Notable Quotable: Emily St. John Mandel (#100)

"He likes the thought of ships moving over the water, toward another world just out of sight." 
     --Station Eleven

Harry Potter Moment of the Week (#66)

hosted by Uncorked Thoughts and Lunar Rainbows Reviews.

Rename the books from Hermione's perspective.

Hermione Granger and the Year She Did Everything
Hermione Granger and the Year She Did Everything
Hermione Granger and the Year She Did Everything
Hermione Granger and the Year She Did Everything
Hermione Granger and the Year She Did Everything
Hermione Granger and the Year She Did Everything
Hermione Granger and the Year She Did Everything

OR

Hermione Granger and the Troll in the Bathroom
Hermione Granger and the Polyjuice Potion
Hermione Granger and the Time Turner
Hermione Granger and the Other Champion
Hermione Granger and Dumbledore's Army
Hermione Granger and the Heartache
Hermione Granger and the Prepared Purse

Room

by Emma Donoghue
published: Little Brown and Company, 2010
pages: 321

Jack and Ma have always been in Room.  They eat and play and work and watch TV in Room.  Jack has all he needs and all there is is Room.  Occasionally Old Nick will come at night, but Jack has never seen him because Ma won't let him.  Then one day Ma and Jack have a chance to escape, but will they escape and what will happen if they do.

I've been on the fence about reading this book for ages, and I picked it up because it was my book club book for the month.  I was overwhelmed by it.

This book covers a very sensitive and traumatic topic.  Never in a million years would I wish kidnapping on anyone, and hearing the events of the story from a 5-year-olds point of view make me that much more uncomfortable.  He literally knows nothing but the room he was born in and he has trouble comprehending the world outside.  He doesn't understand why his mother would want to leave the room either.  It's heartbreaking and increasingly troubling to read.  Frankly, it got a bit annoying and irritating as well.

One thing I did enjoy about the book is that it deals with the aftermath of captivity.  Very rarely does a book talk about what happens after the escape/rescue/tragedy/loss.  Half of this book is devoted to that, to the reentry of the characters into the world and how the world responds to them.  Ma and Jack aren't normal, they don't come from a normal situation but to be treated as celebrities because of something terrible is strange.  There is so much insight to dealing with life after and the healing process for both Jack and his Ma.

If this hadn't been my book club book for the month, I probably wouldn't have finished this book.  I wanted to like this book.  I wanted to be moved by this book, but I just wasn't. The movie adaptation is coming out fairly soon, but honestly, I'm not sure I want to see it.

Stars: 2/5

Praise:

"Talented, versatile Donoghue relates a searing tale of survival and recovery, in the voice of a five-year-old boy..."
     -Kirkus Review

"The stars are in perfect alignment for Emma Donoghue's new novel, Room....And the topic couldn't be more provacative."
     -USA Today

"...little has been written about the pain of re-entry, and Donoghue's bravado in investigating that potentially terrifying transformation grants the novel a frightening resonance that will keep readers rapt."
     -Publisher's Weekly

A 2015 Full House Challenge book. 
An Ultimate Teen Reads Challenge book.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish List of Thanks

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - This series has probably had the most influence on me as a person.  I've talked about how much it means to me several times on my blog, but I just want to say it again.  I found it when I was young and it shaped me as a person and as a reader.

2. My parents - They are big reader, especially my mom.  When I was growing up, they would read to me and with me.  My dad took me to many a midnight release party.  They both would discuss books with me at length.  They are by far the biggest reason I love to read and I am so thankful that I have them.

3. All American Girl by Meg Cabot - This book ignited my love for books that weren't fantasy.  It began my journey diving into all sorts of genres, not just fantasy.

4. The book community - I love the fact that there are people all over the world who want to share their bookish love with everyone.  I love reading blogs, watching videos and making new friends because of books.  I wouldn't otherwise have that opportunity.

5. The Lunar Chronicle by Marissa Meyer - This series gave me the same sort of excitement that Harry Potter did; waiting for the next book to come out, theorizing what would happen in each installment, not wanting it to end.  It was great to feel that excited about a series again.

6. Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - This book gives a realistic account of someone who has a mental illness and repressed memories.  I'm thankful that people are becoming more open to talking about mental illness, whether it's through books, tv, movies, or person experiences.  People are talking about it.

