Summer Reading

It can't be true!!! Summer is over and I'm already dreading winter. Fall just means winter is coming. It's like the time to build up dread for the snow, cold, ice, shoveling, brushing, layers of clothing, and bills galore.

But also it's time for me to start looking at my plans for the "not outdoors" season. One of the things I let fall by the wayside this summer was blogging. (oh gosh, let's be honest, I let a lot of things fall behind.) I decided to spend the summer doing some different things and now I need to start shifting my mindset to include some of those things I let lapse.

Not sure yet WHEN I'll fully get back to all those things or what things I will attempt to recapture this *sob* winter. But here's starting off with something fairly easy. 

One of the things that I did a little bit of was reading, so here's my favorite books from this summer(okay and spring too). I chose to just mention my 4 and 5 star books as usual for my book trees. :)

So pretty!!!! Anyway, kicking it off with my 4 star reads! I have an interesting assortment here, starting with a classic!

1. After the fun I had last year, I did choose to set myself a classic challenge again this year. And as I'd loved Pride and Prejudice I gave Sense and Sensibility a shot. Now I actually didn't like the tv series or the movie of this book. (though to be fair the series was closer to the book than the movie) So this was a challenge to choose because I wanted to see if I'd dislike it or not.
   
   I'm happy to say that I did enjoy it. Though I didn't love it like I did P&P I did enjoy it and found it immensely better than either of the adaptions. I'd sooner reread this book than watch a movie of it.
   
   
2. The Enemy's Service was the final book in a series that I finished up this summer. I really loved the variety of view points and the story of what a war might look like for a regular person caught on the losing side. As this was MG, it prevented me from being completely sucked in as I have a hard time relating to really young characters. I'm too far past that stage in my life! Full review
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Chasing Lady Midnight was a new adventure for me. I can't recall reading many(if any) superhero books and mysteries have become a rarity since I was a teenager. This was both and though it took me some time to decide if I liked the MC's voice, I ended up really enjoying the story. Lady Midnight's personality and voice shown through everything. Very good work on the author's part. Full review
   
   
   
4. Next up is Joss the Seven another MG book that was based on a young boy determined to make the best of his last summer on top of the middle school food chain. Things go awry when he discovers he has magical talents. But who is friend and who is foe? To the best of my knowledge, the boys in this book rang very true to what middle grade boys are like. Thought the twist was pretty ingenious.Full review
5. My last 4 star book was The Trouble With Demons. Number 3 in an adult fantasy series, this is a book that I couldn't put down. There's some parts that were a little . . .meh for me. (not fond of romance or love triangles) But overall this was another humorous story in the series. I love the voice of the main character. Raine really shines through the pages and if for no other reason, I'd keep reading this series. The plot is fast-paced and you never want to set the book down. I mean, everything that can go wrong or make Raine's world more crazy, yeah it happens.
   
   Everyone and their evil uncle is after a special rock that is the source of Raine's power. (not that she asked to have the stupid rock, thank you very much.) They're bringing hellfire and brimstone to the hub of the world if that's what it takes to GET THAT ROCK. Full review

★★★★★ Reads

1. The Door That Came to Dinner 
   
   Confession time. I'm a chicken when it comes to all thing scary or creepy. Long periods of continued suspense, no thank you. No to horror, etc. I have an active imagination that can't handle ideas that cause me no end of trouble.
   
   So when I picked this up, I really didn't know it was horror. I'm reading along and I'm like, "wow, something isn't right here." I was engaged by the very defined character voice. The story was well-built. And there was clearly something strange going on. I knew that. Something wasn't right. But whatever I was thinking wasn't a "horror" reason.
   
   
   
   
   
   Probably because I didn't know the genre, I didn't spend the whole book on the edge of my seat and terrified. I just saw things playing out differently so I was like hmm, this is interesting. THEN THAT ENDING! I was like, what the fuzzy pink slippers just happened?!
   
   
   
   
   I then had to immediately go engage my mind in something else so I didn't dwell on that ending. *shudders* But it didn't change the fact that until like that last paragraph or two I was really hooked by this story and completely enthralled. This is probably right up a horror lovers alley and for folks like me, this is what I imagine is a light trip into horror where if you're not expecting it the ending is the only thing that's going to make your brain scream. Full review
   
   
2. Lost in a Book
   
   A retelling of a retelling? And oh look, it came out from DISNEY in time to celebrate their retelling of their original retelling. See where I'm going with this? Gorgeous cover, interesting sounding blurb . . . but . . . it was a clear marketing ploy building on the hype of a movie release.
   
