Top Ten Tuesday #13: Hard to read books

Today's Topic: 

Top Ten Books That Were 
Hard For Me To Read

Today I'm going to be talking about books that I just could not get through. While this can happen for a number of reasons and I'm not going to try to narrow it down. As always, here they are in alphabetical order!

A.I. Apocalypse by William Hertling

This book was on Amazon for free (or maybe $0.99) and I was super excited by the description. Ever since my first college philosophy course I've been fascinated by the possibility of AI taking over. Well, this book was not what I wanted. It was way too technical and I found myself skipping entire pages.

[my review] 

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

I'm going to have some unpopular opinions on this post and this is one of them. This was my intro to New Adult and I was honestly disgusted by the relationship by Abby and Travis. Travis was not sexy or whatever - he was an abusive psycho. 

Cats, Scarves and Liars by Kathryn White

This was one of those situations where I just took a chance. Honestly, I am the worst ever about judging a book by its cover and I was, unfortunately, right about this one. It was described as "quirky," but it was really just off.

[my review]

The Dark Side of Disney by Leonard Kinsey

I am a Disney fanatic. If you don't know that about me by now, we don't know each other well enough. I was really stoked to get my hands on this book because it's really different. It ended up being too different for me. I'm kind of a Disney purist and the things Kinsey and Co. did in this book made me cringe. 

Feed by Mira Grant

I'm sure this is another of the unpopular opinions, but this book... no. I love a good zombie book. Like, SO much! But this was a book about the future of politics. There just happened to be some zombies. The relationships between the characters were also really weird.

[my review]

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

This book was on my shelf for literally two years before I finally got around to picking it up. It gets rave reviews and I just KNEW I'd love it. But then I started trying to read it. House of Leaves is so all over the place. I know it does it on purpose, but I just did not like it. At all.

[my review]

Land of Lincoln by Andrew Ferguson

I don't even have much to say about this book. I was forced to read it for school and I just could not get into it. I honestly would have preferred a plain ol' biography. That wasn't really an option for the public history class though.

[my review]

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This author writes a lot of great stuff, from what I hear. I even have a ton of her other stuff on my TBR list. I just... couldn't. This is another case of asshole-boyfriend (excuse my french). I just cannot handle these men and I don't get why everyone else is swooning over them.

[my review]

Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua

This was another school read from my first semester at UNC. It was an extra credit assignment for an Intro to Judaism course and I picked it because it was the most recent and the only fiction title we could choose from. Unfortunately it was just really slow. I am planning on posting a review at some point... 

Year Zero by Rob Reid

This was the very first First Reads title I ever won on Goodreads. It turned out to be really weird. I don't usually like humor in fiction. Not like, I don't like when a character laughs, but this book was trying to be The Hitchhiker's Guide and it just wasn't.

[my review]

I'm still hoping for more votes for the poll on the left! I'm going on vacation THIS MORNING and I'd love to post my Disney World trip report if anyone wants to read it! 

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish -  a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers. Each week they post a new Top Ten list and everyone is welcome to join. Click here to get involved!

**NOTE** 

I am on vacation this week and will be a little behind on commenting back! 

I promise to reply to every person who comments as soon as I'm home!

Book Review: Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

Title: Suspicion
Author: Alexandra Monir
Publication Date: December 9, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 368
Add to Goodreads

//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Mysterious. Magnificent. Creepy. Welcome to Rockford Manor.

"There's something hidden in the Maze." Seventeen-year-old Imogen has never forgotten the last words her father said to her seven years ago, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family's English country manor.

Haunted by her parents' deaths, Imogen moves to New York City with her new guardians. But when a letter arrives with the news of her cousin's untimely death, revealing that Imogen is now the only heir left to run the estate, she returns to England and warily accepts her role as duchess.

All is not as it seems at Rockford, and Imogen quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind the mansion's aristocratic exterior, hinting that the spate of deaths in her family were no accident. And at the center of the mystery is Imogen herself--and Sebastian, the childhood friend she has secretly loved for years. Just what has Imogen walked into?

Combining a fresh twist on the classic REBECCA with a spine-tingling mystery and powerful romance, SUSPICION is an action-packed thrill ride.

I first spotted this book on another blog's Waiting on Wednesday quite some time ago. When I spotted it on Netgalley I was thrilled with my discovery! I was even happier when I was approved! This book has everything - magic, romance, and mystery. The only problem was I'd never read Rebecca, so the retelling was ultimately lost on me. Still, I went into it ready to be wowed!

