2013 Bookish Review & Looking Ahead

Here's the short of it: the only challenge I completed this year was my Goodreads Challenge. 

All the rest fell by the wayside and were slightly abandoned. I wanted to do them, really, but something(s) just kept getting in my way. And, if we're being honest here (and of course I am) in the end reading a book, any book, was more important to me than trying to read a specific book for a specific challenge. Because, if that had been my focus there would have been a much larger amount of times when I wasn't  reading. The pressure, it seems, was just too much for me this year. I did manage to complete about half of each challenge I set out for, though. So, that's pretty good. 

So, yes, I read. And I read a lot. 50 books is a lot of books. 

And it's the reading that matters in the end, right? Right. 

So, this year I will try again. 

And I will try to get up those 10ish reviews I still have to finish too. Promise. 

50 more books for Goodreads. I was going to up it again, but really 50 was a bit of a challenge for me this year (I literally finished my 50th book the evening of New Years Eve). Maybe if I hadn't had that 3 month summer hiatus where I simply could not get my nose into a book for the life of me it would have been different, who knows. But, there's no reason to stress myself out this year. We'll go for 50 again. And if I go over? Bravo for me!

And then I'm trying the TBR Pile Challenge again. Because I really need to work on reading those books I already own. So, I'm gonna put a little more effort into this one this year. I also did not make up half my list with books over 600 pages. Maybe a less intimidating reading list will be useful? 

And then in an effort to spend less money on books I'm gonna try to be a more frequent patron of my library. So, I joined the I Love Library Books Challenge, but kept it simple with a goal of  6 books. This should be easy (I hope). Maybe I'll up that one.  

Finally, for fun, I decided to join the I Read Banned Books Challenge. Because, well, why not? It's something I've always wanted to make an effort to do. But to keep my reading levels stress free I signed up for 5 books which have been banned or challenged. Wahoo! Bring on the controversies! 

What about you guys out there in the world? What are your reading goals for this year? Anything good on your TBR list?

So. Close.

I am one book away from reaching my Goodreads goal this year. 

One. Book.

I have four days, so that's totally possible.

But? I am kinda impressed with myself nonetheless. 

When I set out my goal for 50 books in 2013 I knew I was reaching a little high. Really. In 2012 I barely made by 30 books. And in 2011 I barely made my 25 books. 

I'm a quick reader. Really. And for the most part I try to take time out to read every single day. Sometimes I get too tired before bed and the thought of cracking open a book gives me a headache, but for the most part I read. But I don't read so fast that I skim over things. I don't skip words, or paragraphs, or chapters. In fact I don't really get how (or why) people do that. If you're one of those people, I'm not judging - I swear. I just can't do it. Seriously. Sometimes I try to skip a few sentences ahead or something if I'm getting bored with a book - and then I promptly go back and read what I just skipped. I just can't do it. If you are one of those who can, care to explain your methods to me? I'm honestly interested.

The thing is: I like to savor the words the author chose. To see how they piece things together. To watch the magic they use when they weave a story from pieces and snapshots into memories and moments. It really is magic to me. And I love it - especially when the author is amazing at it. Or those lines that make you just stop and think "why have I never thought this way about something before" - when their word choice or descriptions are so perfect that you're awe struck and have to convince yourself you're not actually there in that moment in the real world. When your reality blurs together into your books reality. And sometimes those moments come in the most unexpected places of a book.

So, no. I can't skip ahead for fear of missing something profound. 

So 50 books? Well, that seemed like a pretty lofty goal in light of both my reading habits as well as my reading records from the previous two years. The thing is, I had a lull in reading in 2011 and 2012. Both coming after reading a book I desperately needed to savor for a little while combined with other assorted things that took time away from reading (namely: work). So a reading lull is something I knew I was going to have to watch out for. 

And it still happened. This summer I barely read anything. Really. I think I went with two books in a three month period. Which royally sucks (it was not the best summer by any means, so reading more probably would have helped a lot). I was prepared for a lull and it still crept up on me!

So, in light of that lull I am fairly surprised I still managed to meet my goal this year (knock on wood, since I'm not exactly there yet). It just makes me think that I could have read so many more had I not taken three months off!

So, yay for me! And here's to another year of delightful reading ahead of me.

Reading With The Snow

Snowstorms in New England make me lazy. 

Really.

Well, maybe lazy isn't the best word for what snowstorms do to me. 

But there's certainly something that happens when the world starts to look like this:

There are a million things I should be need to be doing (grad school applications, Christmas shopping, getting my tires rotated), but when those snowflakes start to fall (especially if there's rumor of many inches coming down) all I want to do is park myself in front of the fireplace with a steaming cup of coffee and a book.

