Top Ten Tuesday #111: Best books school forced me to read

Today's Topic:  Top Ten Five Books That  School Forced Me To Read Like everyone else, I hated assigned reading in school. I don't know why most teachers felt the need to force us to read the most boring books ever written, but there were a few times they picked something really interesting (that I thought I would hate at the time)! Guests of the Sheik by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Lottery by Shirley Jackson The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Wuthering Heights by Emile Brontë Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish....

Audiobook review: The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

Title: The Wolf Road Author: Beth Lewis Narrator: Amy McFadden Publication Date: July 5, 2016 Publisher: Crown Add to Goodreads True Grit meets The Road in this postapocalyptic psychological thriller--narrated by a young girl who has just learned that her adopted father may be a serial killer, and that she may be his next victim.In the remote wilds of a ravaged land, Elka has been raised by a man who isn't her father. Since finding her wandering in the woods when she was seven, he has taught her how to hunt, shoot, set snares and start fires--everything she needs to survive. All she knows of the world outside is gleaned from whispers of...

Weekly Recap: 8/22 - 8/27

My Super Exciting Life  This week has been a little bit hectic, but I've also had a little time for fun! The house drama continues, but the good news is we're over the first hurdle and now we're to the hurry up and wait portion. My fingers are crossed that everything goes smoothly from here on out! Other than that I've worked a little, played with some dogs a little, and read a little. It hasn't been too bad! I've spent some time this week catching up on Bachelor In Paradise! (Don't judge me.) Does anyone else watch? Because honestly, #danielforpresident. I also watched the first episode of Stranger Things after seeing everyone...

#booksfortrade entitlement (and why it's a problem)

I have been planning to do a post on this topic for a little while now, but had actually been saving it for next Wednesday. I'm sure I'll wish I had some original content to post when next week gets here, but it seems like now is a very relevant time for this discussion.  What is #booksfortrade? Let me start with quick breakdown for those of you who might not be familiar with this hashtag! On Twitter there is a group of avid readers (mostly bloggers) who are almost constantly looking to swap books. Some bloggers are trading ARCs, some trade finished copies, and some will even give books away for the price of shipping. Often (but not...

Five times I shouldn't have judged by the cover

Confession: I absolutely pick books based on their covers. Most of the time if a book is gorgeous it is 90% more likely that I will pick it up, even if the title is ridiculous. If the synopsis of a book doesn't catch my attention, the cover is the saving grace. We all know the phrase "never judge a book by its cover," and I'm thinking there's good reason for this. One too many times I have been deceived by book covers. Here are five covers that have duped me over the last couple years: I'm honestly not sure what is even happening with this cover because it really doesn't have anything to do with this book. Then again, neither does...

Waiting on Wednesday #108: As I Descended by Robin Talley

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is: As I Descended by Robin Talley Publication Date: September 6, 2016 Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school’s ultimate power couple—even if no one knows it but them. Only one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey. Golden child Delilah is a legend at the exclusive Acheron Academy, and the presumptive winner of the distinguished Cawdor Kingsley Prize. She runs the school, and if she chose, she could blow up Maria and Lily’s whole world with a pointed look, or a carefully placed word. But what Delilah doesn’t...

Top Ten Tuesday #110: my pre-blogging TBR

Today's Topic:  Top Ten Books That Have Been On My TBR Since Before  I Started Blogging That I STILL Haven't Read Yet Before I started blogging I read significantly less than I do now. I also didn't really understand Goodreads and got most of my book recommendations from the library so I often came away with a TBR list that was WAY bigger than I could ever finish. (That's really not much different than now, actually.) Here are ten books that I've wanted to read since before I was a blogger but still haven't been able to get to! Coraline by Neil Gaiman Eragon by Christopher Paolini Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma The...

Audiobook review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Title: Gone Girl Author: Gillian Flynn Narrator: Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne Publication Date: April 22, 2014Publisher: Broadway BooksAdd to Goodreads On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the...

Weekly recap: 8/14 - 8/20

My Super Exciting Life  Well, this has been an unexpectedly busy week. My brother left on Monday and I expected a fairly relaxed few days, but it was not to be. Instead, my husband and I decided to start house hunting and everything has been a whirlwind ever since! Luckily, I think some of the madness is behind us and hopefully I'll be around the blog a bit more next week! I'm also hoping to visit some new blogs next week, so leave your favorites in the comments and I'll check them out! I actually did have some time to read this week and was able to finish Stalking Jack the Ripper and Gone Girl! While Gone Girl was not the mind...

When life gets in the way of bookish things

Blogging and reading are two of my favorite things. To be honest, they're kind of my life to the point that it's sometimes a little embarrassing. Anyone: "What are you good at? What are your hobbies? What do you do all day?" Me: *blank stare* I like books. Nothing makes me sadder than life getting in the way of my favorite things. My ideal day would include blogging all day, discussing bookish things with all of you, and reading all evening. To be honest, I get days like that every now and then. But unfortunately, life does get in the way more often than not, and lately it has been happening a lot.  I usually save my personal...

Top Ten Tuesday #109: books set in space

Today's Topic:  Top Ten Five Books Set In Space I'm not quite sure why, but "space" immediately came to mind when I saw today's topic. I actually don't read that many sci-fi books, so it was pretty easy to put together my top five! All of these have a setting of different ships or planets in outer space and each was a great read! Alive by Scott Sigler (review) Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (review) Lost Stars by Claudia Gray (review) These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner (review) Winter by Marissa Meyer (review) Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created at The Broke and...

ARC Review: A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Title: A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes #2) Author: Sabaa Tahir Publication Date: August 30, 2016 Publisher: Razorbill Pages: 464 Add to Goodreads Reviews for book 1 and book 3 A Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts. In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted...

Weekly Recap: 8/7 - 8/13

My Super Exciting Life  My brother visited this week and I accomplished basically nothing as far as my bookish life is concerned... whoops! I started reading a couple books and am currently working my way through Stalking Jack the Ripper. I had to put The Beauty of Darkness down for awhile when it started to lag, but I'll pick it back up after I finish this one! I also finally started Gone Girl! What I lacked in blogging this week, I made up in doing stuff! My brother got in on Monday and all week we've been roaming around Orlando. On Wednesday we went to Universal Studios and had a great day riding coasters and wandering around...