The book opens after all of the main events have transpired, setting the reader up for what is sure to be a thrilling mystery. Suddenly, we're transported back to earlier events - much earlier. Imogen is a ten year old little girl who has come to Rockford Manor, the family's home. Her cousin is a snotty little rich girl, but they share a close bond - and feelings for the same guy, it would seem (although I certainly did not have crushes at 10 years old). After the tragic loss of her family, Imogen is sent to New York as part of her parents' will. This is where she lives with her guardians until she has to return to Rockford and assume the role of Duchess at 17 years old.

Imogen's transition into English society was convincing enough. I really enjoyed how the author made it very clear that the lingo had changed, often pointing out what an unusual phrase meant. I felt like Imogen handled the situation well - much better than I would have! I'm not sure how much I connected with her as a person, but she was a good storyteller at the very least. Her relationship with Sebastian, while enjoyable, seemed a little strange considering he had been with her cousin for seven years prior. The fact that both of them were able to just jump into a new relationship together was a little off-putting.

The first two parts of the book - Imogen's background and her introduction to life as a duchess - were really a lot of fun and were very enjoyable. I was genuinely creeped out by the manor and the maids. I also liked the little (and I mean very little) I got to see of Imogen experimenting with her powers. Unfortunately, the third and final part of the book was where everything kind of fell apart for me.

At the beginning of part three Suspicion became very similar to an episode of Scooby Doo. There was a lot of, "I have to solve the mystery now!" I really expected the mask to come off and someone to scream, "If it weren't for those meddling kids!" I wasn't totally disappointed... The ending left more questions than answers. It seemed completely implausible. I can't say much without spoiling it, but it wasn't believable at all. The biggest question at the end was: why would Imogen have kept the title after everything that happened?

Overall, I did enjoy Suspicion. It just got a little too ridiculous and a little formulaic at the end. I really do wish I'd read Rebecca so I could compare them, but oh well. I'd still recommend this one to fans of paranormal romance, mystery, or even Downton Abbey!

Feature and Follow Friday #17

Happy Friday, fellow book lovers! Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The goal of Feature & Follow is to meet new bloggers, make friends, and gain readers.

This Week's Question: 

Book character(s) you'd like to
see with their own Twitter page.

This is such a weird question... I do enjoy following a couple movie characters though. So, book characters? I think I'd like to see a Twitter feed by Alex from Ashfall. His life is so completely insane and I have a totally unhealthy obsession with post-apocalyptic scenarios.

If you haven't already, please answer my poll! Humor me! :) I'll only ask until next week!

Before I Blogged Book Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Obsidian (Lux #1)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 335
Add to Goodreads

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is.

This book has been sitting on my Kindle unread for quite sometime. It's a book I've browsed past at least a dozen times, but never actually read. I've even opened it, skimmed the first couple of pages, and given up. But with nothing I was dying to read, I decided to give it a go. I finished it in just four days, but I've found that a quick read doesn't always imply a good book... 

Obsidian was more of a soap opera than Downton Abbey. Honestly. And this is coming from a girl who actually (mostly) enjoyed the Twilight books.

Katy is a ridiculous character. As is the relationship between Katy and Daemon. She hates him, she wants to have his babies, she hates him while wanting to have his babies. And he's the same way! He hates her, he likes her. Seriously people, life is not this difficult. He is outright mean to her throughout the book, even in public, telling her to stay away from him and that he can't stand her. And yet she continues to spend time with him.

This is the Katy/Daemon relationship summed up in a few sentences: Katy and Dee hang out, Daemon is a jerk, threatens her constantly, and yet won't leave her alone at school for some reason, constantly poking her with a pen (wink wink nudge nudge) and flirting with her, much to the amazement of her super slutty classmates. You can never be sure from one second to the next how Katy will react to Daemon. Sometimes she's super pissed by his assholery and others she's super turned on because apparently his bright green eyes make the panties drop. At some point, he admits that he likes her (kinda) and wants to be with her because she's attractive.

Girls! This is not normal behavior! If a guy is a jerk to you, move on! And guys, if you like a girl, tell her. Don't be an ass. This is not third grade.

The premise behind the alien species is a breath of fresh air to the YA Paranormal Romance genre, but that's about where it ends. The whole thing seems a little silly, in my opinion. Every single Luxen in existence is super hot? Okay. Why would he give her his best weapon and then tell her to run the other way when he could have just ended things quickly? And who in her right mind runs off to lead the bad guy AWAY from the super strong girl who has a much better chance of winning? And don't even get me started on her decision to go to the bonfire...