Yep. I said it. Everything else falls away and it becomes just me and whatever word I've found myself escaping into the most recently. Reading is such a perfect activity for so many parts of your life. But when the snow is falling and the world disappears beneath that blanket of white? That is my absolute favorite time to read. The two just seem to go perfectly hand-in-hand.

The storm blazes outside and there I am: curled up under a blanket, watching the snow fall down outside, and a book in my hand. Work disappears. Have-tos disappear. Maybe they shouldn't (actually, they really shouldn't. Too many deadlines are on their way to my front door...), but it's how things work for me. 

This last snowstorm was no different. I spent most of Sunday and Tuesday in my chair by the fire devouring two of Tamora Pierce's novels: Realm of the Gods (Wild Magic #4) and First Test (Protector of the Small #1). These are series I should have read before but never got around to. Serioulsy. Younger me is kicking my tail for not having had my nose stuck in these when I was in Middle School.  

Winter is my perfect reading time. Which is great, as I'm still 5 books off of my Goodreads reading challenge. I want to have to finish it. I've finished it three years running, can't spoil that now!

So, bring on the snow. It's time to read. 

2013 Reads: Thirty-Two {Wild Magic - Tamora Pierce}

Because I needed to become invested in another amazing series.

Needed to.

I mean, I couldn't really pass up more Tamora Pierce, could I? And I pretty much consider this series part of the whole Tamora Pierce world, so it's not new-new. Right?

WHAT WAS WRITTEN

Daine is thirteen years old and, for as long as she can remember, she's had a special connection with animals. It's not, however, until she is forced to leave her family home that she realizes it's more than a connection - it's magic.

Taking on a job with the Queen's Riders, Daine meets the master mage Numai and becomes his student. Numair realizes that Daine's magic is a special type of magic - rare and powerful - called 'Wild Magic.' It allows Daine to speak to animals as well as to bend their will to hers (something she is reluctant to do).

With Numair's help Daine becomes more comfortable and confident in her abilities. But with her magic she begins to sense other beings too: Immortals. These are bloodthirsty monsters that have been trapped in the Divine Realms for centuries.

Now someone has broken the barrier and these creatures have been unleashed on the world and it is up to Daine and her friends - both human and animal - to protect Tortall, and in reality the world, from their attacks. 

WHAT MY BRAIN HAS TO SAY ON THE MATTER

I'm fairly certain that if I had read these books when I was younger I would have wanted to be Daine when I grew up.

Scratch that.

Who am I kidding? I still want to be Daine when I grow up.

Being able to talk to animals? Yep, still want that power. Working for the Queen's Riders? Hello, dream job! Taught how to work with her magic by Numair? Yes, please. Cloud? I want that horse. 

She is just such a strong, collected, and compassionate character and I found myself constantly in awe of her dedication to those she cares for. I love hew relationship with Onua is such a rock for her life. Because, really, Daine has had it a little rough. And it's so nice to see her have that sort of relationship in her life. When she saves Numair and he is transformed back into a man from a bird, Daine is given the gift of knowing a little more about who she is - something she has clearly been struggling with. And then you add in Alanna and the friendship formed there, and all of a sudden Daine goes from a loner to completely encompassed in a new sort of family. Sure, she works hard. But all of those who meet her come to love and value her. Something Daine hasn't known in a long time.

One thing that I really appreciated about this book is that Daine is treated as she is - a 13 year old girl. The romance that is ever-present in YA these days is absent within these pages. Sure, I got all giglly crushy on Numair, but I'm allowed that as a reader. But Daine? Daine is an insecure, hopeful 13 year old. When she gets into Tortall and moves into the castle she makes friends, begins to learn her new environment, and starts to learn her newly discovered magic. That is Daine's world. This book is true to itself and true to its characters and I am so appreciate of that.

THE NITTY GRITTY

Title: Wild Magic (The Immortals #1)

Author: Tamora Pierce

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy

Medium: Paperback, 362 pp

Publisher: Tandem Library Books 

Date Read: 28 August 2013

Source: Borrowed From Library

Recommended For: Middle School+, YA Lovers, Fantasy Lovers, Lovers of a Strong Female Lead 

Challenges: Goodreads

First Line: Each year, at the end of March, a great fair was held in Cria, the capital of Galla. 

Favorite Line: "Does your ma know you're this silly?" ... "The few grey hairs she has on her head are my doing. But I send her plenty of money, so she can have them dyed!" ... "I hope she beat you as a child." 

Last Line: Welcome to Tortall. [whited out, for spoiler's sake]

2013 Reads: Thirty-One {Insurgent - Veronica Roth}

I need Allegiant to be out now.

