Happy New Year! I haven’t been able to blog recently due to the boyfriend coming to my town. This year was a very successful reading year for me and I want to top my record this year! I found this end-of-year survey from The Perpetual Page-Turner. I will include the link to the bottom. Without further ado, here is a recap of all the books I read in 2015

Number of books read 45.

Number of re-reads: 0! I read all new books this year.

Genre you read the most of: I read a lot of young adults, graphic novels, and mysteries.

Best Book you read in 2015?

Easily hands down are Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I have lost count of how many times I have talked about this book, but I felt like this book really related to me. I have always been a geek and the main character in this novel is writing fan fiction. I just related so much with Cath and I loved this book to pieces. If you’re a geek, this book must be read.

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Would Love More?

L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy. I loved the movie a lot so I thought the book was going to be amazing. I was really sad that I didn’t like this book as much as the movie. The movie is fabulous though.

Most Surprising Book You Read?

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. This book completely threw me for a loop. It didn’t go how I thought it was going to. It was a fantastic book, but it was so twisted and surprising.

Book You “Pushed” Most People to Read and They Did?

Fangirl!! Seriously I really should stop with this book but I can’t. My roommate read this book and finished it within a day or two.

Best Series of 2015, Best Sequel & Best Series Ender of 2015?

Steelheart by Brian Sanderson was a great first book. I had heard so much about this book so I was super excited to read it. It did not disappoint me. Best Sequel? I’m reading Firefight which is the sequel to Steelheart as we speak, so I will let you know. I don’t believe I read a book this year that ended a series.

Favorite New Author Discovered?

I really like Brian Sanderson a lot. I heard that he will be in Madison later this year for a convention and I’m so tempted into going just to meet him and have him sign my books.

Best Book From a Genre You Don’t Normally Read?

Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon was a really good graphic novel. I’m just starting to get into comics & graphic novels and I really enjoyed this series. I love Hawkeye a lot and I admire his archery skills. This graphic novel was great and I hope to continue on in the series this year.

Most Action-Packed/Thrilling/Unputdownable Book Of The Year?

Sharp Objects & Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. Her books are incredibly interesting and fast-paced right off the bat. I love the darkness of each novel and how each novel examines different themes. I haven’t read Gone Girl yet, but I may read it just to say that I have.

Book You Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I’m not sure if I will re-read any of the books that I read last year. I mean maybe a couple of my favorites sure. Usually, I try and read something new each year with my favorites being re-read every so often.

Favorite Cover Of a Book You Read In 2015?

The Catalain Book of Secrets by Jessica Lourey. The cover is mixed with different shades of blues and purples. The castle looks old but appealing. I have to admit I did buy this book because of the cover, but I ended up enjoying it.

Most Memorable Character of 2015?

I really liked Cath from Fangirl, but I also appreciated Eleanor & Park in Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell too. Cath is such a sweetie and pretty introverted like myself. Eleanor is sweet but has this rough exterior to her that I sympathize with. Park is very patient and caring which are two qualities I see in my current boyfriend.

Most Beautifully Written Book Read in 2015?

The Catalain Book of Secrets had really beautiful writing in it. It seemed very local and old-fashioned to me. It helped tell a beautiful story of witches and a family curse in a small Minnesota town.

Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell is very thought-provoking. It talks about Eleanor’s family and history of abuse and how bullying is a huge problem in school systems. It also discusses fatphobia and how that is so prevalent in today’s society. I definitely felt for Eleanor and I also hated the people who teased her so relentlessly.

Book You Can’t Believe You Waited UNTIL 2015 To Finally Read

Honestly, all of the books I read I had wish I read earlier. I had mixed feelings about a couple books that I read, but I’m still glad to have read them.

Book That Shocked You The Most?

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. If any of you have read it, you know what I’m talking about. The whole book just shocked me. It’s very disturbing but interesting to read about.

OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

Eleanor & Park are literally perfect for each other. ❤ I really hope that they are together forever and I like to believe that they are.

Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Batgirl & Black Canary in Batgirl #1 Burnside.  Best girlfriend relationship in comics.

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. I could totally picture dystopian Oz in my head. Plus just picturing evil fake Dorothy.. so creepy.

So there you have it! I skipped a lot of the questions because I felt this post was getting a little too long.. but here is the original article and feel free to participate in it like I have! My goal next year is to read 50 books. Goodreads will keep track for me but I’m determined to read a lot this year.

Book Review

This month I have been feeling the fantasy genre which contributed to the books I’m reading. This includes the above book Storm Front, but also I’m currently reading H.P Love Craft’s horror stories. I guess that isn’t exactly fantasy more like horror, but I played Arkham Horror recently and I’m feeling Lovecraft’s tales. Anyway back to Storm Front, I sped through this book last night and I definitely liked it and would continue on in the series.

