Friday, January 29, 2016

Book Review: The Way Of Kings (Stormlight Archive #1), by Brandon Sanderson


Genre: Epic Fantasy
Number Of Pages: 1007 pages, or 45 hours and 37 minutes on audiobook

Goodreads | Leafmarks | Audible

Synopsis: Roshar is a world of stone swept by tempests that shape ecology and civilization. Animals and plants retract; cities are built in shelter. In centuries since ten orders of Knights fell, their Shardblade swords and Shardplate armor still transform men into near-invincible warriors. Wars are fought for them, and won by them.

In one such war on ruined Shattered Plains, slave Kaladin struggles to save his men and fathom leaders who deem them expendable, in senseless wars where ten armies fight separately against one foe.
Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Fascinated by ancient text The Way of Kings, troubled by visions of ancient times, he doubts his sanity.
Across the ocean, Shallan trains under eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar’s niece Jasnah. Though Shallan genuinely loves learning, she plans a daring theft. Her research hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

My Rating:
★★★★★
...for being really awesome and epic


My Thoughts:

Book Blogger Hop!

Happy Friday everyone, and what a gorgeous day it is!  Birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and it's time for me to try a new blog hop!
Book Blogger Hop


This is a weekly blog hop, hosted by Ramblings Of A Coffee Addicted Writer.  The goal is to find new blogs to follow and get new followers in return.  Here are the rules:

1) Write a post answering the weekly question
2) Enter your blog into the Linky List on the main post
3) Check out the other participating blogs!

This week's question, submitted by Elizabeth@Silver's Reviews:
Can You Pass By A Bookstore Without Stopping In?

Nope!  There's a B&N about 7 minutes out from where I work.  When I have a few hours to kill, I always go there to peruse, read, maybe even purchase something.  Sometimes my husband will even join me!

Thanks for stopping by!  Feel free to take a look around, although there are some parts that are still a work in progress!
-Lisa the dancing bookworm

Monday, January 25, 2016

Book Review: The Haunted Bookshop, by Christopher Morley


Genre: Mystery, Classic
Number Of Pages: 95 pages

Goodreads | Leafmarks

Synopsis: Aubrey Gilbert stops by the Haunted Bookshop hoping to sell his services as an advertising copywriter. He fails to accomplish his goal, but learns that Titania Chapman, the lovely daughter of his most important client, is a store assistant there. Aubrey returns to visit Titania and experiences a series of unusual events: He is attacked on his way home from the store, an obscure book mysteriously disappears and reappears, and two strange characters are seen skulking in a nearby alleyway. Aubrey initially suspects the bookstore’s gregarious owner, Roger Mifflin, of scheming to kidnap Titania, but the plot he eventually uncovers is far more complex and sinister than he could have ever imagined.
A charming ode to the art of bookselling wrapped inside a thrilling suspense story, The Haunted Bookshop is a must-read for bibliophiles and mystery lovers alike.

My Rating:
★★ and 1/2
...for going in a direction that I ended up not liking very much


My Thoughts:

This is definitely not what I had expected.

At first I thought that this would be a ghost story, but it turns out I was wrong there.

Then I figured it was probably going to be some type of romantic comedy, but no. Turns out that wasn't the case.

Now I realize that this is in fact a mystery novel, with tie-ins to World War I. I will not say anything more, because I'm not one to spoil things.

I will say that I am a little disappointed though. The mystery/thriller aspect seemed rather unnecessary; the book could have kept with the plot line of Titania discovering the benefits of being a bookseller, and with the bookshop becoming more successful because she's there. That alone would have been enough. The added tie-in to World War I and the Germans made the book a little too busy and rambling.

I did enjoy the beginning however. My favorite part is what is said on the placard at the front of the bookshop:
"This shop is haunted by the ghosts of all great literature, in hosts; We sell no fakes or trashes. Lovers of books are welcome here, No clerks will babble in your ear, Please smoke--but don't drop ashes!--Browse as long as you like. Prices of all books plainly marked. If you want to ask questions, you'll find the proprietor where the tobacco smoke is thickest. We pay cash for books. We have what you want, though you may not know you want it. Malnutrition of the reading faculty is a serious thing. Let us prescribe for you. By R. & H. MIFFLIN, Proprs."

I just love that. I wish all bookshops had something similar to welcome readers in.

Would I recommend this read. Weeellll....maybe. It is a classic (it was originally published in 1919), and therefore contains an enticing piece of history. It is also a bit of a thrilller, though you won't realize it until about a third of the way in. It just wasn't for me I guess.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Happy Monday everyone!  It's time a for a weekly recap!

Well, last week was more productive reading-wise, but I still only finished one book this week.  It helped that there was snow on Saturday so I was stuck inside reading.  Work in progress!

The Book I Read:


Yep, that's right!  I got it for Christmas (thanks Mom and Dad!) and I just had to read it.  It was totally worth it.  Click on the cover for my book review.


As for the other books, well, I'm still working on them.  Goodreads has kindly reminded me that I'm four books behind schedule (dang!) but I've been getting much better about rising early in the morning so I could read with my coffee.  It's really the only time I have to read, but it's nice!

Speaking of Goodreads, I'm beginning to accept the fact that Shelfari is getting blown up.  My groups have moved to other sites, and I've fully updated my Goodreads shelf, so I'm pretty much ready to close up my account.  But.....it's like I'm putting an old pet to sleep.  I just don't want something that's always been there for me to just go away!

Well, that's it for now!  Happy reading!

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Book Review: Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone (The Illustrated Edition), by J.K. Rowling with illustrations by Jim Kay


Genre: Children's Fantasy
Number of Pages: 246 pages

Goodreads | Leafmarks

Synopsis: The beloved first book of the Harry Potter series, now fully illustrated by award-winning artist Jim Kay.

For the first time, J. K. Rowling's beloved Harry Potter books will be presented in lavishly illustrated full-color editions. Rowling herself selected artist Jim Kay, whose over one hundred illustrations make this deluxe format as perfect a gift for the child being introduced to the series as for the dedicated fan.

My Rating:
★★★★★
....for always being a wonderful story, now with awesome illustrations!

Monday, January 18, 2016

Happy Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday!!!  Time for a weekly update!



Well, it's been kind of a sucky week for me.  I'm trying to get back in the swing of things with blogging, and reading, and online book clubs, but there have been a whole bunch of setbacks this week.

Monday, January 11, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?



It's Monday again, and I'm not entirely sure where the week went.  Are we seriously almost halfway through January already? Yeesh!

Anyway, it's Monday, and it's time to look back on the week, and see what my goals are for the next 7 days.

Friday, January 8, 2016

Book Review: People Of The Book, by Geraldine Brooks



Genre: historical fiction
Number of Pages: 372

Goodreads | Shelfari | Audible


Synopsis: In 1996, Hanna Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna, a caustic loner with a passion for her work, discovers a series of tiny artifacts in its ancient binding—an insect wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, a white hair—she begins to unlock the book’s mysteries. The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric past, tracing the book’s journey from its salvation back to its creation.
Inspired by a true story, People of the Book is at once a novel of sweeping historical grandeur and intimate emotional intensity, an ambitious, electrifying work by an acclaimed and beloved author.




My Rating: 
★★★★, maybe even ★★★★1/2
....For being a beautifully written tale of a book's survival through the ages.

Monday, January 4, 2016

It's Monday! Happy New Year! This Year's Goals And Challenges

It's Monday!  Happy 2016 readers!


Somehow, we have landed into 2016, with 2015 only lasting about 12 minutes.  I think time has literally flown.