Notable Quotable: Jennifer A. Nielsen (#99)

"No my lady.  If I cannot look at you as an equal, I will not look at you at all." 
     --The False Prince

Harry Potter Moment of the Week (#65)

hosted by Uncorked Thoughts and Lunar Rainbows Reviews.

Favorite JK Rowling moment

She's a spectacular human being!  I mean, who else would knock themselves off the Forbes billionaire list because they've given so much of their wealth to charity?  She is highly involved in so much including giving us as much of the wizarding world as possible.  J.K. Rowling is a master creator and a lovely person.  I know though, my favorite J.K. Rowling moment has to be at the Deathly Hallows Part 2 London Premiere.  I cry every time I hear her speech or see her words quoted.

"No story lives unless someone wants to listen. The stories we love best do live in us forever.  So whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

J.K. Rowling gets at the heart of what her books mean to so many people around the world.  She understands, because they mean that much to her too.

The False Prince

by Jennifer A. Nielsen
published: Scholastic, 2012
pages: 342

When a noble of the court, Connor, picks four boys, they have no way of knowing that they'd be trained to impersonate the missing prince.  Sage and two other orphans must compete for their lives and the chance to be chosen; this deadly secret could be the end of everyone if it got out.  Everyone seems to have their own agenda and reasons for wanting to be chosen, and Connor is less than forthright with his motives as well.  The truth will come out, but who's truth will it be and which boy will make it out as the missing prince?

This book was so enchanting.  I was hooked from the very beginning.  Sage's ability to captivate the reader while being completely stubborn, snarky, and obstinate is charming.  He has a confidence in himself and his fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants attitude helped me become completely engrossed in the story.

The fast paced nature of this book really felt like an adventure.  You never knew what was going to happen to the characters next.  There was never a point in the story when I wished we could just skip to the next bit of action.  Everything built on itself which helped make me feel completely immersed in the story.

The mystery that lies in the folds of the story slowly reveals itself in a most unexpected way.  There is so much information to take in, the world, the characters, the intensity of the government.  It's a whirlwind of a story that's just beginning.  I didn't expect the plot twist and it was so wonderfully unexpected.  I was floored by it.

Jennifer A. Nielson is an incredible story teller; she had me bewitched from the first page.  I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of this trilogy!


Stars: 4/5

Praise:

"Sage is deftly characterized through humorous first-person narration, quickly establishing himself as a beguiling antihero.... [A]n impressive, promising story with some expertly executed twists."
     --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Sage proves to be a compelling character whose sharp mind and shrews self -possession will make readers eager to follow him into a sequel."
     --The Wall Street Journal

"A swashbuckling origin story... Sage is a quick wit, and Nielsen showcases it with terrific dialogue... chock full of alluring details for adventure-loving boys."
     --Los Angeles Times

Top Ten Tuesday: Quotes From Books I've Read in the Past Year

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

"Who brings a picnic to a break-in?"
     --Trouble is a Friend of Mine

 "You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope."
     --The Hunger Games

"Eleanor was right. She never looked nice.  She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."
     --Eleanor & Park  

"Be true to yourself.  But that's something everyone says and no one means.  No one wants you to be yourself.  They want you to be the version of yourself that they like."
     --The Young Elites 

"Sometimes we seek that which we are not yet ready to find."
     --Rebel Angels

"Sometimes placing our belief in something bigger than ourselves helps us get to a point where we can be enough on our own, magic or no magic."
     --Snow Like Ashes

"I am no longer afraid of getting old.  Indeed I can't believe I ever said anything so stupid.  So childish. So offensive and arrogant.  But mainly, so very, very stupid.  I desperately want to grow old."
     --Code Name Verity 

"Cath felt like she was swimming in words.  Drowning in them, sometimes."
     --Fangirl 

"Don't feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy."
     --A Court of Thorns and Roses

"Sticking up for ourselves in the same way we would one of our friends is a hard but satisfying thing to do.  Sometimes it works."
     --Yes Please 

Notable Quotable: Rainbow Rowell (#98)

"Neal didn't take Georgie's breath away.  Maybe the opposite.  But that was okay-- that was really good, actually, to be near someone who filled your lungs with air." 
     --Landline

Harry Potter Moment of the Week (#64)

hosted by Uncorked Thoughts and Lunar Rainbows Reviews.

If you could change one thing about book two, what would it be?