The main characters are morons. The "romance" belongs on daytime television. The only reason this book got two stars is because I kept turning the pages to see what happened next - because surely one of the two would get over themselves and just say what they actually felt?!

I know a ton of people love this series and more power to you! I just couldn't deal with these characters. I doubt I'll be reading book two. 

Book Blitz: Orenda by Ruth Silver

Title: Orenda
Author: Ruth Silver
Publication Date: April 13, 2014
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Pages: 232
Add to Goodreads

Join forces with a parallel universe.

Dark forces, magical creatures, and the world Lil thought she knew collide when a dream transports her to the strange world of Orenda. Stunned and terrified, Lil comes face to face with her doppelganger, Willow, who possesses the ability to travel between the two worlds. Everything Lil knows logically says that Orenda can’t exist, but a small clue may be proof that it was more than an ordinary dream. With the threat of her sister in danger, Lil crosses dimensions but it may cost her even more than she bargained for.

A sword wielding girl, the eternal suit, and a parallel universe come together in this action- packed Young Adult fantasy adventure that will keep readers of all ages turning the pages. Orenda is the first novel in the Orenda series.

Purchase

Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Author Interview

What inspired you to write Orenda?

I wanted to write a fantasy appropriate for middle grade as well as young adults. I loved the show Fringe and how they brought a parallel world into the mix. I wanted to do something similar and yet completely different with fairies, dragons, and magic.


Do you love eBooks or paperbacks more? Why?

I love paperbacks, especially my collection of signed indie books! You can’t sign an eBook (and no authorgraph is not the same thing). However, I’ll buy an eBook if it’s $5 or less.


As a reader, how do you feel when a series ends?

I need Happily Ever After’s in books. At least at the end of a series, if I invest my time in 3+ books I expect a happy ending. At least somewhat happy. If you disappoint me, I probably won’t read your book again.


What is your Favorite Writing Website?

YA Highway is a fantastic resource for all writers. You don’t have to be just a YA writer to find it beneficial. Here’s the link.


I wrote a book. Now what?

Get a publisher. Seriously. You can self-publish but you’ve got to have it professionally edited, formatted properly (study similar books and look at text size/font/format), and market the crap out of it. Even then, you still won’t have all the resources of even a small press company. It’s tough, I’m not going to sugar coat it. I’ve picked up a lot of indie books at author events, comic con, book fairs and let me tell you if your book isn’t formatted properly it’s obvious. If your font is too small no one will read it. Maybe it’s too crammed together or spaced way too far apart. That gives readers headaches. 

Growing up in school you probably learned to put two spaces after a period. Great. Guess what. It’s wrong in the publishing world. Only use one space. Always justify your text in a book. With eBooks there’s some leeway but not in print. These are just a few of the obvious issues I see all the time with indie books. There’s also head hopping, show don’t tell, active vs passive voice, I could seriously go on, but I won’t.

About the Author

Ruth Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She has written under three unique pseudo names and penned well over a hundred stories.

She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, "Deuces are Wild", which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories.

Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She runs her own book blog and also enjoys photography and traveling.

Her favorite YA genre is a mix of Dystopian & Fantasy which is evident in the upcoming release of her latest book, Aberrant. Slated for release April 2013 by Lazy Day Publishing, it is the first in a trilogy.

Author Links

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook


*GIVEAWAY*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday #16: Neil Patrick Harris Autobiography

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is: 

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography
by Neil Patrick Harris

Publication Date: October 14, 2014

Tired of memoirs that only tell you what really happened?
Sick of deeply personal accounts written in the first person? Seeking an exciting, interactive read that puts the “u” back in “aUtobiography”? Then look no further than Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography! In this revolutionary, Joycean experiment in light celebrity narrative, actor/personality/carbon-based life-form Neil Patrick Harris lets you, the reader, live his life. You will be born in New Mexico. You will get your big break at an acting camp. You will get into a bizarre confrontation outside a nightclub with actor Scott Caan. Even better, at each critical juncture of your life you will choose how to proceed. You will decide whether to try out for Doogie Howser, M.D. You will decide whether to spend years struggling with your sexuality. You will decide what kind of caviar you want to eat on board Elton John’s yacht.