   
   
   

   Basically I went into this book thinking I was going to hate it and then roll my eyes at all the other people too blinded by "OH MY GOSH IT'S DISNEY AND THEY HAVE A NEW MOVIE ABOUT THIS COMING OUT. OHMYGOSH. OHMYGOSH." Yep, I wasn't going to get taken in like those suckers!!!
   
   I say all of that for two reasons. First if you see this book and the above is your thought also, I encourage you to give it a chance. I was in the same boat as you! Second reason I share that is to say that I went into this already predisposed to not like it and the opposite happened.
   
   I actually really really really enjoyed this book. Retellings of retellings are kind a weird thing to me, but since it was only like a small portion it didn't drag me out of the story. The premise is that what if after Belle finds the library there's this whole section we didn't see in the movie.
   
   I looooove missing pieces. I like to wonder what might've happened between events. What we didn't see. Behind the scenes!
   
   I thought Belle's journey into a book, the lesson not to miss out on real life, and the one plot thread about how if you want something to be true, you'll believe it.
   
   The one thing that irked me was how blatantly obvious the evil was. "My name is Dark Evil and this is my leering henchman Black Slayer. Come to my Palace of the Dead that is dark and spooky and has creepy eyes leering at you."
   
   

   

   
   But at the end, there's this awesome bit where Death(the villain) tells Belle she made it so obvious and therefore Belle couldn't say she hadn't been given a fair chance. Belle comments that she had so badly wanted the lie to be true that she'd closed her eyes to the truth.
   
   It was definitely a twist where the MC misses something not because the author goofed or because the MC is stupid, but rather because much like real life, the MC simply wanted what was a lie to be true so they let themselves believe it. Full review
   
   
3. The Enemy of an Enemy was another book I started out a bit leery of. This time it was because of the first page of reviews. Eek! Not a good feeling to pick up a book where most of the top rated reviews aren't promising. I already had the book at that point, so I figured I might as well give it a shot.
   
   Perhaps I'm just not use to the genre so it was a new adventure for me, but whatever the reason I really liked this. My only real complaint was the ending could've been handled better. This was the book I couldn't put down. I was up late, then up early again to keep reading it. I HAD to know what happened next. Full review
   
   
   
   
   
4. My mom read to me a lot when I was a kid and one of the books I distinctly remember her reading was When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. I haven't read it since then, but had a nostalgic summer and decided to go back and read it for myself.
   
   I can so see why this made an impact on me as a kid, and it had an impact on me now. This is truly an amazing story. Judith Kerr may have given her characters fictional names, but this is HER story. This is her WWII experience. It's her family's experience. And yes it's different from most WWII books.
   
   The little girl in the book is Anna. Her father is able to get himself and his family out of Germany before it's impossible. It covers from right before the family leaves through their journey after. Anna has such a bright spirit and she says near the end of the book that as long as she has her family and they're together, she can forget she's a refugee.
   
   This book had both a theme of two kids who find a way to stay optimistic when their world is turned upside down, while not undermining what was happening at the time. As an adult I see that a man lost his job, had his books burned, had to leave his family temporarily to escape, and then wait for them to join him. He has to find a way to provide for his family when no one will hire him and he lost everything.
   
   A woman who has to rush herself and her kids out of the country alone. She has to leave her home and possessions behind. And they never do get them back. Having to watch her kids be treated like less-than because of who they are.
   
   And it goes on. There's moments we see where like a German family forbids their kids to play with them. A story from a visitor about a professor who was humiliated, degraded, and eventually his mind broken. A brilliant person lowered to the state of an animal. That's probably one of the darkest moments in the book.
   
   And then again at the end with Anna's uncle. I teared right up for that part. A quiet man who loved his work at a library and was fired. Then his one other passion had been regular visits to the zoo. He was such a familiar face that that animals responded to him and were excited by his visits. Because he was a Jew, he was forbidden from ever coming back. And it just broke him and I so did cry.
   
   This is perfect for young kids who aren't ready for the full ugliness of the time, but who can learn from Anna's attitude and get glimpses of the horror in a small measure. Full review
5. Little House in the Big Woods
   
   This was part of my classic reading challenge, so I'm saving up my thoughts for that post. But again, here's more of me being nostalgic.
6. Anne of Green Gables
   
   Same as above.
   
   
   
   
7. The Bloodstone Chronicles was another childhood favorite for me and my siblings. I actually read the book and listened to the audiobook at the time. I will say that after rereading the book if my memory serves me correctly the audiobook was better.
   