This is such a hard question; it all played out so brilliantly.  I mean, they're twelve and Hermione successfully made polyjuice potion, and Harry and Ron were able to fake their way into the Slytherin common room.  Malfoy and Harry got to duel.  We have the foundation of all the characters and this book gets to build off of it.  We get character development from the get go!

Okay, so maybe I would have liked to see a different, less idiotic teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts.  Lockhart is just an ambitious pig without any real talent.  It would be cool so see a competent professor teaching DADA for once.  (I mean, they really only have three of those teachers and two of them were trying to kill Harry.)  If only they could have had a normal DADA experience in their second year.

Top Ten Tuesday: Movie Adaptations

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Movie Adaptations I Need/Want to Watch:

Paper Towns (2015) - I don't know what happened here.  I meant to see it in theaters but time just got away from me and frankly, I don't think it was in theaters for that long either.  I was incredibly surprised by it. Hopefully, I'll still enjoy it.

Atonement (2007) - I think I would enjoy this movie, I really like period pieces but I want to read the book first.  Honestly, that's the only reason I haven't watched this movie yet.

The DUFF (2015) - I was on the fence when this movie originally came out and now I've decided that I might actually enjoy this movie, so it's here on the list.  Although, I haven't read the book yet.  I may need to get on that.

The Martian (2015) - I'm not sure if I'll read this book, but I've heard extraordinary things about it.  I definitely want to see this movie though!

Movie Adaptations I'm Looking Forward To:

Mockingjay Part II (November 20, 2015) - This one's coming so soon.  I'm incredibly excited to see how this series makes its cinematic finale.

The 5th Wave (January 15, 2016) - Okay, so I haven't read this book and I haven't watched the trailer but I have a feeling that I will enjoy this story.  I'm definitely going to read the book before seeing the movie though.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (March 4, 2016) - I think this book will make an excellent movie and I'm even more interested in seeing it because Tim Burton is directing!

Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016) - YES.  AND. NO. *Sobs*

The BFG (July 1, 2016) - This is my favorite Roald Dahl book from when I was a kid.  I loved reading it and now I'm excited to see it come to life on screen!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (November 18, 2016) - We get more!  And I'm really excited and also kind of nervous.  I want this to be so good and to expand the wizarding world as we know it, but I'm also think this could be a poor attempt to fill the Harry Potter void.

The Death Cure (TBA) - I'm very interested to see where this goes because The Scorch Trials took on a life of its own.  I liked it very much, it was just very different. I'm wondering how much of the book will be in this installment.

Looking For Alaska (TBA) - This is one of my favorite John Green books so naturally I'm very excited, but I also have my reservation about this becoming a movie.  I think if they get the spirit of the book right, it'll be good.

October Wrap Up

Fandom Mashup (#12)

Hosted by Micheline at Lunar Rainbows Reviews.

Micheline has come up with a great idea and I can't pass up the opportunity to participate.  Each week Micheline will pose a unique fiction scenario and I will choose 5 characters from 5 different fandoms to help me with the situation.  It's going to be quite fun, I can already tell!

Scenario: You've discovered that your world has become a dystopia and have been recruited by an elite anarchist group.  Who's in the group with you?


Day (Legend by Marie Lu) - He's definitely someone I want in a group of elite anarchists.  Usually, he's more of a loner, but I think he would enjoy working with this group of people.  He's got extraordinary skills including wall scaling so he would bring us an advantage.

source

Adelina (The Young Elites by Marie Lu) - She is the perfect person to have in an elite anarchist group, partially because she'd been apart of an anarchist group.  Plus, she's got abilities that are sure to come in handy in the dystopian world.

source

Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games by Stephanie Meyer) - Katniss not only survived a bunch of her government's sadistic, screwed up attempts to torture their citizens, but she also unintentionally started a revolution which she intentionally finished.  She is fierce, intensely perceptive and defiant.  She believes in what she believes.  She is the perfect person to have on the team.

Weasley Twins (Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling) - There's nothing more fun than a little Weasley twins anarchy.  They are incredibly funny, but when situations turned serious, they were among the first to do something.  They joined Dumbledore's Army right from the beginning and they defied Umbridge and that's the tip of the iceberg.

