Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books You Recently Added To Your To-Be-Read List


Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books You Recently Added To Your To-Be-Read List


Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White






Made For You by Melissa Marr




Shadow Study (Soulfinders #1) by Maria V. Snyder


The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons






The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

What books have recently been added to your TBR list?

Monday, March 30, 2015

Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School, #1) by Jen Calonita




Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Would you send a villain to do a hero's job? An exciting new twisted fairy tale series from award-winning author Jen Calonita.
Full of regret, Cinderella's wicked stepmother, Flora, has founded the Fairy Tale Reform School with the mission of turning the wicked and criminally mischievous into upstanding members of Enchantasia.
Impish, sassy 12-year-old Gilly has a history of petty theft and she's not too sorry about it. When she lifts a hair clip, she gets tossed in reform school-for at least three months. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there's more to this school than its sweet mission. There's a battle brewing and she starts to wonder: can a villain really change?

Book Review:
This sounded like a light-hearted read with a whimsical twist, and that is exactly what I got. Gilly's situation is easy to understand. Her parents just don't make enough money to provide for their children. So naturally Gilly tries to make-up for what her parents lack by stealing from the rich, which eventually lands her in Fairy Tale Reform School (FTRS). FTRS offers its students a chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of society. This is where Gilly finds herself in the midst of a battle between good and evil. I enjoyed the transformation of the fairy tale villains we all know into professors at FTRS. I also enjoyed Calonita's modern twist on the fairy tales themselves. Overall, this was a fanciful tale that kept me up reading late into the night. I'll definitely be on the look-out for Calonita's sequel!

Thanks to Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for this copy.
Published March 3rd 2015
This is my honest review.

Cover Art Commentary:
I think this cover is just adorable! I love all the books and fairy tale regalia. The colors blend together nicely. It's a cover that is fitting for the contents it contains.

Rating:

Friday, March 27, 2015

Southern Fried Wiccan by S.P. Sipal




Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Cilla Swaney is thrilled to return stateside, where she can hang up her military-brat boots for good. Finally, she’ll be free to explore her own interests—magick and Wicca. But when she arrives at her grandma’s farm, Cilla discovers that life in the South isn’t quite what she expected. At least while country hopping, she never had to drink G-ma’s crazy fermented concoctions, attend church youth group, make co-op deliveries...or share her locker with a snake-loving, fire-lighting, grimoire-stealing Goth girl…
…Who later invites her to a coven that Cilla’s not sure she has the guts to attend. But then Emilio, the dark-haired hottie from her charter school, shows up and awakens her inner goddess. Finally, Cilla starts believing in her ability to conjure magick. Until…
…All Hades breaks loose. A prank goes wrong during their high school production of Macbeth, and although it seems Emilio is to blame, Cilla and Goth pay the price. Will Cilla be able to keep the boy, her coven, and the trust of her family? Or will this Southern Wiccan get battered and fried?

Book Review:
I was a little unsure of what to expect when I started Sipal's Southern Fried Wiccan. The premise sounded cute and I thought the title was clever. What I got was a coming-of-age tale of a military brat who is trying to find her place in the world. The addition of religion was not over-bearing or meant to sway the reader one way or another. This is simply about a girl who is on the path to self-discovery and she uses wicca to find herself. I loved the incorporation of MacBeth, it really added a lot of depth and flair to the story. I also adored Cilla. She was easy to relate to. If I were still in high school, I could easily see myself becoming friends with her. I also cherished Cilla's family, particarly her grandmother. I would love to have a "G-ma" like Cilla, who is into making her own tea, and grows and sells organic vegetables. Overall, this is a sweet southern tale. I will definitely make a note to read more from Sipal in the future!

Thanks to BookFish Books for this copy.
Published March 24th 2015
This is my honest review.

Cover Art Commentary:
To be honest, this is not my favorite cover. It looks way too dark and serious for the contents, which are more light and whimsical.

Rating:

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Life of A Blogger: Dreams


This week's topic on Life of a Blogger is dreams.
Hosted by Jessi from Novel Heartbeat


I'm not really sure what to say. Sometimes I remember my dreams when I wake up, and sometimes I don't. If I do, they seem to fade as the day goes on. I've always wanted to keep a dream journal, but I never have. I know your dreams are supposed to be your subconscious telling you somethings, which is why I believe it's important to pay attention to them. 

How about you, dear blogger? What are your thoughts on dreams? 

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Books From My Childhood (Or teen years) That I Would Love To Revisit


Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Books From My Childhood (Or teen years) That I Would Love To Revisit


The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling


The Baby Sitter's Club by Ann M. Martin


The Goosebumps' series by R. L. Stine






Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan




The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis


The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder


Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn

What are some of your favorite childhood books?