   A MG allegory that follows three kids on their adventures into an alternate dimension. There they meet new friends, enemies, and Creator. If you love allegories, then this is one that shouldn't miss your to-read list. I distinctly remember crying over the story of Denise when she gets to create her own little people and understands what that kind of love is like. Full review.
8. Den of Wolves closes up this list! If I still have your attention, I'm telling you, READ THIS BOOK. I don't normally read adult fantasy(hard to find stuff that's not over-the-top adult) but this is a series I stumbled on and is just beyond words.
   
   
   
   
   The characters are some of the most well-developed and "real" that I've come across in any book. Such a level of depth to this series and though I felt like this book was the weakest of the series(like the author felt rushed to end it and hurried the ending), it didn't change that overall this series is simply amazing.  The sequence of events are so gripping that putting this down was nearly impossible. Not to mention that I was overcome by a desire to READ faster. I couldn't read this fast enough, it was so good it was killing me to not know what was next.
   
   Definitely my number one book for the summer.  Full review
   
   What did you read this summer? Anything that really stood out as a must read?

February Book Tree

And we're back with another book tree! Last month was slower than January, but still a good month in material. Out of 12 books, 9 of them made the tree list!

The month started off fast enough as I plowed through a series I started in January. I also devoured my first classic challenge book. After that, I hit a slow patch that had everything to do with attention span, other things calling my name, a crazy shift in weather(I am not kidding, mid-February we were getting 50-60 degrees in MICHIGAN), and a general restlessness.

It's not about the quantity though, it's about enjoying what you read, so a slow month by no mean equals a bad one! I'm sure as summer creeps closer it'll get even slower.

Top Row

(Five stars)

• Where Carpets Fly - An Arabian flair brought this exotic story to life as restless teenager, Elina, moves to the big city in order to take magic lessons. A deeper mystery runs around some of her new acquaintances, but Elina doesn't have time to figure it out before a simple visit to see her father's ship lands her and her new friend, Kara, in danger. Swept up in events beyond their control, the girls soon find themselves in a foreign country that's ripe with turmoil. Disaster strikes and now it's up to Elina to save the day, but she won't be doing it alone.

• Tower of Thorns - I've recently decided I need to catch up on series I've already started and after loving the first book of this series, there was no doubt that Tower of Thorns had to make it on my pile for February. Blackthorn is a healer recently freed from the worst of prisons. Her rescuer's conditions? That she must say yes to every request for aid and not leave the country he sends her to . . . for seven years!
  
  As a former mother, wife, and rebel who tried to gain justice for her murdered husband and son, plus the dozens of women harmed by the local warlord, Blackthorn's attempts landed her in that ghastly prison for a year and now that she's out the only thing she wants it justice in the form of the man's death. Being trapped for seven years by the deal that keeps her free is frustrating to the tenth degree.
  
  Grim, another resident of the prison of horrors, is also freed upon Blackthorn's request that his release be added to the deal. Both are fighting the nightmares of the past, both are a little less than personable, and both are some of the most real characters I've ever read. Their struggles, their personalities, their inner demons make them easy to relate to.
  
  In book 2, Blackthorn goes to the aid of a strange lady who tells a chilling tale of something stuck in a tower on an island covered in thorns. Whatever is in there cries from dawn to dusk, a sound so terrible that it brings people's worst memories to the forefront of their minds and causes both people and animals no short amount of terror often leading to depression and suicide. 

The lady believes that certain conditions are needed to enter the tower and eliminate the problem, and she needs Blackthorn to meet them. Meanwhile, Grim is fighting his own struggles as something comes a little close to home in bringing back horrible memories from his past. Add in an old friend of Blackthorn's who says the time is right to take down her old enemy, and you've got the recipe for a perfect novel!

• The Ultimate Prince Charming - Book five in the series I couldn't stop once I started, this story took top prize. Though I enjoyed the whole series, one book had to walk away with favorite status and it was this one hands down.
  
  Prince George isn't like the other princes from Charming Academy, oh no, he's the ULTIMATE prince charming. After the death of his princess, George begins to see flaws in the system. Namely that there are any number of princesses who don't get rescued for whatever reason. These princesses sit, and wait, in their cursed situation either until they die(from old age or circumstances) or a random person rescues them.
  
  George rightly things this isn't something that should just be "okay" with everyone. He then makes it his personal mission to find as many of the Lost Princesses as he can and rescue them. What a guy! The fairies from the school try to throw a wrench in his plans by assigning him a new princess and trying to push for him to just save her and that's it. George, the prince of awesome, he's not about to be pushed around. So he does his own thing and begins the ultimate quest to do what no other prince has done before.
  
