Top Ten Tuesday 23

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's chosen topic are our top ten "bookish" confessions.  I think every bookworm has a few guilty little secrets, ones they don't necessarily broadcast to the rest of bookwormia for fear of how they will be perceived.  Surely I am no exception.  While I don't know that I have ten confessions (I am an open book, if you will :), there are a few things about me I don't share... until now.

My Top Ten Bookish Confessions

1.  I am a library book hoarder:  I will be the first to admit that when you look at a hold list for a book and it isn't moving, chances are it's because I have the book you want.  I am AWFUL about returning library books; I used to joke that my overdue fines were singlehandedly keeping the Columbus library afloat.

2.  I am a greedy book borrower:  If you lend me the first book in the series, you might as well lend me all of them.  I always like to have a vast selection of books on hand from which to choose!

3.  If I start a series, I feel a compulsion to finish it:  Now, there are some series I started that I just didn't care for (The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen comes to mind.  Great start, and then it just went in a totally stupid direction).  But for the most part, I am obsessive about completing series.

4.  Furthermore, I prefer to re-read previous books in a series before beginning the newest installment:  This is why I tend to read series after the entire thing has been published.  It gets very time consuming otherwise!  But, I can't stand when I read a book and can't remember the details before beginning the sequel.  I like to keep everything fresh!

5.  I love to buy books... and never read them:  Couldn't tell you why this is; it just is.  I have plenty of books on my shelf that I've never read, but have all the intentions in the world of getting to someday!

6.  I do exactly what I tell my students not to do:  Namely, highlight a passage and not state why.

7.  If forced to read a book, I become instantly reluctant:  See above comments about what I tell my students.  I guess I empathize with them more than I thought!

8.  I feel genuinely sad when I end a good book:  What can I say - I get extremely attached to fictional people!  I hate leaving their world, because I always wonder what happens after I am gone.  I know they exist in a finite universe, but still.  Perhaps I am just too imaginative for my own good!


Anyone else guilty of the same things?

Review: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Image and summary from Goodreads.com:

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

This is one of those series whose conclusion I couldn't possibly anticipate more.  My anticipation is largely due to how much I loved this installment.  Though some parts of it seemed redundant, there was enough good character development to make me highly invested in the finale.

Two of my favorite pairings in the series got a lot more "action" this novel:  Isabelle and Simon and Alec and Magnus.  The bottom line is Magnus is the best character in these novels, hands down.  He is snarky, loyal, and always surprising.  So, while the relationship between he and Alec did not necessarily head down the road I was hoping for, I am holding out hope for the end.  I am also enjoying seeing Simon and Isabelle develop as characters.  This novel and the one prior to it (City of Fallen Angels) have given a lot more insight into why Isabelle insists on being so hard-core, and it adds much more depth to her.  Again, I can't wait to see where she and Simon head in the future.

My one character "beef" in this novel arises from Jace and Clary.  For the central couple in the series, they sure seem a bit lackluster.  Perhaps this is because Jace is always the one who is melancholy, feeling undeserving, or getting himself into some sort of danger, and Clary is always the one who blunders to a solution.  It is starting to seem a bit formulaic at this point, which is disappointing in a group of characters who all seem so dynamic.  I would have liked to see Clare take the couple in a new direction, instead of falling into old patterns.  

However, Jace and Clary annoyances aside, this book was very difficult to put down.  The plot is exciting because it follows so many different threads.  The ending, too, was unpredictable, and set the finale up for a lot of excitement.  

Content-wise, this book gets a lot more sexual than previous novels.  Though the action takes place off-stage, it was a bit jarring at first.  I feel like anyone who has come this far in the series probably wouldn't mind, but certainly teachers be wary.

In the end, I really only have one thing to say:  March 2014, why are you so far away?  Also, thanks to Cassandra Clare for creating characters to whom I am completing attached.  It's been a lot of fun spending time with them!

Top Ten Tuesday 22

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's topic asks us to select the ten blog posts that give the best picture of who we are, both as people and readers.  While I would love to say there are ten posts that perfectly illustrate me as a person, as a fairly new blog, I'm not sure that is the case.  However, I can certainly come up with five.  So, I will be sort of cheating this one a bit..

The Top Ten (Five) Posts that Illustrate Me

1.  My review of Daughter of Smoke and Bone

While I have written many reviews this year, this particular one stands out in my mind just because it is still my favorite book I've written about on my blog so far.  Words cannot express how amazing this novel is.  Additionally, the book illustrates a lot about my reading preferences:  romance, fantasy, and lots of action.

2.  My 10 books I would save if my house was burning to the ground

What better to illustrate me as a reader than the 10 books I hold most dear?

3.  The top ten books I'd give a theme song

This post combines my two favorite things (other than my pup and husband, of course!):  alternative music and books.  Rare is the time when I don't have some sort of music playing in the background, and this post has some of my favorite songs and bands featured.