Storm Front follows a struggling P. I named Harry Dresden. He’s rather unusual because his cases normally have a paranormal element to them. His knowledge of the paranormal provided him an occasional employee of the  Chicago Police Department. Also, by the way, Harry is a wizard. Setting the stage for this book is a horrific crime committed by dark magic. Harry becomes prime suspect #1, especially with the White Council, the police for wizards. So not only does he have to solve this case, he has to prove his innocence or he will be executed by the White Council.

My first thought is I love how this story takes place in Chicago. It’s a perfect location for a novel like this and I could easily imagine Harry Dresden in his black robe and hat to be walking down the city. The Lives of Tao another sci-fi book I loved took place in this city too. The action in this book was pretty well written too. Eventually, Dresden has to fight a scorpion the size of a small Gorilla. I could picture how Dresden felt, how the Scorpion looked, and how Dresden’s office was getting torn apart. It felt very real and horrifying to me.

What I didn’t really like was that I did find this book to be somewhat predictable. I wasn’t shocked at who actually committed the crime. I think this book really isn’t meant to shock anyone and I always felt there was more to it but there wasn’t. That doesn’t mean this book is horrible but I love when a book knows how to deliver a surprise twist at the end, this book didn’t for me.

Overall I would easily continue on in the series. This book wasn’t my favorite, but I did enjoy reading it all the same. I have the second book waiting on my to-be-read shelf on Goodreads. Now it’s time to move on to the creepy and mystical tales of H.P Lovecraft.

Science fiction is probably one of my favorite genres to read. The genre is a fascinating realm containing aliens, science, and adventure. This novel combines all three into an amazingly fast-paced setting. The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu is a fantastic and exciting book and it’s one of my favorite books I have read all year.

The Lives of Tao tells the story of Roen Tan. After a hard night of partying Roen wakes to hear strange voices in his head. Turns out, an ancient alien race called the Quasing inhabited Roen’s head overnight. His particular Quasing, Tao, is a Prophet, who wants to return to his home planet. Unfortunately, so do the Genjix, another faction of the Quasing and they’re willing to sacrifice the human race to achieve the same goal. Roen becomes trained in martial arts and old-school espionage to stop the Genjix and save the human race.

I really enjoyed Roen. Initially, he is really bothersome. He constantly whines about his boring job and he does nothing to improve his situation. Once Tao becomes a part of Roen, his character changes. Roen gains the motivation he lacks and becomes more aware of his surroundings. Roen in the end becomes a really engaging character because of his journey into becoming a Prophet agent. The bond that Roen and Tao have is heartwarming. Tao acts as his coach, friend, and father. Tao is brutally honest which furthers the development of their relationship.

Learning about the Quasing’s alien race and their history is also appealing. Each chapter page details a small paragraph regarding the past lives of the Quasing. It’s a complimentary feature of the main story. Another interesting tidbit is the Quasing have inhabited various historical figures such as Genghis Khan, Nazi guards, and members of the Roman empire.

The action sequences in this novel are fast-paced and gritty. It’s easy for my mind to wander and imagine Roen fighting various Genjix personnel. My favorite fight scene is at the Chicago Night club. I just imagine the dark club atmosphere with the neon lights as punches are being thrown and drinks and shattered glass litter the floor.

The Lives of Tao is a bewilderingly gritty, dark, and action-packed science fiction novel. The Quasing are fascinating creatures to learn about. Wesley Chu is an author I’m keeping tabs on because he knows how to write an exciting action sequence. The characters are intriguing and the writing is superb.

My next book is probably going to be horror related. That’s probably in honor of horror film director Wes Craven who passed away today! Scream will be one of my all-time favorite franchises. Now I’m going on this horror book kick which is perfect since October is right around the corner.

 

 

I haven’t posted a book review in a couple months. I have been in a funk in which reading doesn’t sound fun to me. Sometimes that happens when I read too many books at once. Anyway, my boyfriend bought this book for my birthday. I have wanted to read it for a while, so this brought me out of my funk. I love Rainbow Rowell’s books! I read Fangirl a couple months ago and I fell in love. I have her other book Landline sitting on my bookshelf too. Eleanor & Park is a great book. It touches on many different themes including young love, physical and emotional abuse, weight, bullying, and self-esteem. Reading this book, made me go back to when I was a sixteen-year-old in high school.

The novel introduces Eleanor. She is starting school in Nebraska. The bullying starts as soon as she gets on the school bus. She finds the only seat on the bus which is where she meets Park. At first, they can’t stand each other. Eventually, they start reading comics together on the bus. Their relationship develops and their feelings for each other become much stronger. I really feel for Eleanor, especially because of her home life.

