Top Ten Tuesday: Book Cover Trends I Like/Dislike

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Trends I Like: 

1. Typography - I really like fonts and  book covers that are completely covered in beautiful typography.

2. Redheads - I love red hair and for some reason the YA genre has cornered the market of redheads on covers.
3. Fire - sometimes flame on a book cover can be really cool
4. Bright color - Colors that are going to stand out on my bookshelf and scream to be picked up are something I'm always looking for.  I don't think there are enough yellow books in the world I love the punch of color.
5. Patterns - Beautiful patterns make for gorgeous covers and these generally fit into the simplistic kind of covers that I really enjoy.

Trends I Dislike:

6. Beheaded people - Maybe it's just me but I like seeing people with heads.

7. Kissing people - I feel like this sometimes takes the appeal out of the book.  The cover already tells me that two people are going to get together and probably kiss.  I like to be completely surprised and somehow this just ruins it for me.

8. Movie poster covers - I know this is a great way to advertise both the book and it's movie, but I cannot stand it.  For the most part, I think they're ugly - I would never willingly purchase a book with that cover.  (In fact, I searched high and low for a non-movie poster cover of The Silver Linings Playbook and when I couldn't find it in stores, I bought it online.)

Bloglovin

I found this cool site that gathers all the blogs you follow into one spot.  It also makes it easy to find and follow new blogs in different categories.  I think it's pretty neat, you should look at it too.  Here's the link to my blog:

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Notable Quotable: Holly Lauren (#36)

"In truth, no one knew all of her. She gave out pieces of herself here and there, but the whole of Chapel belonged to none but Chapel. That was how she wanted it."
     --Tempus

Allegiant

 by Veronica Roth
Published: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 526

In this conclusion, Tris and Tobias discover the hazy and disturbing truth about their home and the factions that once defined them.  They go beyond the fence in hopes of a more peaceful life without the deceit and violence.  What the find isn't exactly what they are looking for.  Tris finds herself thrown into another political nightmare trying to decide whom to trust.  The horrify truth that she and Tobias uncover about the outside world, leads them to consider human complexity and the power of love and sacrifice as they had never before.

Okay, so my irritation with the last book is alleviated.  All of my concern for the lack of explanation in Insurgent is addressed in Allegiant.  (If you recall, I was particularly irritated that Tris never thought about anything beyond Chicago.)  We get that explanation and much more.  I still feel like there are some unanswered questions, but I'm much more satisfied than I ever thought I'd be with this book.

That being said, I still have a huge problem with this book.  When someone writes a book, I feel like they enter a contract with the reader to tell their story as honestly as possible - that includes consistency.  When I started reading and saw that we got Tobias' point of view in this book, I was irritated.  I spent the first two books of this trilogy hearing only Tris' point of view and switching it up constantly confused and annoyed me.  Changing the format is one of my biggest pet peeves in a book.  I realize that it was necessary, I get it but when I was constantly forgetting who's head I was in.  They seemed too similar to be separate people's perspectives.  I was constantly being pulled out of the story.

On a brighter note, I'm not sure why so many people hate the ending of this book.  I'm okay with it.  It was the only way it could have ended, as far as I'm concerned.  It's not wonderful, but it is true. Veronica Roth ended this series in no other way possible and has done certain justice to the trilogy.

Stars: 3/5 

Praise:

"Roth's plotting is...intelligent and complex.  Dangers, suspicion, and tension lurk around every corner, and the chemistry between Tris and Tobias remains heart-poundingly real.  This final installment will capture and hold attention until the divisive final battle has been waged."
     --Publishers Weekly

"A surprise ending that is gutsier and much less predictable than the rest of the series would lead one to expect."
     --Los Angeles Times

" The tragic conclusion, although shocking, is thematically consistent; the bittersweet epilogue offers a poignant hope."
     --Kirkus Reviews

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer TBR

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

I'm moving soon which means my books are going to be packed.  However, I've decided that I'm going to leave 10 books unpacked to read during the moving process.

1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
2. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
3. Ready Player One by Ernest Kline

4. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
5. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
6. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

7. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
8. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
9. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
10. Atonement by Ian McEwan

These four are bonus books that I am hoping to read as well this summer.

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Something Real by Heather Demetrios
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten

5 Reasons Why I Like The Song of the Lioness Quartet

1. Alanna might not be the first girl to disguise herself as a boy but her reason is by far my favorite.  She wants to be a knight and nothing's more bad-ass than that.  Alanna doesn't allow herself to quit; she practices longer and harder than her fellow pages and squires.  I love that she perseveres against all odds to prove that she is in fact worthy of the knighthood.

2. Alanna makes strong friendships that last over the 10+ years covered by the books. They grow and change as the characters grow and change - which is amazing. As someone who loves a good dynamic character, I cannot tell you how obnoxious I find stagnate characters.  I know that stagnate characters have their place in books, but I'm impressed with Tamora Pierce's ability to grow even the smallest characters.  

3. Several minor characters have a purpose later in the series. Frequently minor characters get lost and forgotten over a series.  They'll play their part and then disappear, but Tamora Pierce cleverly ties in several minor characters to Alanna later in the series.  You can tell Pierce loves her characters because she treats them all very well, even those that don't deserve it.  