4.  My review of Fever

Ok, so I know you are all wondering why I put a negative review as something that illustrates me.  Overall, I am a positive person, as well as someone who enjoys most books I take the time to complete. The reason I chose this review is because it illustrates what I like in main characters best - and what I do not.  Also, the book was pretty inappropriate, which I always look out for as a teacher.

5.  My review of the Summer series

This review just shows my love of two things:  series and light, enjoyable reads.  There's not much more to it than that!

Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Image and summary from Goodreads.com:


One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

"New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.


I could not read Divergent fast enough, and was absolutely pumped for the release of Insurgent.  Roth has an incredible ability to create exciting and believable characters and settings, and I couldn't wait to see where the story went.  Though there were some frustrating moments in Insurgent, they only came because I am so attached to the characters.  Bravo to Ms. Veronica Roth for publishing a fantastic second novel in a series that can only have a mind-blowing conclusion.


By the end of Divergent, Tris and Four/Tobias had become firmly ensconced in my list of favorite YA couples.  They are tough, fearless, and loyal to one another.  However, in this second book, we see them start to pull away from one another a bit; trust issues have started to creep into their relationship, as happens in many real-life examples.  This made me want to punch Four in the face more than once, but mostly because I love the two of them together and was going to explode if they decided to go their separate ways.  However, I was firmly invested in Tris' development.  Roth did an excellent job of creating Tris' narration; she is understandably devastated at all that has taken place, but rarely chooses to use that as an excuse to give up.  Instead, her sorrow seems to propel her to make decisions, which I appreciated.  Gotta love those kick-butt female characters!  Another particular strength of this novel was the development the minor characters received, especially Christina (Tris' friend from training) and Will's sister Cara.  Giving these characters some complexity in their motivations made the overall novel much more deep and enjoyable.


Admittedly, this novel falls into the common second book trap of not necessarily having much stand alone action, but rather being a bridge from the first book to the third.  While I understand how this particular design works, sometimes I wish second books could be a bit more independent.  However, the action that this story did contain was still exciting, and certainly kept me guessing.  Each character's motivations and loyalties were continually called into question, which left a lot of inferences to be made.  Furthermore, the action was used to propel the story forward, rather than just being instances of action for action's sake.  Each conflict served a purpose, which made for much more enjoyable reading.  And then there was the ending.  WHOA.  I am now officially stoked for the third novel to be released (or at least given a title!  I've been trying to guess which word she will choose...)


One of the best parts of this series is that it is virtually free of content concerns.  I LOVE that as a teacher - a highly engaging text that both guys and girls can enjoy, without bad language.  Perfect.  Though there are a few intimate moments between Tris and Four, these are not described in detail, and maintain a pretty "PG-13" tone.


Though I feel like so much of YA dystopian novels are the same, the Divergent series stands apart.  It is exciting, heartbreaking, and heart-pounding, all in one beautifully designed package.  I cannot WAIT for the third book!


Leave a comment below - what do you think the title of the third book will be?

Review: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Spoiler Alert!  Obviously, as this is the fourth book in a series, some information will be revealed.  If you want to read this series in a completely pristine experience, stop here!

Image and summary from Goodreads.com:

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And - most importantly of all - she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side - along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls - neither of whom knows about the other one.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

So far, this series has proven to be one of my all-time favorites.  I am, at this point, completely attached to all of the characters, and highly invested in what happen to them.  Nothing speaks of quality writing better than that, in my opinion.  And while I still liked this book, it is so far my least favorite of the series. 


One of my primary "beefs" with this book (if you can all it that, I still enjoyed!) was the whole love triangle between Simon, Isabelle, and Maia.  Though I understand that Simon is now rocking extreme "vampire mojo," I still had a difficult time envisioning him going from lovestruck nerd, hopelessly wishing for Clary, to ladies man.  However, Clare managed to give him enough awkwardness in his dealings with the ladies that it didn't completely put me off his character or the novel as a whole.  I also enjoyed the introduction of a new character, Kyle, a new bandmate for Simon.  Kyle added extra impetus to the "side stories" of the book, which was appreciated.  I hate when small groups of characters get almost stale in their interactions because no one new is introduced.


Where I was slightly disappointed in this book as compared to the rest of the series came with the plot.  It seemed to follow a very similar storyline to some of the others, thus lacking in the originality I usually so enjoy about the books.  For whatever reason, the book struck me as less of a book in its own right, and more of just a bridge to get the readers from one "mini-climax" to the next, coming in the sixth and final book of the series.  But, the story still had some merit.  After all, I was distressed about Jace and Clary; after them getting to finally be together at the end of City of Glass, it was worrying that they might be separated again!  Their story, combined with the mystery of Jace's apparent mood change, was enough to keep me reading.


