Review - The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

Series: The Elemental Trilogy

Genre: High Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult

Hardcover - 414pgs

Source: Purchased

Published - September 2014

Add it // Buy it

Rating: 4/5

After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.


Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.

Before rereading this book I had some clear memories of loving this book and I’m glad those memories held true.

The second in this series never felt frivolous or unnecessary like some second books can. From the beginning Titus and Iolanthe have to face danger once again and we follow some new mysterious characters as well.  Not only are they facing danger, their faith in each other is shaken because of new events. I really enjoyed this turn of events and thought it was refreshing. This wasn’t relationship drama due to a love triangle. Instead, there is a real issue they need to work through that threatens their plans.

Once again, the world building is a little vague and confusing. Even though there are a lot of good elements in this world, Thomas doesn’t take the time to explain some of those elements. If you were able to tolerate those minor issues, in book one I think you will be find continuing in this book.

My Last Review - Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen

Top Ten Tuesday - Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019

This week I cheated a little bit and went backwards. I wanted to talk about the books I'm excited for in the next six months. I'm most excited for  Angel Mage, Call Down the Hawk, Reticence, and Capturing the Devil. I'm still excited for the others, but these four are the most exciting for me personally. Angel Mage and Call Down the Hawk are both by authors I love and they are new series. On the other hand Capturing the Devil and Reticence are both series finales! What book are you most excited for in the next six months? 

  

  

 

  

My Last Top Ten Tuesday - Books on My Summer TBR

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

As we are at the end of June I had to film this tag video. I have enjoyed filming this tag every year since I first saw it. There are a variety of questions about the books you've read so far and the books you want to read before the end of 2019.

New Bookshelf Organization!

My dad is a carpenter and he's really talented. So when I bought a house last year, he promised to build me a wall of bookcases. I, of course, was ecstatic. So when we finally were able to install them last weekend, I was jumping for joy. Here's part of the process of rebuilding a bookshelf. I'm still thinking about moving some things around and I'm sorry not every part is in the video. I worked on this over the course of three days because of my busy schedule.

Enjoy!

Review- Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen

Series: Sarah's Scribbles #3

Genre: Graphic Novels Humor

Age Group: Adults

Ebook- 112 pgs

Source: Overdrive

Published: March 2018

Add it // Buy it

Rating: 5/5

With characteristic wit and charm, Sarah Andersen's third collection of comics and illustrated personal essays offers a survival guide for frantic modern life: from the importance of avoiding morning people, to Internet troll defense 101, to the not-so-life-changing futility of tidying up. But when all else fails and the world around you is collapsing, make a hot chocolate, count the days until Halloween, and snuggle up next to your furry beacon of hope.

As with every Sarah Andersen collection, I found this to be a funny and relateable set of comics. I laughed out loud during so many of these even though I’ve seen some before as I follow Sarah online.  I appreciated the discussion of creating in the age of social media and the internet very much and understood those struggles. Even in my own small corner of the internet, creating can be venerable.

My only critique? I expected more cats.

My Last Review--> The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Top Ten Tuesday - Books On My Summer 2019 TBR

As I've mentioned time and time again, I'm not a good TBR reader. I tend to be a mood reader so these lists are more like guidelines than actual rules. These are 10 books on my radar right now and I hope to read some of these this summer. For instance, I have Kingdom of Ash on hold at the library so I can take it to the beach this summer without lugging the entire book along with me!

You can find all the Top Ten Tuesday Topics at That Artsy Reader Girl's blog.

  

  

  

My Last Top Ten Tuesday - Books from My Favorite Genre

Mid-June Wrap Up (2019)

So far this month I've really hit my stride reading. It has been a long time since I devoured so many book so quickly and it felt good to be anxious to read. I've done a lot of rereading so far in June and I'm trying to catch up on my reading goal. I've fallen behind a little, but I'm not stressed yet! (or at least not super stressed) 

I'm honestly really mad that I haven't read as many books from the library as I wanted to. I borrowed a bunch of graphic novels at the end of May and I just didn't touch them. I was so excited that the last six Batman comics in the New 52 comics were available when I borrowed them. Even so, I didn't get around to them because I was so focused on the books I was reading. 

June has been another month where I can't balance my time. I'm trying to listen to podcasts, watch youtube and read all at the same time. While I'm typing this I have the baseball game on and I have a comic open on the bed. Multitasking just isn't my strong suit. 

Books Mentioned:

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

Competence by Gail Carriger

Review - The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Series: The Elemental Trilogy #1

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult

Hardcover - 449 pgs

Source: Purchased

Published- September 2013

Add it // Buy it

Rating: 4/5

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's been told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the most powerful tyrant and mage the world has ever known. This would be a suicide task for anyone, let alone a reluctant sixteen-year-old girl with no training.

Guided by his mother's visions and committed to avenging his family, Prince Titus has sworn to protect Iolanthe even as he prepares her for their battle with the Bane. But he makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the tyrant closing in, Titus must choose between his mission—and her life.

Honestly I think this series is unrrated and undrread. This would be a great introduction to fantasy for young adult readers or for people who enjoy romance. This book also only uses two perspectives unlike some adult fantasy books that use many perspectives. The blurb at the beginning of the book is a fantastic hook and I consistently use it to describe this book because it hooked me so thoroughly the first time I heard it.

