Top 10 Tuesdays (11)

Top 10 Tuesdays 

Topic:Top Ten Books That Broke My Heart A Little (ANTI-Valentine's Day)

  This meme is created by The Broke and the Bookish, anyone can participle telling about their top 10 topic items are.

 Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic 

This book was wonderful, but I cried so much at the end. The tears would not stop pouring out.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Another bittersweet ending that had be crying and right before I had to start work.

Godslayer by Jacqueline Carey

A tragedy told from the bad guys POV and of course the bad guys had to loose, but you don't want them to.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

All the characters who died in the last battle really made me sad, I came to love so many of them.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

This whole thinking they were brother and sister thing took me a year to get other and a friend had to spoil for me that they weren't brother and sister so I could finish reading the rest of the books.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I still am stunned by this ending. I can't even bring myself to rate it, because I hated the ending, but I realized it is how it had to end. No HEAs for this book.

So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev

I really liked both boys, but she only ends up with one and my heart broke for the boys she didn't choose.

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

I love Adrien and I'm so sad that he got the short end of the stick. He and Rose aren't a good match but I still want him to be with someone. Need to still read Bloodlines.

Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber

I adore Brandon and he deserves a much better girl than Celeste, I can't stand her.

Ninemia by Marilena Mexi

Sweet and tragic story of love and loss.

Who does your heart break for?

<3Books

In My Mailbox #44

3 Weeks of Books

IMM #44

IMM is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, anyone participate telling about what they bought, borrowed or received for the week.

Well the last 2 weekends I never had the chance to create my IMM post. The 1st week I missed I had continuing education classes on Saturday and Sunday lasting from 9-6 and I was too exhausted to do anything. The following weekend I took my friends engagement photos and I was really busy doing all the post processing which took me over 10 hrs to complete.

I can finally share all my books I have gotten over the last 3 weeks and I got a lot of great books!!

For Review 

From Publishers

 Lockdown and Solitary by Alexander Gordon Smith

I got this from the publisher since I will be meeting him next month. I will also be doing a pre-event interview with him and that will be posted the last week of February or the 1st week of March.

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

So freaking excited to read this one, I'm hoping to get to it soon!!

White Horse by Alex Adams

Looking forward to this one as well

Bought

The Fault of Our Stars by John Green <signed>

I found this at my local Fred Meyers. I haven't read anything of him and I figured I would pick it up especially since it is signed.

Something Deadly Comes This Way by Kim Harrison

I will be seeing her for a signing that will be happening next month with Patricia Briggs

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Weekly Recap

My Reviews

Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale

Cinder

Lockdown

Bookography

Warm Your Heart

The Emerald City

For a Kiss

Reading Pile

1)Undertow Riptide by Cherry Adair

2) Solitary by Alexander Gordon Smith

3) Starcrossed & Dreamlesss by Josephine Angelini

4) The Candidates & The Marked by Inara Scott

5) White Horse by Alex Adams

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Leave a link so I can check yours out

<3Books

Lockdown Review

Lockdown

Escape From Furnace

By Alexander Gordon Smith

Summary

Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison. Together with a bunch of inmates—some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers—Alex plans an escape. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that’s hidden from the eyes of the world.

What I Liked

Thriller
Not my typical read, but I completely enjoyed Lockdown from beginning to end and I'm looking forward to reading book 2 Solitary. I was kept on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next, how Alex is going to escape Furnace and what hellish creature would make an appearance next. The prison reminds me of Chronicles of Riddick's prison on Crematoria, the hellish dogs included.
Character
Alex: Not the typical main character who is the hero waiting to save the day, but rather the bad kid who steals from people. It is interesting to follow a character who deserves to be put into prison, but not framed for a murder and put into the hellhole he is going to. We follow Alex not only through the horrors he has to live through but understanding his mistakes in life and wishing he could change. I'm looking forward to seeing how Alex develops and gets past all these horrors and obstacles that he is going to be facing.

What I Didn't Like

I want to know more, more about The Furnace, the warren, the guards and the characters.

Recommendation 

You have to have a bit of a strong stomach for this one, some of it is slightly gruesome. Not a book for romance only readers. Definitely worth the read if you like thrillers.

Information 

Escape From Furnace series

Genre: YA Thriller

Lockdown

Solitary 

Death Sentence February 14th

Fugitives February 28th

Execution ?

He will be touring the US in March 3rd to 25th, check his website (bottom of the page) for locations and dates. Dates are still being confirmed. I will be seeing him on March 5th and I will be posting a pre-event interview late February or 1st week in March.