Notable Quotable: Stephanie Tromly (#97)

"...Henry gets 'hero handsome' and all I get is 'Jehovah's Witness'?" 
     --Trouble is a Friend of Mine

Harry Potter Moment of the Week (#63)

hosted by Uncorked Thoughts and Lunar Rainbows Reviews.

Favorite Chapter Titles.

I have favorite chapter titles from each book, so I'll give you some from each!  Some of these I just love the title and some of these I love the events that go on in that chapter.  Nonetheless, they are my favorite Chapter Titles!

Sorcerer's Stone:                                        Chamber of Secrets: 

The Boy Who Live                                        Dobby's Warning
The Letters from No One                              The Very Secret Diary
The Forbidden Forest                                   The Heir of Slytherin


Prisoner of Azkaban:                                 Goblet of Fire:

Talons and Tea Leaves                                Weasley's Wizard Wheezes
Flight of the Fat Lady                                  Aboard the Hogwarts Express
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs         The Madness of Mr. Crouch
Hermione's Secret                                      Priori Incantatem


Order of the Phoenix:                                Half-Blood Prince:

The Advance Guard                                    The Other Minister
The Sorting Hat's New Song                        The House of Gaunt
Luna Lovegood                                           The Unknowable Room
The Beetle at Bay                                       The Phoenix Lament



Deathly Hallows:

The Seven Potters
Kreacher's Tale
The Final Hiding Place
The Prince's Tale
The Forest Again
The Flaw in the Plan

Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline
published: Broadway Books, 2011
pages: 372

When the creator of the worldwide virtual reality gaming system, OASIS, dies, he leaves his fortune hidden in an egg somewhere in his digital world.  People all over the world have been searching ever since.  Wade Wilson stumbles across the first clue that leads him closer to the ultimate prize.  However, time is not on his side; Wade must beat a slue of other competitors including some that are willing to kill.  There's only one way to survive: to win.

This book was a bit of a rollercoaster.  There's so much action packed into the story.  It had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next.  I loved all the plot twists and the big reveal; you never know who to trust when everything is online.

There was a bit of a lull in the story about halfway through.  We had some character development, but other than that not much seems to happen.  I found myself skimming the page every once in a while, waiting for the next moment of high action.

The vast amount of 70s and 80s references were incredibly entertaining.  I grew up on that kind of pop culture thanks to my dad, so I knew most of the references on the spot.  It was so much fun to geek out while reading this book.  I thoroughly enjoyed slipping in and out of OASIS with Wade.

OASIS is a virtual reality that I would love to visit.  The world is so intensely huge, there something for everyone.  Each planet is described with such vivid details that it feels like you are right there with all the avatars.  We only got a small peak into the virtual world.  There is some much left unexplored that it's incredibly enticing.  I  would love to explore it, I wouldn't be very good at the MMO (massive multiplayer online) parts of OASIS but it would definitely super cool to experience it.

Ernest Cline creates an amazing world with an intense adventure challenge to complete.  I definitely enjoyed reading this book.


Stars: 3.5/5

Praise:

"As one adventure leads expertly to the next, time simple evaporates."
      --Entertainment Weekly

"An action-packed, highly entertaining, nostalgic thrill ride through the past combined with the danger and excitement of a not-too-distant future."
      --New York Journal of Books

"An adrenaline shot of uncut geekdom... [featuring] the perfect lovable/unlikely hero."
      --Publishers Weekly

A Full House Reading Challenge 2015 book.
A 2015 TBR Pile Challenge book. 
An Alphabet Soup Challenge book.
A 2015 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge book. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Debut Authors That Have Me Looking for Their Sophomore Novel

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Apparently, I don't read very many debut books.  I'm going to have to change that next year.  Here are 7 authors that have me looking forward to their sophomore novels!


1. Stephanie Tromly - I flew through Trouble is a Friend of Mine and it seems to me that her sophomore novel will be a sequel which makes me so so excited because I was not ready to be done with Digby.  He is awesome!

2. Laura Wetterson - She wrote such a fun story with My Faire Lady.  It was the first book I read that took place at a Renaissance Faire, which is one of my favorite places.  I love that aspect of the book and it was a very cute read.

3. Leah Rae Miller - The Summer I Became A Nerd was such a great fast read.  I loved that it put being a nerd in a very positive light and it even included LARPing which was fun to read.  I read this book a couple of years ago and I'm excited to see what she will write in the future.

