Friday, July 24, 2015

Happy Blogaversary!!!!

Oh my goodness!  I didn't realize it until this morning, but I started blogging exactly a year ago!

Wow!  I can't believe the time flew by like that!  This year went by so quick!

Here are the stats:

Feature and Follow Friday!

Howdy readers!  It's time for a Friday blog hop!


This blog hop is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  The goal is for all participants to gain new followers.  The rules are simple:
1) create a post answering the weekly question.
2) enter your blog name into the Linky tool that's provided.
3) follow the blog hosts and the featured blogs, and give a quick hello to let them know
4) follow, follow, follow as many participating blogs as you can!  Post a comment to say hi, and if someone follows you, follow them back!

This week's question:
What is your favorite movie?

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Book Review: Steelheart, by Brandon Sanderson (Reckoners #1)


Genre: YA post-apocalyptic
Length: 386 pages

Goodreads | Shelfari

Synopsis: Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.
Nobody fights the Epics...nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.
And David wants in. He wants Steelheart - the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning - and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.
He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

My Rating:
★★★ 1/2
....for being an entertaining, light read.

The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August


Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 432 pages, or 12 hours and 10 minutes on audiobook

Goodreads | Shelfari | Audible

Synopsis: No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes.
Until now.
As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. ‘I nearly missed you, Doctor August,’ she says. ‘I need to send a message.’
This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow.





My Rating:
★★★
...for being a creative time travel novel, but lacking in emotion.

Book Review: Of Neptune, by Anna Banks (The Syrena Legacy #3)



Genre: YA paranormal romance
Length: 330

Goodreads | Shelfari | Audible

Synopsis: Emma, who is half human and half Syrena, and her Syrena love, Galen, need time together. Alone. Away from the kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton. Emma’s grandfather, the Poseidon king, suggests the two visit a small town called Neptune.
Neptune is home to both Syrena and Half-Breeds alike. But Emma and Galen didn’t sign up to be peacemakers between the ocean-living Syrena and the land-dwelling, freshwater counterparts. They didn’t bargain for meeting a charming Half-Breed named Reed, who can barely disguise his feelings for Emma. And they especially didn’t expect to find themselves in the middle of a power struggle that threatens not only their love, but their ocean kingdoms.
In this stunning conclusion to her bestselling Syrena Legacy, Anna Banks thrills fans with more action and romance than ever.

My Rating:
★★★
...for being an okay conclusion to a series, but not a very good one.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Book Review: Of Triton, by Anna Banks (The Syrena Legacy, # 2)


Genre: YA paranormal romance
Length: 246 pages, or 7 hours and 52 minutes on audiobook

Goodreads | Shelfari | Audible

Synopsis: Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm. Syrena law states all Half-Breeds should be put to death.
As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance in the Syrena world turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?
Once again, Anna Banks infuses Emma and Galen’s points of view with humor, intrigue, and waves of romance.

My Rating:
★★★
....for being okay, but a little disappointing.



Sunday, July 19, 2015

Book Review: Palace Of Stone (Princess Academy #2), by Shannon Hale


Genre: children's/YA fantasy
Length: 323 pages, or 7 hours and 53 minutes on audiobook

Goodreads Shelfari Audible

Synopsis: Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding.There, Miri also has a chance to attend school-at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who seem sophisticated and exciting she also learns that they have some frightening plans. Torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city, Miri looks to find her own way in this new place.
Picking up where "Princess Academy" left off, and celebrating the joys of friendship, romance and the fate of fairy tale kingdoms, this new book delivers the completely delightful new story that fans have been waiting for.



My Rating:
★★★★
...for being a much better story than it's predecessor.

Book Review: Of Poseidon, by Anna Banks (The Syrena Legacy #1)


Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Length: 324 pages, or 9 hours and 32 minutes on audiobook
Synopsis: Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!— both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . . Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

Goodreads | Shelfari | Audible



My Rating:
★★★ 1/2
...for being surprisingly fun read.