I love the way Rowell writes her books! I always become infatuated with the story and the characters. With Eleanor, I really understand her insecurities in herself. I have struggled with my self-esteem and my self-worth. I have never been bullied relentlessly like Eleanor has, but I can relate to her in some way. Besides Eleanor, I really like Park. He is a genuine guy. He likes her beyond her appearance and he loves her sassy comments. I also love Park because he’s patient, active, and independent. One of my favorite chapters is when Park puts on eyeliner. His father gets upset with him, but Park does it because he wants to and he doesn’t care what anyone thinks.

As much as I loved the book, I didn’t love it as much as Fangirl. It’s not that it was a bad book, it’s just Fangirl was so amazing that it’s hard to top it. However, because of this book, I’m a much bigger fan of Rainbow Rowell. I will read anything she writes.

I love being at home. My favorite reading spot is easily the screened-in porch. It’s beautiful and warm and the noises of all the birds and animals in my backyard bring me peace. After finishing my last book, I felt like I needed a break from reading. So when I came home, I didn’t bring any of my books. Yesterday, my mom pulled out this Gillian Flynn novel and told me how interesting it was. So I started to read it and I was hooked. I spent the entire day reading.

The story is told from the perspective of Camille Preaker. She is a reporter and her newspaper is floundering due to competition. Her boss, Curry sends her back to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri to investigate the murder of Ann Nash. While Camille’s there, another girl named Natalie Keene is also killed similar to Nash. Camille is staying with her mother Adora and she meets her half-sister Amma. Camille needs to write a crucial story for her paper while discovering what’s really going on in Wind Gap.

*Spoilers*

CW: Self Harm, Drug Use.

There was a lot that annoyed me about Camille. First, when she talks to detective Richard Willis she mentions how if a woman is drunk, it’s her fault and it’s not rape. She goes on to state how she thinks that it isn’t a crime to have sex with someone who is drunk. That really annoyed me because I completely disagree with her. That is sexual assault because she was not sober enough to definitely say she wanted to have sex. Camille also does drugs with her half-sister Amma who is only thirteen. You’re thirty years old and you want to do drugs with your thirteen-year-old sister? That part really angered me.

Amma is also not very likable. She’s mean to a lot of the girls in her school just for being different. She is doing drugs, drinking alcohol, and having sex at thirteen years old. She knows how pretty she is and she uses that to her advantage.

Adora is also an interesting character. She constantly tells Camille how much she doesn’t love her, but when Camille is sick, she is a motherly figure. It’s revealed that Adora has Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Adora poisons her daughter Camille just so she gets attention and feels needed by her daughters. At the end of the book, she’s arrested so that’s a relief.

I was also disappointed in Richard Willis, the detective from St. Louis. He sleeps with Camille to get more information about her mother. Then he claims to love her and when he sees Camille’s scars for the first time, he leaves and never talks to her again. I just want to slap him.

This novel is fast-paced and the writing itself is really interesting. If you’re looking for a gothic, modern, and dark novel to read, this is definitely a book you should finish. It’s relatively short so finishing it in a day is to be expected.

 

My stack of books to be read is slowly decreasing. The latest book I read, The Catalain Book of Secrets was a book I picked up during my bookstore hunt in Minneapolis over spring break. I saw this book on a shelf and I was entranced. The cover is absolutely beautiful. The purple and blue colors are really pretty and the mansion itself is a huge part of this novel.

This novel takes place in Faith Falls, Minnesota. Catalain is a well-known family in Faith Falls particularly because they are capable of performing magic. Each family member has a unique gift with magical abilities. Ursula has the ability to make incredible potions. Her two daughters: Katrine and Jasmine also have unique abilities. Throughout the novel, there is a Catalain family curse. It starts with Ursula and it’s detailed in the first chapter. This family curse threatens to take away the Catalain magic and the happiness of the women in the family.

I really enjoyed Jessica Lourey’s writing style. Her writing has a lot of imagery and it’s easy to imagine the fictional small town. Since I’m from Minnesota, it’s nice to read a book that captures Minnesota’s beauty.

I really loved the Catalain women. This book has very strong female characters in it. It also shows that each of the characters has had their hardships and how they handled them.

Normally, this isn’t a book I would choose for myself to read. I really enjoyed it! The characters are great, the setting of the story is told really well and I really enjoyed the writing of the story. I recommend this especially if you live in the Minnesota area.

 

Summer is one of my favorite seasons because it allows me more time to read. I probably spent at least three hours reading yesterday to finish this book. L.A. Confidential is a book I picked up when I went bookstore hunting in Minneapolis. I finally got around to reading it. Unfortunately, this book was really disappointing. This is one instance where the movie is ten times better than the book.