4. In this medieval realm, noble women, like Alanna, are sent to become ladies.  However, she doesn't let traditional customs hold her back.  This is indicative of who she is:  She is headstrong and courageous, intelligent and loyal, and most of all she is a woman.  Alanna makes decisions based on what's best for her.  She doesn't worry about how other people perceive her, especially when she chooses to do something that is not considered lady-like.

5.  Generally, I'm not much of a cat person.  I mean they're cute and all, but they shed like crazy and that turns me off.  However, Faithful is one of my favorite characters in this series.  He is Alanna's familiar and he chooses when to speak and when to stay silent, but he always speaks up when he thinks she's making a silly decision.  He makes teases Alanna, which is hilarious.  He is able to talk to anyone he choose, but they can only understand him when he chooses.  He acts as a conscious for Alanna in times of need and is quite content to lay about the castle otherwise.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I've Read So Far This Year

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Champion by Marie Lu * Cress by Marissa Meyer * When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead * Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger * Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce * The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton * Death Comes To Pemberley by P.D. James * Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen * Virals by Kathy Reichs

Insurgent

by Veronica Roth
published: Katherine Tegen Books, 2012
pages: 525

Tris finds herself drowning in war and conspiracy that leaves her dealing with guilt, grief, loyalty, and forgivenss.  While Tobias and Tris must figure out who to trust, Tris also struggles with her divergence and what that truly means.  It's time to make choices that won't be easily undone and trusting her instincts might just be the reason Tris has something to lose.  She is determined to stop Jeanine, the head of Erudite, from causing even more damage.  However, she must wrestle with the idea that Jeanine might not be the worst of what's to come.

I want so badly to love this series because I loved the first book.  I loved the characters and the interesting concepts that were introduced.  I love the way the first book made me think and the way the characters were separated into groups based on how they thought.  All of that builds for a good book series, but sadly this book just made me mad.  Don't get me wrong there were definitely redeeming factors about it, but I felt like I spent 75% of my time and effort angry at Tris and Four.  It felt like most of the effort of this book went to developing their relationship rather than revealing important information about the world in which they live.

There were important and interesting facts that should have been introduced earlier in the book, that would have kept me engaged and interested.  I would have loved to hear more about this supposedly soldier-guarded black gates before the last 15 pages.  Mentioning them earlier in the series would have given me more reason to be intrigued by this world.  Instead, I found myself wondering about halfway through this book, what about the rest of the world.  Is Chicago the only place left, are they isolated for a reason?  I would have loved some indication that maybe Tris had thoughts like these too.  (I imagine she can think complexly about the world to wonder things like this at some point in her 16 years of existence.)

The pace of the book was excellent, so even though I was not pleased with how much information was being withheld, it didn't take away from the overall pace of the story.  In fact, the ending compelled me to dive into the next book.  If Veronica Roth were only good at one thing (she's not she's very good at several things), it would be cliff hangers.  She's hooked me enough to finish the series whether or not I think its imbalanced with actual conflict and romantic annoyances.  I will be reading in anticipation of what lies outside Tris' small world and what the big picture looks like.  Veronica Roth has a very interesting concept, I just hope the execution will match the potential.

3/5 Stars

Praise:

"In this addictive sequel to the acclaimed Divergent, a bleak post-apocalyptic Chicago collapses into all-out civil war.  Another spectacular cliffhanger.  Anyone who read the first book was dying for this one months ago; they'll hardly be able to wait for the concluding volume."
     --Kirkus Reviews

"Insurgent explores several critical themes, including the importance of family and crippling power of grief at its loss.  A very good read."
     --School Library Journal

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Will Be in my Beach Bag this Summer

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

1. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - In light of the movie coming out this weekend, I'm going to reread this book, hopefully with less tears this time, but let's face it - there will probably be lots of tears.

2. Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - I bought the sequel earlier this year, but I think I need to reread this one before I pick up the next.  It seems like a perfect beach bag book what with all the beach in this book.

3. Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - I read Beautiful Creatures last year and liked it, so I thought I'd give this one a nice beach welcome.  I love good sequels!

4. This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith - This sounds like it would be the perfect light-hearted beach bag read.

5. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell - I like a good love story, and from what I can tell this one is loved by many and so I must read it.

6. Something Real by Heather Demetrios - While I'm on the contemporary fiction kick, I'm definitely going to put this in my beach bag.  It sounds like a really interesting story and I can't wait to read it. 

7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Every beach bag needs a classic or two, so I'm throwing this one in there.  I haven't read it yet (I know shame on me), but I'm told I will love this story. I've been meaning to read it so in the bag it goes!

8. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls - I like a good memoir and this one has gotten great reviews.

9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer - I really don't have any idea what this book is about but I love the title. Hopefully, I'll like the book just as much. 

10. Little Women by Lousia May Alcott - Here's another classic to fill my beach bag.  I've wanted to read this book for a while, but was never in the mood.  Maybe the beach will help put me in the mood to read it.