“Just before the start of Summer Half, in April 1883, a very minor event took place at Eton College, that venerable and illustrious English public school for boys. A sixteen-year-old pupil named Archer Fairfax returned form a three-month absence, caused by a fractured femur, to resume his education. 

Almost every word in the preceding sentence is false.” 

The writing style is very easy to read. It is light and fast paced. I think it is a great blend of the romance and fantasy genres. It takes the readability of romance and combines it with the magic and world building of fantasy.  Even though I enjoyed the writing style in general, the world building was lacking in the geography area. At the very beginning of the book we are thrown into a world that is similar to ours, but with some major differences especially in geography that are glossed over. Even though we are thrust right into the thick of the magical and political situation, I was able to keep up with the story. However, a map in the front of this book would not have gone amiss.

One of my favorite things about this series is the magic and the magical creatures. Magic is used often throughout this book. I loved how we didn’t just hear about the magic. It was on the page. There are dragons and literal fairytales to explore. I also absolutely adore the characters and I can’t wait to see where some of the relationships go in the next book.

Overall there is a lot to love about this series and I really enjoyed this first installment. There are things to be improved, but it is a fun fantasy that would be a great introduction to the genre.

My Last Review- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

How do I fit in reading? What does time management look like for you?

As you may have noticed or heard me mention, I've been a little absent around this blog lately. If I'm being honest I've been distant from most of my online presence except for Instagram since March started. At the beginning of March I moved into a new position at my job and it has been stressful and draining. We've also made a lot of changes to our company which has been exciting but also exhausting. Three months has been enough time to adjust, I hope even though I've said that before, and I'm ready to jump back into this blog.

So, I'm back! If you're wondering what I've been up to, the answer isn't very exciting. I've been trying to read while mostly laying on my couch watching baseball or listening to podcasts. Throughout this transition, I've wanted to read so badly. My brain simply wouldn't let me. It wanted anything except a physical book in my hands. Out of the seven things I read in my five of them were audiobooks and the other two were graphic novels. Obviously reading has been on the back burner.

What I'm hoping to work on going forward is time management. I've always been good at making lists, but I'm bad at going back to look at those lists. My goal for June is just to make posts and update things that have gotten away from me. My goal for the end of the year is to get a review up for every book I've marked as read on Goodreads. Does that sound ambition? It is a little. The problem is I've left it go too long. I don't remember everything I want to about these books. From here on out I hope I can write reviews more quickly because I won't feel guilty about the books I've left unreviewed. Hopefully is the key word.

So I pose this question to all of you. How do you keep up with all the things you want to do in life? I love to watch youtube. I have 15 favorite podcasts that update every week. I have hundreds of unread books. I want play video games and watch Netflix and keep up with my baseball team. Does anyone have any tips for managing all this? How do you do it? How can I do it? How do I do it while staying sane and getting enough rest with my new job?

Even if you don't have a tip, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you find time to read and how you make time for all the other things too without being constantly exhausted. I hope these recent posts signal a return to the blog for me, but if I disappear again, know I'm still struggling to find balance in this new job and in the world at large.

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Group: Young Adult

Hardcover: 552 pgs

Source: Purchased

Published - March 2006

Add it // Buy it

Rating: 5/5

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.


But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

This book gets five stars because it ripped my heart out and apparently I enjoy that.

Due to the enormous hype this book has received over the years, I knew this was going to be an emotional read and a difficult topic to read about. My solution? I tried to read this with distance. Throughout the book our narrator hints at terrible events that will come to pass. So I tried to keep my heart closed and keep these characters at arm’s length. I thought I was doing a good job until I realized in the middle of the book I adored each one and was in big trouble. Because in the end, this is a story about a girl who learns to read and steals books. How could I keep her at a distance?

Throughout the book we are constantly looking at both Lisel’s small corner of Germany and are reminded of the big picture by our narrator, Death. I really enjoyed this balance and how those reminders were not disruptive to the story.

Overall, this book did not disappoint me. Even though the hype is intense, the story is moving and explores a lot of difficult topics. I enjoyed the characters and the unique perspective of the narrator. I'm so glad I finally read this story.

My Last Review ---> Imprudence by Gail Carriger

My General Attitude Lately

Top Ten Tuesday - Books From My Favorite Genre (Paranormal)

As always if you would like to participate in Top Ten Tuesday, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl for topics and more information!  

This week we are talking about our favorite books from our favorite genre. I love paranormal stories as well as urban fantasy and steampunk. There is a lot of cross over in those genres which makes me very happy. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them! 

   

  

  

Happy Reading!

End of May Wrap Up and Great Things are coming...hopefully?

Welcome to June and Hello! It has been a while since I posted on here. Hopefully this is the start of a normal schedule again. Adjusting to my new job has been a lot harder than I anticipated. So it took me a while to have the energy to come back and commit to the blog again.

I've still been active on Youtube so if your interested about my last two months, you can check out my videos. We'll start with this End of May Wrap Up. I've started doing mid-month and end of month wrap ups rather than one long wrap up. I remember more about the books this way which is great because I need to talk about them!

Right now I'm also struggling to make time for reading. I thought I was getting back into it, but I found a new podcast and rediscovered an old favorite.

Books Mentioned:

A Study in Scarlet by Various

The Troubles by Tim Pat Coogan 

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson