way to organize the books, because you can see them right there, staring at you, waiting to be read.  There are no lists to go through, just the bold covers of the books.  It's wonderful! 

So you're probably asking, what's the big deal, I can read on the Nook (or other E-reader) I already have - it does the same thing, sort of.  Well my advice to you is to keep reading.  This Nook is like a mini-Ipad.  Without the apps.  It surfs the internet with ease, although the only thing that does bug me is how tiny the words are when you are looking at a full page.  But you can easily zoom in and that problem is fixed.  I tweet, facebook, and blog (mostly read blogs) all from my Nook Color.  I can turn it sideways for better viewing, and it's almost as big as my netbook's screen. 

It's lightweight, easy to hold, though as you can see I do have a cover for it - makes me feel better about carrying it around.  This is one of the best Christmas presents ever, and would make any book reader squeeeee! with excitement. 

So to wrap up, simply put, this Nook Color rocks.  I don't have really any drawbacks to comment on.  It's user friendly, organized, colorful, and fun.  Better get to the store and get yourself one - they may just run out!

------Charlie------