At this point, I would only recommend this novel to readers who have invested themselves in the rest of the series.  These books are LONG, and by the fourth installment, come with a lot of backstory!  It would be difficult for a reader new to the series to jump in at this point.  However, even if this book was a little disappointing compared to the rest of the series, it is still worth a read for any fan of the Mortal Instruments series.

Thoughts on re-reading City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Spoiler alert!  If you do not want information from this series ruined for you, DO NOT read any further.  Unless you're like me, in which case you like to have surprises ruined a bit for you to completely enjoy them, much to my mother's dismay every Christmas.  I digress.

Image and summary from Goodreads.com:


To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?


Of course, just like the other books in this series, I completely loved this one.  The only thing that really bothered me was the fact that I could tell the series was originally conceived as a trilogy.  The story reaches a natural climax in the novel, and a great deal of plot problems reach their resolution.  However, by the end of the book, I was invested enough in the characters' lives to keep reading on.


Finally - the tension between Jace and Clary gets resolved in this novel, but of course not without some seriously weird moments in the lead-up.  However, even when I read this book for the first time, I could sort of see the resolution coming...  This book also has some great new characters introduced, my favorite of which is Maia the werewolf.  Any time an independent female character gets introduced, I get excited.


As I mentioned above, this book is enjoyable to read because much of the plot reaches its resolution.  We get to see every dirty secret Valentine has been concealing, which while disturbing, made for some exciting twists!  I also really enjoy the ending of this novel, where Valentine succeeds in summoning the angel Raziel.  This part is particularly well imagined and written.


Content concerns remain much the same.  As with any book that touches on religious subjects like Heaven and Hell, I would caution folks to recommend this book wholesale.  There might be some who could find it offensive; however, I haven't had any problems with that yet.

Top Ten Tuesday 21

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's topic asks us to list the top ten characters we wish could switch places with for 24 hours.  I know everyone has read books and seen lucky characters - I sure have!  Whether it's time period, superpowers, or even just really great experiences, I've found plenty of characters worthy of envy.


The Top Ten Characters I'd Like to Switch Places with for 24 Hours


1.  Hermione Granger, the Harry Potter series:  While I think most folks would want to switch places with Harry, his life is just WAY too high-pressure for my taste!  But, it would be awesome to have magical powers like Miss Granger, as well as her fierce loyalty and extreme intelligence.  She is a character to envy!


2.  Scarlett O'Hara, Gone with the Wind:  But let me qualify this one... I would want to be the fabulous and frivolous Scarlett, not necessarily the starving one.  Mostly, I just want to live the consequence free life she starts out with (minus the slavery thing).


3.  Katsa, Graceling:  Katsa is one kick-butt female.  While it would be hard to have her killing grace, she more than makes up for it with positive attributes - and a swoon-worthy love interest!


4.  Anna Oliphant, Anna and the French Kiss:  First of all, there's her totally awesome last name.  But more, she gets to experience Paris in a way I have always wanted to, but could never afford.  And then, there's St. Clair, who is possibly the cutest YA man that I have seen in a long time.


5.  Belly Conklin, The Summer I Turned Pretty:  While Belly's love life drama causes her a lot of headaches, man would I love to have problems that simple.  I've been lucky to travel to a lot of fun places, but growing up with a beach house I got to visit every summer would have been a fantastic tradition too.


6.  Mia Hall, Where She Went:   Notice I did NOT pick the Mia of the first novel, If I Stay, as I would never want the extreme family tragedy that befalls Mia to happen to me!  However, in the second book, Mia shows incredible strength, and I would love to know what that feels like.  Also, Adam's devotion to her would be amazing to experience.


7.  Tris Prior, Divergent:  I would LOVE to be as tough, brave, and fierce as Tris.  Most of the situations she ends up in, I feel like I would completely crack, but not her - switching places with her would be an instant boost to my level of "hard core."  However, after about 24 hours, I think I'd find her existence far too exhausting, even with Tris' kick-buttness.


8.  Ever Bloom, The Immortals:  Ever seems to have a pretty awesome psychic ability, a hot boyfriend, and plenty of exciting life events.  It would be amazing to hear people's thoughts - but probably only for a day.  I don't think I could handle that much honesty for a lifetime!


9.  Michele Windsor, Timeless:  I would LOVE to live in the heart of New York City in a historic mansion - who wouldn't!?!  Plus, the ability to travel through time and visit the fabulous era of The Great Gatsby (minus all the heartache being those characters would entail) would be incredible.


10.  Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson and the Olympians:  Annabeth is smart, talented, and a great friend; she basically gets to live at a summer camp year-round.  Plus, I would love to see who my Greek god or goddess as a parent would be (not that my own parents aren't amazing, of course).  But, having to fight monsters almost constantly would get pretty irritating after a day.  24 hours would definitely be enough!