Choose correctly and you’ll find fame, fortune, and true love. Choose incorrectly and you’ll find misery, heartbreak, and a guest stint on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. All this, plus magic tricks, cocktail recipes, embarrassing pictures from your time as a child actor, and even a closing song. Yes, if you buy one book this year, congratulations on being above the American average, but make that book Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography!

Do I even need to provide an explanation for this one? It's a Choose Your Own Adventure book (my favorite) and it's written by NPH. Can he be any more awesome? 

Please to respond to the poll if you haven't already :) I need to know if I'm wasting my time!

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"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Top Ten Tuesday #12: Fall reading list

Today's Topic: 

Top Ten Books On My 
Fall To-Be-Read list

Bird Box by Josh Malerman 

Most people ignored the outrageous reports on the news. But they became too frequent, they became too real. And soon, they began happening down the street. Then the Internet died. The television and radio went silent. The phones stopped ringing. And we couldn't look outside anymore. Malorie raises the children the only way she can; indoors. The house is quiet. The doors are locked, the curtains are closed, mattresses are nailed over the windows. They are out there. She might let them in. The children sleep in the bedroom across the hall. Soon she will have to wake them...

[read more]

Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff

Clementine DeVore spent ten years trapped in a cellar, pinned down by willow roots, silenced and forgotten.

Now she’s out and determined to uncover who put her in that cellar and why.

When Clementine was a child, dangerous and inexplicable things started happening in New South Bend. The townsfolk blamed the fiendish people out in the Willows and burned their homes to the ground...

[read more]

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker...

[read more]

The Girl in the Well by Rin Chupeco

You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has nothing to do with the curiosity toward my own species, if we can be called such. We do not go gentle, as your poet encourages, into that good night.

A dead girl walks the streets.

She hunts murderers. Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago...

[read more]

Jackaby by William Ritter 

“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion--and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.”

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings...

[read more]

The Martian by Andy Weir

Apollo 13 meets Cast Away in this grippingly detailed, brilliantly ingenious man-vs-nature survival thriller, set on the surface of Mars.

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first men to walk on the surface of Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first man to die there.

It started with the dust storm that holed his suit and nearly killed him, and that forced his crew to leave him behind, sure he was already dead...

[read more]

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

[read more]

Rooms by Lauren Oliver

The New York Times bestselling author of Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy makes her brilliant adult debut with this mesmerizing story in the tradition of The Lovely Bones, Her Fearful Symmetry, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane—a tale of family, ghosts, secrets, and mystery, in which the lives of the living and the dead intersect in shocking, surprising, and moving ways

Wealthy Richard Walker has just died, leaving behind his country house full of rooms packed with the detritus of a lifetime...

[read more]

The V Girl by Mya Robarts

In post-apocalyptic North America, rape and sexual slavery are legal. Lila Velez, desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and can take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend, Rey, the most attractive man in her town. Lila does not love him but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute of love.

Lila’s coping mechanism to her mother’s rape and kidnapping is her secret...

[read more]

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

[read more]

Could you guys do me a favor and respond to the poll on the left? Thank you!!!

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish -  a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers. Each week they post a new Top Ten list and everyone is welcome to join. Click here to get involved!

Audiobook Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2)
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Narrator: Christy Romano
Publication Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Add to Goodreads
Reviews for book 1 & book 3

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.
She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.
They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.
She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

Okay, so after reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer I was already totally shocked. After finishing The Evolution of Mara Dyer I was like:

What did I just read???

Apparently the ending of the last book wasn't that surprising to some, but I was completely thrown off. Now Mara knows she's not crazy, which almost makes the entire thing even worse! This issue from her past just won't stop. And, let me tell you, the bad guy here... he's completely insane. 

This book picks up where the last left off and things get progressively stranger and more infuriating. Mostly because while we know Mara isn't a crazy person, no one else believes her. Her parents, her doctors, her brothers - they all think that she's a possible schizophrenic. And Jude certainly doesn't make it easy on her. He's constantly moving things, planting things, using people to get to her. I can't believe I'm going to say this about a YA heroine, but Mara is certainly a stronger person than I am. She has to go through this [almost] completely alone! And the whole time I just want to have a... moment... with Mara's idiot family!