4. T. Michael Martin - I enjoyed reading The End Games and definitely liked his writing style.  It was an incredible journey of survival.  I'm very intrigued to see what his next book will look like.

5. Sarah Raasch - So technically her sophomore book is out already, but I haven't had a chance to pick it up.  It's the sequel to Snow Like Ashes which was an amazing book!  I thoroughly enjoyed it and really got into that fantasy world.  Reading the sequel will happen so very soon.

6. Lori Goldstein - Her first book Becoming Jinn first caught my attention because I hadn't seen very many books about genies.  It sounded interesting and very unique so naturally I preordered it and then read very soon after I got my copy.  It was such an interesting story and her sophomore novel will be the sequel so I'm very excited to learn more about the world of jinn!

7. Ernest Cline - Ready Player One was highly entertaining and pretty much a great read.  So his sophomore novel should be just as good since I'm pretty sure it follows the same video game vein as his first.

November TBR: Crunch Time

Okay so there are only two months left this year and I have quite a bit of challenge reading left to do.  I'm 85% positive that I won't finish every challenge I've attempted this year, but that's okay.  I'm going to try anyway!  This list is going to be half of what I have to read to finish everything.  December will be the other half.  I wish anyone else who is trying to complete challenges God's speed too!  Here we go.

Currently Reading

• Room by Emma Donoghue

Possible Candidates

• War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (TBR)
• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (TBR) (Rec.) (ABC) (Ult.)
• The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (Rec.) (Full) (ABC)
• Graceling by Kristen Cashore (TBR) (Rec.)
• The Rose Society by Marie Lu (FULL)
• Matched by Ally Condie (TBR) (FULL) (Ult.)
• The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Gailbraith (Ecl.)

Book Club

• Room by Emma Donoghue

New Releases

• Winter by Marissa Meyer (Nov. 10) 
• Soundless by Richelle Mead (Nov. 10)
• Harry Potter Coloring Book (Nov. 10)

Key:
(Ecl.) = Eclectic Reader Challenge
(New) = Newbery Reading Challenge
(Full) = Full House Reading Challenge
(TBR) = 2015 TBR Pile Challenge
(ABC) = Alphabet Soup Challenge
(Ult.) = Teenreads Ultimate Reading
(Rec.) = Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge 

Fandom Mashup (#11)

Hosted by Micheline at Lunar Rainbows Reviews.

Micheline has come up with a great idea and I can't pass up the opportunity to participate.  Each week Micheline will pose a unique fiction scenario and I will choose 5 characters from 5 different fandoms to help me with the situation.  It's going to be quite fun, I can already tell!

Scenario: You've been imprisoned by an unfair and tyrannical leader for speaking your mind.  Who do you hope is in there with you?  For company AND to help you escape!

Harry Potter - He's like the poster child for defying tyrannical leaders.  He took down Voldemort which in and of itself was an incredible feat.  However, how he dealt with Professor Snape is the reason that he makes this list.  Snape may have been "good" in the end, but the treatment of his students were often times incredibly abusive toward the students.  He exploited his power as professor because of a childhood grudge.  Harry Potter, without really breaking any rules, put Snape in his place so many times.  He's got a knack for defying leaders that abuse their power.

Jaron (The Ascendance trilogy by Jennifer A. Neilson) - He is about the most defiant person I've ever read about.  He's a thief and a king and he knows how to sneak around and get out of really tight situations.  He'd be great to have for company, but also for plotting our escape and eventual coup of said tyrannical leader.

Peeta Mellark(The Hunger Games) - This was a tough call between Katniss and Peeta.  I would have chosen Katniss because she went up against not one but two possible tyrannical leaders and won, but Peeta has actually been captured by one.  He knows what could happen to prisoners.  That might make us more prepared in our attempts to escape.

Jonah (The Giver by Lois Lowry) - This one is a little more subtle.  There may not have been one leader to pinpoint as unfair or tyrannical, but Jonah was the first (and possibly the only) one to notice the sameness and question it.  For this reason alone, he'd be great company but more important his observation skill would be incredibly helpful during the planning and execution of our escape.

R2-D2 (Star Wars) - Okay so this robot might not have any direct connection to defying an unfair leader, but he is pretty nifty to have around.  R2-D2 is all about taking risks and tampering with things.  So if we're in a high tech prison we should be all set with alarms and locks!