  Meanwhile, Leticia(the princess assigned to him) has lost her original prince and has no idea who's coming for her or if someone even is. But she's got two of the coolest dragons for company while she waits. 

Bottom Row

(Four stars)

• Prince Charming's Search - This was book 3 in the Charming Academy series(the one I spam read). This followed the story of Clarissa and Jacobi on their Cinderella inspired tale. Really loved the twists given to Cinderella's half of the story.

• Oliver Twist - I have a classic challenge this year for five books, and this is the one I finished first. Great read with lots of sarcasm and wit. There's this revealing insight into an unfamiliar world that was probably way too familiar at the time. It's easy to hate or love these characters in their turn as they're so deeply defined that you can't help feeling like they're real and wishing them good or ill.
  
  The climax at the end was really WOW and I read it twice, the second time aloud, so that I could really get the full effect of it. Great way to start off this challenge.

• Becoming Prince Charming - Book 4 of the Charming Academy series brings us to Beauty and the Beast where the focus is more on the Beast than Beauty, an interesting twist in itself. Kaelan's unique curse has forced him to look like a Beast, but now it's trying to take over his mind as well.
  
  With only an old fairy and a handful of servants, Kaelan's wait for his recuser is fraught with inner battles and growing danger outside of the castle walls.

• Ella Dethroned - A novella that leads into a series that takes place over a hundred years later. Very interesting beginning and did its job of making me want to read more. Powefully descriptive writing (and that cover!) that hooked me and did it quickly, not easy for a novella to do.
  
  Ella's on the run as after being removed from her throne by an enemy, her life is now in danger as the allegiance of everyone around her is shifting. Everyone except for one of her trusted guard who is determined to save her.
  
  The story follows their winter escape, the pursuit that follows, and Ella's discovery of what her role is now that she's no longer Luminary.

• Prince Charming's Quest - The final book in the Prince Charming series. This brought the series to a satisfying end with the long awaited quest from the main character from the first book. Lucian's quest hasn't been easy. Of course, quests never are, but his has been extra difficult thanks to a dragon's grudge. While he battles through obstacles(and a lot of dragons), Moira's fighting off horrible nightmares that are a bit too real for comfort, and they don't want to let her go.

The only thing that could've made this book better is if it ended with the dissolution of the prince/princess match-up and quest system which seemed to put a lot of people in danger(even to the point of severe injury or death) and ran all over the lives of everyone in the quest's path without so much as an excuse me.

• A Study in Scarlet - Book 3 in my classic challenge(we won't speak of the horror that was book 2). A Study in Scarlet was a quick read, but engrossing all the same. The first half is dedicated to Sherlock and Holmes meeting and then solving their first case together. The second half went back to show the motivation of the killer in a very indepth sense that was definitely interesting, though the tactic of pulling me away from the current storyline was not one I enjoyed. Since both stories were equally interesting, I'm not sure what I would've preferred, but it did feel like I was reading two separate stories that barely tied in to each other.

And that's how my February went! What was your favorite read of the month? Any good romances that went along with Valentine's Day?

January Book Tree

Hello devoted fans! And people who accidentally clicked on this post. ;) I'm sharing my first ever monthly book tree. We'll see how faithfully I stick to it, cause we know how I can be, or at least I know how I can be.

It'll be a short and sweet post that shares my best reads of the month and a thought on them. I absolutely LOVE reading. Like, stick me in a tower for a year and as long as there's a never-ending supply of books I'll be happy. So this is another way for me to share my love for reading and maybe even help you discover your next book.

Now for the grand unveiling! *tugs on sheet hanging over large frame* Oh come on! RIIIIPPPP. Meant to do that! *tosses sheet aside*

Yes, this is what you get when I write blog posts in the middle of the night.

Ta-da!!!

Please, please, hold your applause. I know, my skills at creating pictures stacked on pictures is impressive.

Okay, okay, down to business. So why a tree? Kristen, that looks NOTHING like a tree! You're right, it doesn't. But see, my beautiful mind picture imagined them tiered like a gorgeous pine tree shape. I then realized that I better only read six books if I ever want that to be feasible. That or find some freaking huge picture. Vision didn't become a reality, but I'm still calling it a tree because I'm stubborn!!! Pretend I'm a three year old showing off their picture of a dragon eating the sun while mommy is making dinner.

The top row would be the five star books and then the second row is the four star ones. (my ratings) Due to space reasons, I decided not to include my 1-3 stars, but I may in the future find a way to better illustrate my reading that'll include all the monthly books.