I cannot even....this book....you guys....

WHAT WAS WRITTEN

Tris' initiation day should have been a day of celebration and victory over the odds - as a transfer from Abnegation she never should have passed Divergent training. 

Instead it was a day marked by horror and bloodshed. 

Now, as the threat of war between factions looms in the near future, sides must be chosen, friendships must be evaluated, and decisions need to be made. 

WHAT MY BRAIN HAS TO SAY ON THE MATTER


There was certainly no sophomore slump for Insurgent.

Seriously, you guys, this book was potentially even better than Divergent. Things like this never happen. So, bravo Veronica, here's to hoping you can stay on this trend with Allegiant, because I need this series to end with some sort of phenomenal intense and surprising conclusion. And if there's an author to do that, I'm pretty sure its you.

Insurgent picks up right where Divergent left off - which was perfect. Roth didn't waste any time recapping what happened in Divergent and didn't need to fill the readers in on what happened in any interim time between the two books. It's almost as though you turned the last page from Divergent right to the first page of Insurgent. And that? That was perfection for this series. It's a high stakes, fast paced series and there is no better way to showcase that than just keeping the story moving. Any time elapsed between the two books would have slowed the series down and made a lot of what happened feel less realistic. Brilliant move, Ms. Roth, brilliant.

After that I just really loved everything about this story. I felt like I was on my toes right along with Tris over the course of how everything unfolded. Roth threw us a few twists that I totally bought into - I'm always pleasantly surprised when an author manages to surprise me. I am growing to really appreciate the struggles the factions are facing and how they interact with each other. It's such an interesting construction of a dystopian landscape that I find myself constantly wondering how life ended up that way for this society. Not to mention the hours I spend daydreaming about which Faction I would end up in (I like to think Dauntless, but let's be real, I'd probably find myself in Erudite or Amity).

I also have grown to really appreciate how Roth writes her characters. They're inherently flawed, but not in that typical flawed-girl-becomes-perfect way a lot of writers have flawed characters. Tris isn't a meek, klutzy, wide-eyed girl who finds out she is someone special and has to transform into some sort of savior for her people. Instead, that kick-ass heroine is there always, hidden by the ideals of her faction, but ready to break free of the confines of her society. Tris may be Divergent, but so are so many others in their society. She feels real - from her aversion to guns while recognizing their use and place in her story. I could say similar things about the realness of the rest of the characters in this story because Roth writes about them as though they were real people. As a reader, you can relate to the people in these books, and that is why I think I've fallen so hard for this story.

Needless to say, I need Allegiant to be out.

Now.

And I probably will read it as soon as I get my hands on it. I'm not sure this one could sit on my shelf for a year while I work up the nerve to find out the end of this series. 

THE NITTY GRITTY

Title: Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Author: Veronica Roth

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopian

Medium: Hard Cover, 525 pp

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 

Date Read: 23 August 2013

Source: Purchased @ A Local Book Store

Recommended For: Middle School +, YA Lovers, Fantasy Lovers, Dystopian Lovers

Challenges: Goodreads

First Line: I wake with his name in my mouth.

Favorite Line: No matter how long you train someone to be brave, you never know if they are or not until something real happens. 

Second Favorite Line: People, I have discovered, are layers and layers of secrets. You believe you know them, that you understand them, but their motives are always hidden from you, buried in their own hearts. You will never know them, but sometimes you decide to trust them. 

Last Line: Then the shouting begins. [whited out, for spoiler's sake]

2013 Reads: Twenty-Nine {Walking Disaster - Jamie McGuire}

I'll warn you ahead of time, this is probably going to be a short review.

It was nice to see more of Travis and to get in his mind, but if I'm being honest - I skimmed this one...

WHAT WAS WRITTEN

The follow up to Beautiful Disaster is the story of Abby and Travis, but this time it's told from Travis's perspective.

Travis's mother taught him two things before she died: love hard, fight harder. But what happens when you love someone too much?

Travis's life is a crazy one: fast women, motorcycles, alcohol, and an underground fight ring of which he is the king. He's the bad boy of his school, every girl wants him and every guy wants to be him. And he loves every minute of it - until Abby Abernathy walks into his life.


WHAT MY BRAIN HAS TO SAY ON THE MATTER

Eh.

I know a lot of people got just as sucked into this one as the first book. But? Not me.

Like I said earlier, it was nice to see the story from Travis's perspective. And to see some of what has made him the man that he is today. Because it's always interesting to see why the bad boy became the bad boy. And I did appreciate the evolution of Travis through this story - to see his change of attitude and language and outlook.