  

Mara's relationship with Noah is honestly quite believable, which is kind of a breath of fresh air in this genre. Still, his attitude is sometimes a little questionable. I mean, I get it. The guy has issues. But sometimes I wonder if he actually couldn't use a little time in a psych ward. Overall, I like him. I don't think he's completely psycho and I don't think he's an abusive boyfriend waiting to happen. My real problem with Noah is the way he flaunts his money all the time. I mean, this guy is constantly throwing around thousands of dollars like it's toilet paper. He's constantly telling Mara (and everyone else) that "it's just money" and "money can buy anything," and I just can't help but feel that this is getting really old.

The one thing that I'm really pretty confused about is the flashbacks - the "before" chapters. I understand that it's supposed to be Mara's grandmother. I get that she's supposed to be sharing memories genetically or something. But...

I really just don't get it. This is one area I'm really hoping they'll clear up in the next book because it really just seemed kind of thrown in. Then again, maybe I'm just really dense and it made perfect sense to everyone else.

I feel like other people "get" things easier than I do and maybe that's a good thing. Because the last few chapters were, like they were in the last book, a complete shock. The big conspiracy is finally uncovered and I'm just over here like

Those of you who have read it know what I'm saying. Those of you who haven't... WHY?! Go pick up this series right now! Luckily I only have a couple months to wait for The Retribution of Mara Dyer.

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

I've figured out what the problem is with Christy Romano. She's a great reader, but she is a TERRIBLE actress. Her voice has the same tone no matter what she's saying or what the situation is. The accent she uses for Noah is awful. Luckily for this book, I cannot rate it based on the audiobook narrator.

Feature & Follow Friday #16

Happy Friday, fellow book lovers! Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The goal of Feature & Follow is to meet new bloggers, make friends, and gain readers.

This Week's Question: 

Blogger pet peeves?

• When I finish an entry, schedule the post date, hit "publish," and, for whatever reason, it posts immediately. Then I have to scramble to delete the post before anyone has a chance to see it.


• Other bloggers who do not include a link to the book they're writing about somewhere on the page. Then I have to open a new window and search for it. Half the time I forget and then I don't get to add that book to my to-read list.


• When I've proofread a post a thousand times and then find a super simple error (such as "to" instead of "too") after it's already been published and I feel like this:

• Other bloggers who add their link to a weekly meme (F&FF, for example) but, when you click on their link, they didn't even make a meme post. This isn't just an advertisement board, guys!


• Spending an hour commenting on 7,000 blogs and getting 3 comments back. 


• Realizing after I've commented on said 7,000 blogs that I linked to my "F&F"... but it's WoW. But none of you saw that, right? Bless all the people that use Disqus (which has an edit button).

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**Questions for you**

1. Does anyone actually subscribe to RSS feeds? I'm trying to decide if that's a social media button worth keeping... 
2. Who uses tumblr in addition to their blog and why? What are the benefits to a tumblr account? 

Thanks!!

Why TV shows are almost as good as books

Over the last three days of suffering from what has become known as the "Carolina Plague" at UNC (also known as what is, most likely, the common cold) I have spent every possible moment in my recliner with Netflix. More specifically, I've been binging season three of Once Upon a Time. If you don't watch it, you should - especially as a lover of stories! Most importantly though, you should watch it for Captain Hook.

Okay, seriously though... I've also been suffering through boring non-fiction and studying for tests... but mostly Netflix. You see, I'm one of "those" people. You know the ones.

As much as I adore books and love to get lost in a good story, I will never understand those people who yell from the highest peak about how they "don't own a television" because "TV rots your brain." Well, speak for yourself. I, for one, don't believe that binging on Netflix will kill any brain cells. And if it does... well, brain, it was nice knowing you. Getting lost in an excellent show is almost just as good as getting lost in the pages of a book - the only caveat being that watching a TV show doesn't really build any reading comprehension skills... And seriously, there are some nights after a long day of school when I just feel like

Of course, it never sticks. What I'm trying to say is, I'm cool with a balance of reading and Netflix binges. Both (if done well) will transport you to another time and place. My husband is gone a lot and sometimes I get lonely. To be honest, sometimes a TV show does a better job off taking my mind of it. Sure, it's mindless, but OH THE FEELS!!

Now off to Netflix-binge Downton Abbey before season five starts! 

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**Questions for you**

I just thought I'd throw this in here (probably will tomorrow too) to get some reader opinions. Two things: 

1. Does anyone actually subscribe to RSS feeds? I'm trying to decide if that's a social media button worth keeping... 
2. Who uses tumblr in addition to their blog and why? What are the benefits to a tumblr account? 

Thanks!!