L.A. Confidential takes place in the 1950s. The story revolves around police officers in the Los Angeles district. Ellroy introduces way too many characters to keep track of. However, the three main characters worth noting are Bud White, Jack Vincennes, and Edmund Exley. The three characters are all police officers in various districts within the police department. Bud White is working homicide and he purposefully goes after men who beat women. He goes against the rules and beats criminals who he feels deserve it. Jack Vincennes was working under narcotics and then gets transferred to Ad Vice which deals with pornography-type crimes. Finally, Edmund Exley is the “goody-two-shoes” cop. He follows every single protocol. He is essentially the opposite of Bud White. The novel revolves around the mystery of the “The Nite Owl” homicide. In 1953, various people were murdered at this nite owl coffee shop.

The problem with these characters is that I honestly dislike all of them. Bud White is violent and very sexist and disgusting towards women. He sees them as objects and calls women whores all the time. Now, that may just be the time period in which the novel takes place, but still, I really dislike Bud White as a character. Jack Vincennes is just a fame-hungry police officer. Edmund Exley is the good guy cop who only cares about making his way up in the police force. None of these characters are characters I appreciate.

The story itself is rather confusing. Ellroy introduces all of these different police officers and criminals and it’s really hard to keep track. If I would have known that before starting the book, I would have written down every single character and why they are related to the story.

Another problem I had with this book is how slow it was. My favorite part of the movie is when Exley and White team up to solve the crime and end the corruption in the police department. That doesn’t happen until the last 50 pages or so. All this build-up wasn’t even worth it because when everything was revealed about the nite owl, it took a while for me to fully understand what was going on.

I could probably keep going about how much I disliked this novel. If you love the 50’s time period, police corruption, and gangster activity, watch the movie. The movie is fantastic and it does a great job at keeping things interesting.

The latest book that I finished is based on one of my all-time favorite video games. This book, Bioshock: Rapture, is a prequel novel based on the video game. Before I talk about the plot of this book or go into my review, I’m going to talk a little about the video game because that will provide some insight into the book.

BioShock takes place in 1960. The protagonist in the game is named Jack. After his plane crashes in the Atlantic, he finds shelter in a lighthouse. Upon entering the lighthouse, he discovers that it’s a secret entrance to Rapture. Rapture is an underwater city created by Andrew Ryan. When Jack discovers the city, he finds that the city has deteriorated. Atlas, a man in Rapture, becomes Jack’s guide as he explains what has happened to the city. One cause of the city’s destruction is plasmids. Plasmids are chemicals that you inject that give you powers such as shooting electricity, throwing fireballs, and telekinesis. These plasmids are what caused Rapture’s downfall. Over the course of the game, you meet characters and discover what really happened to this broken city.

This book starts before Rapture was created. Major characters in this novel include:

Andrew Ryan: Ryan is the creator of Rapture. He creates Rapture because he believes that the world will die at the hands of a nuclear holocaust.

Bill McDonagh: McDonagh is a British engineer, and he is recruited by Andrew Ryan to help create the city and protect it.

Frank Fontaine: Fontaine is a criminal who sneaks his way into Rapture. He is the main antagonist in the story, along with Andrew Ryan. Ryan and Fontaine are constantly fighting over the right to rule Rapture, and this causes conflict within the novel and impacts the city.

Brigid Tenenbaum: Tenenbaum is a geneticist. She helped create the plasmids and the ADAM responsible for the destruction of Rapture. She was also a scientific assistant in the concentration camps in Germany during World War II.

As a huge fan of video games, I knew I had to read the book. The book itself starts off slowly. It introduces key characters, and it takes some time before Rapture is built. Once Rapture is built, the book gets interesting. More characters in the video game are introduced, and slowly, Rapture falls apart. I really liked how most of the characters were portrayed. Andrew Ryan seems like a good person at first, but he refuses to let anyone leave Rapture, and this causes most of the citizens in Rapture to start revolting. As violence increases in the city, Ryan refuses to address the issue. I consider Ryan to be a dictator, and as much as he preaches free speech in the city, he refuses to listen to people who don’t agree with him. I also really like Bill McDonagh. He is an interesting character because he knows that Rapture is slowly going downhill, but he respects Andrew Ryan. This internal conflict is shown throughout the story, and I found it really fascinating to read about.

My Goodreads rating is three stars. I liked that this book gave new insight into the world of Rapture; however, I didn’t like this book as much as I thought I would. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the video game, but if you’re not interested in Bioshock, you wouldn’t find this book interesting.