Top Row

(five stars)

• Katya's War - The second in the series, Katya's war is a futuristic sci-fi novel that revolves around the planet of Russalka. Colonists from Russia settled the planet long ago and after a long silence between Russalka and Earth, the planet governs itself. But things are not as they seem and there's lots of danger to be had on the ocean-covered planet.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I love Katya and her story. It's great to see a YA story with a strong female lead who doesn't fall into all of the cliche traps of trying to prove she's a stronge female character. There's also ZERO romance in this series. How many YA novels starring a FMC have zero romance nowadays? I recommend both books in this series as they're really undiscovered gems.

• From the Stories of Old - An anthology of fairytale retellings that recently debuted. There's a good mix of everything in here. Urban, medieval, and even a futuristic setting. Some romances, some not. Happily ever afters and bittersweet endings. A fresh spin on a variety of favorite fairy tales, and a couple from some lesser known tales as well.
  
  
  
  
  

• Slave - No sun. No moon. Hannah's world is a perpetual hopeless grey as clouds mask all light every day. The Workers work, and then return to their dreary homes. And somewhere, someone is profiting.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A dystopian read that's like a breath of fresh air. Easily one of the best dystopians I've read in a long time.

• Prince of Malorn - Korram's a young prince whose regent wants to kill him in order to snatch permanent power. In a desperate attempt to gather allies from the mountain people in his kingdom, Korram's simple quest to find fighters turns into a far different journey.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A wonderful story that had so much vibrance and happenings that I felt like I'd been granted three books instead of one. The realness to this story, the depth of characters, and the plot had me fighting to put this one down.

• The Midsummer Captives - Princess Gwen's given up on love for herself, but she's determined to help her sister to their happily ever afters. But when a journey to a neighboring kingdom goes awry(can you say stone dragon?) and the party scatters inside a mysterious forest, Gwen finds herself in a dilapidated old castle that's been partially enchanted. The two residents are equally strange.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This book is a stand alone in a series that starts off with what was my #1 read for last year. Another great addition that makes me anxious for the nest!

Bottom Row

(4 stars)

• Queen's Lady - A fun romp through the Elizabethan era that breaks some norms for what we expect with characters. Romance, prejudice, redemption, and people who aren't always as they seem.

• Firebird - A futuristic sci-fi/fantasy based around the idea of what if three thousand years in the future the Messiah still hadn't been born yet. Firebird's planet has isolated itself from the galaxy and has developed some rather disturbing traditions. Firebird is one of the "extra" children that nobility have just in case, but who will be ordered to commit suicide once she's bumped down to a certain place in line for the title.
  
  Takes a bit to get into because of the huge amount of information I had to absorb on the culture, planet, galaxy, people, etc.

• Charming Academy - In a fantasy world there exist two academies. One for princesses and one for princes. They're evaluated and assigned a princess/prince from the other school. Until they turn 18, the students are given classes that relate to the quest they'll be put on after they graduate. First in the series, Charming Academy sets ups all the characters for their quests which the rest of the novels explore.

• The Orphan Queen - Wilhemina is a princess without a kingdom. Long after the one night war that saw her parents and the rest of the nobility slaughtered, Wil and the other noble children are now hiding in the enemy kingdom. They're planning, and plotting, and doing everything they can to not only stay alive and hidden, but also to regain what they lost.

• Prince of Alasia - Jaymin is the young prince of Alasia who finds himself rushed into hiding when his kingdom is invaded. Somehow he must find a way to free his kingdom from the clutches of the neighboring kingdom and regain the throne. A companion novel to Prince of Malorn that takes place near the same time, with different main characters in different kingdoms. This is a MG novel while Prince of  Malorn was YA.

• Ender's Game - A somewhat disturbing, and absorbing tale of a sci-fi world where children are recruited to be trained for a battle that may or may not happen. After two invasions, the people of Earth aren't taking any chances. Ender may be a kid, but he's like no kid you've ever met. A bit scary in its idea, graphic at times, but overall well-written and engaging. You may not like what's happening or the characters, but it made me think.

• Finding Prince Charming (not pictured) - Hey, I ran out of room on my tree! This is the second book in the Charming Academy series and follows Adrian(who's been cursed!) and Allegra. There roles have been swapped and now it's Allegra who must find Adrian, break his curse, and rescue him. Adrian's got problems of his own. Add in a purple-haired mermaid, a witch with a vendetta, and a hopeless romantic frog, he's hoping Allegra hurries before he ends up trapped forever.

Overall, I had a great January! There were three books that fell into the okay category and two that made me want to slaughter pinatas. But I had an overwhelming number of AWESOME READS! That's what I call a good month in reading.

What was some of your favorite reads for January?