Do you like thrillers?

<3Books

Bookography (26)

Bookography

Bookography is a fun new way to share the beauty of books with photography. Take a picture with the book being the focus or inspiration and share the picture(s) you have created for the week.

Inspired By

Romeo & Juliet

For a Kiss

I went and took a friends engagement photos for them this last weekend. I explained to them for this picture that I was envisioning a Romeo and Juliet scene when Romeo climbed up the balcony to kiss Juliet. I really liked how this turned out, I especially like the little tower behind, it just adds character to the picture.

This engagement shoot was a lot of fun and it was a wonderful learning experience too. I took 238 photos and I'm going through all of them right now and doing all the post processing stuff, which is the most time consuming part. 

I'm planning to start taking more inspired by book pictures as the weather gets better. There are a lot of books that take place in Washington and I would love to share the beauty of those places for non Washington residents. If you can think of a book that takes place in Washington and would love to see what that scene actually looks like let me know and I will try to make it happen.

If you would like to participate please do. I will post my Bookography post each week on Wednesdays. I would love if you would link back to my blog and share your own link in the comments.

To see my previous weeks pictures check out my Bookography tab

<3Bookography

Top 10 Tuesdays (10)

Top 10 Tuesdays

Topic: Top ten books you'd hand to someone who says they don't like to read

 This meme is created by The Broke and the Bookish, anyone can participle telling about their top 10 topic items are.

This is a hard one because depending on what they might or might not like I would suggest different genres bases on the person. I'm not going to give every non-reader the same list of books, I have to be selective or I will fail. 

These are a few books that I have actually suggested to non-readers.

Twilight Saga

My friend: she read it and is completely obsessed with it and now nothing compares to Twilight. I have tried a few other books but it I have yet to succeed.

Harry Potter

For my husband: he finally read bk 1 in the series and it took him 9 months to read. Still working on getting him started on bk 2.

Fairytales

My sister: after with watching Once Upon a Time she has been curious about the original fairytales versions so I have told her to read The Brother's Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson. I'm also giving her some YA (short in length) retold fairytales to read.

A very short list, I know A LOT of readers and I have suggested many books.

What have you suggested to non-readers?

<3Books

Cinder Review

Cinder

By Marissa Meyer

Summary

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

What I Loved 

Cinderella 

I am a sucker for any retelling of Cinderella, it has always been one of my favorites. This version puts a whole new twist on the story, put the story in the future add some freakish disease killing off people and then add cyborgs into the mix and top it off with Cinder(ella) being part cyborg and not fully human. Keep the wicked stepmother, one wicked stepsister, one nice step sister, slavery in her own home and the handsome prince all the same. There you have it a perfect recipe for a new original Cinderella story. 

Characters

Cinder: She is such a wonderful character. Cinder isn't a hopelessly romantic pushover, but a realist who can't help but dream a little. One after another she faces hardships and struggles and she never gives up hope that one day she will get out of her crappy situation. 

Prince Kai: I love this prince that is for sure. I understand why he has such a girl fan base, I would be part of that too. I also love that he knows Cinder as a mechanic, it is so cute that he gets to see her down and dirty with grease on her face.

Didn't Like

The ending was a cliffhanger, it sucks that I have to wait for the next book to come out. I really want to have the next book in my hands right now.

Recommendation 

Must read, go out and buy it now or move it to the top of your reading pile.

Information 

Genre: YA, Sci-fi, Fantasy 

Lunar Chronicles 

Cinder

Scarlet 2013

Cress 2014

Winter 2015

I did get to go to Marissa' launch party, which was awesome. Check out my Recap of the event.

Have you read this wonderful debut book yet?

<3Books

Bookography (25)

Bookography

Bookography is a fun new way to share the beauty of books with photography. Take a picture with the book being the focus or inspiration and share the picture(s) you have created for the week.

Book

Wizard of Oz

The Emerald City

I have been wanting to take a picture of one of my Oz books. At first I had no idea what I was going to do, but as I was looking through the book I remembered the reason why the Emerald City is emerald is because the citizens wear tinted glasses and the city is actually white. When I was taking the picture I figured I would tint the picture green. As I was playing around with the photo I decided to try the vignette option (black border) and I liked the look of it and it made it almost look like a cut emerald.

If you would like to participate please do. I will post my Bookography post each week on Wednesdays. I would love if you would link back to my blog and share your own link in the comments.

To see my previous weeks pictures check out my Bookography tab

<3Bookography