But, I was mostly interested in the parts of the story where Travis and Abby were separate - to fill in the blanks from Beautiful Disaster if you will. The parts of the story they were together? Not as intriguing as they were the first time I read them. Sure, Travis's perspective is unique to the story, but it was the same story all over again.

After reading and getting so sucked into Beautiful Disaster I was so ready to fall in love with Walking Disaster. Sure, I enjoyed it, but I guess it just didn't live up to my expectations. 

THE NITTY GRITTY

Title: Walking Disaster

Author: Jamie McGuire

Genre: New Adult, Chick Lit 

Medium: Paperback, 433pp

Publisher: Atria

Date Read: 13 August 2013

Source: Purchased @ Barnes & Nobel

Recommended For: College +, Romance Enthusiasts, New Adult Lovers, FanFic Lovers

Challenges: Goodreads

First Line: Even with the sweat on her forehead and the skip in her breath, she didn't look sick. 

Last Line: Maybe that was more than a couple of sinners deserved, but I wasn't going to complain. [whited out, for spoiler's sake]

2013 Reads: Twenty-Eight {Clockwork Princess - Cassandra Clare}

Oh. My. God.

I'm not sure there are enough of the right words to do this book justice.

But I'm going to try.

WHAT WAS WRITTEN

Mortiman is ready to unleash his Infernal Devices, an army of soulless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. The only thing he needs to complete his plan is Tessa Gray. And the Shadowhunters of the London Institute are not about to let that happen.

Charlotte Branwell, as the head of the London Institute,  is desperate to find and bring down Mortiman before he can strike.  However, she meets a lot of resistance from Consul Wayland who is starting to doubt his decision to place a woman as the head of the Institute.

But when Tessa is abducted from the steps of the institute Will and Jem realize they will stop at nothing to save her. Even though Jem and Tessa are now engages, Will still loves her. And together, along with the rest of the Institute, discover where and how to save both Tessa and the Shadowhunters from Mortiman's plans. 

WHAT MY BRAIN HAS TO SAY ON THE MATTER

And that's how you end a series.

Thank you Cassandra Clare.

I just adore how she handled the Will-Tessa-Jem love triangle. Because I adored all three of them - Will for his humor and passion, Jem for his outlook on life, and Tessa for her unwavering selflessness. Clare did it with such grace that it makes me wonder how no other author has been able to handle it similarly. No one got shut out. Friendships weren't broken or unrealistically preserved. It was just...perfect.

I love these characters. I absolutely loved every singe one of them. They made me laugh, and cry, and have hope for their future. I really think this series has some of the best secondary characters out there. I mean, sure it's about Tessa and Will and Jem. But Charlotte and Henry are brilliant. I love their relationship and their commitment to the Shadowhunters under their watch. I also really love Mangus in this series - it's so amazing to take a peak into who he was before The Mortal Instruments. Cassandra Clare really knows how to write an amazing character.

I've had a lot of friends tell me that they just weren't bought into this series after Clockwork Angel. It was too close to the Mortal Instruments series and, well, it just left too much to be desired. And I'll grant them that, a little. Was Clockwork Angel  the best first book in a series I've ever come across? No. Was it a lot like TMI? Sure. But I went into this series expecting some sort of history lesson (remember: I'm a history girl) on the Shadowhunters and the ancestors of the TMI characters I've come to love so much. So, I was set to enjoy this series either way. Plus I have a really hard time giving up on a series.

I talked some of them back into the series with promises of Clockwork Prince being a lot better than its predecessor. And it was. But what I didn't realize at the time was how perfectly these two books set up Clockwork Princess and how much I would come to love this series as a whole - faults and shortcomings and all.

And now I can sing all the promises of how worth it it is to get through the first two books just to be able to sink into Clockwork Princess. Because? I love this book. I more than love this book. I adore it. I want to be able to go back in time and read it again for the first time. And I never wanted it to end. 

THE NITTY GRITTY

Title: Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Steampunk(ish),  

Medium: Hard Cover, 568pp

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Date Read: 10 August 2013

Source: Purchased @ Barnes & Nobel

Recommended For: Middle School +, YA Lovers, Fantasy Lovers, Steampunk Lovers, Cassandra Clare Fans

Challenges: Goodreads

First Line: "I'm afraid," said the Little girl sitting on the bed.

Favorite Line: "I am not a certified idiot --" "Lack of certification hardly proves intelligence," Will muttered. 

Last Line: And if the Thames that ran beside them, sure and silver in the afternoon light, recalled a night long ago when the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on this same boy and girl, or if the stones of Blackfriars knew the tread of their feet and thought to themselves: At last, the wheel comes full circle, they kept their silence. [whited out, for spoiler's sake]