Book Review: The Awakening by Kate Chopin

The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Book Summary: This story of a woman's struggle with oppressive social structures received much public contempt at its first release; put aside because of initial controversy, the novel gained popularity in the 1960s, some six decades after its first publication, and has since remained a favorite of many readers. Chopin's depiction of a married woman, bound to her family and with no way to assert a fulfilling life of her own, has become a foundation for feminism and a classic account of gender crises in the late Victorian era.

Rating(1-10): 7

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Shifter's Heart by Desiree Williams

Shifter’s Heart – Heart Song Trilogy Book 2 Blurb

As the flames of Varkadon spread, war rips through the Shifter Territory…

With the Aldonnian kingdom celebrating the news of her brother’s soul bonding, Laelynn seizes every opportunity to drive herself to the brink of exhaustion. If her body is worn, then her brain would be too tired to dream. Laelynn knew the men who’d captured her were gone from this world, but that didn’t stop the haunting images from plaguing her mind. Not even the pesky thorn-in-her-side Shifter Prince could keep the dreams at bay. Though Dustan’s commentary through their mental bond had kept a lingering smile on her lips, despite the battles that rage within her.

Discussion #21: Audiobooks

For the longest time, I was iffy about audiobooks. First of all, because I don't have a car, and we all know that the best place and time to listen to an audiobook is on a long road trip. Recently, I've started listening to audiobooks more in an effort to get into reading again. I would recommend this for anyone, actually. Audiobooks are quite interesting, unless the reader's voice is really faint and soft-- you want to find a really good voice, because when you're listening to an audiobook, it's not your voice in your head, but someone else's voice.

I've noticed that I'm listening to books that I don't have any motivation to finish on my own. It helps. It's kind of slow sometimes, especially if you try to read along, but it's an interesting experience. What do you guys think about audiobooks?

I just signed up on audible.com -- you guys can get your first book for free!

Book Review: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Goodreads Synopsis: The terrifyingly prophetic novel of a post-literate future. Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books. The classic dystopian novel of a post-literate future, Fahrenheit 451 stands alongside Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World as a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity. Bradbury’s powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which, decades on from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.

Rate(1-10): 7.5

Book Review: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Book Summary: Set in the harsh Puritan community of seventeenth-century Boston, this tale of an adulterous entanglement that results in an illegitimate birth reveals Nathaniel Hawthorne's concerns with the tension between the public and the private selves. Publicly disgraced and ostracized, Hester Prynne draws on her inner strength and certainty of spirit to emerge as the first true heroine of American fiction. Arthur Dimmesdale, trapped by the rules of society, stands as a classic study of a self divided.

Rate(1-10): 7

Laekan Kemp: The Boy In Her Dreams; Blog Tour & Giveaway

Bryn Reyes is a real life sleeping beauty. Afflicted with Klein-Levin Syndrome, she suffers episodes of prolonged sleep that steal weeks, and sometimes even months, from her life. But unlike most KLS patients, she doesn’t spend each episode in a catatonic state or wake up with no recollection of the time she’s missed. Instead, Bryn spends half her life in an alternate reality made up of her memories. For Bryn, the past is a place, until one day a boy she’s never met before washes up on the illusory beach of her dreams with no memory of who he is.

But the appearance of this strange boy isn’t the only thing that’s changed. Bryn’s symptoms are worsening, her body weakening as she’s plagued by hallucinations even while awake. Her only hope of finding a cure is to undergo experimental treatment created by a German specialist. But when Dr. Banz reveals that he knows more about her strange symptoms than he originally let on, Bryn learns that the boy in her head might actually be the key to understanding what’s happening to her, and worse, that if she doesn’t find out his identity before it’s too late, they both may not survive.


BOOK 1: The Girl In Between (FREE!)

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-girl-in-between

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-girl-in-between-laekan-zea-kemp/1120421881?ean=2940046377927

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Between-Book-ebook/dp/B00NQL0LRC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412089147&sr=8-1&keywords=laekan+zea+kemp

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/479396

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Laekan_Zea_Kemp_The_Girl_In_Between?id=3-8hBQAAQBAJ

BOOK 2: The Boy In Her Dreams

Smashwords link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/483635

Goodreads link for book 2: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23316911-the-boy-in-her-dreams
Purchase link for book 2: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ODETOCY

GIVEAWAY:

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GUEST POST:
Laekan Kemp

 The Importance of Daily Declarations

When it comes to writing, and more importantly finishing, momentum is everything. Like they always say, an object in motion tends to stay in motion while in object at rest tends to stay at rest. It’s pure science, ya’ll. Another universally known scientific fact? Procrastination is a disease. The good news? It’s not incurable.

Without my routine I’m like a buoy in the breeze, my direction and motivation constantly changing according to my emotions, my circumstances, and whatever interesting website I happen to stumble upon on the internet. It’s a dangerous environment and while “freedom” is, in so many people’s minds, synonymous with creativity and inspiration, the truth is the muse must be harnessed like every other beast of burden. The muse should work when we say it’s going to work and not the other way around but the only way to accomplish this is to stop making excuses and start cracking the whip. This means that setting crystal clear and achievable expectations is a must. But not just for each story or each draft but for every minute of every day.

Holidays always have a tendency to derail my focus and sometimes it takes me weeks to find my motivation again. But just because something’s been displaced doesn’t mean it’s been lost. In my opinion, finding your focus is all about the preparation. Every day I sit down at my desk and I know everything I’m going to accomplish that day and in what order. Lists and plans don’t wok for everyone but having a clear direction is crucial. But not only do I know what I’m going to accomplish and when, I also know how long I’m going to spend on each task. In the mornings I give myself an hour and a half to write 1k-2k on my contemporary romance and then after lunch I give myself four hours to write 3k-4k on my YA series. If I don’t reach my goal in time, I leave it be. But what I’ve realized after setting these benchmarks for myself, is that after a while I tend to rise to my own expectations. When I’m out of practice it would take me up to six hours to write three thousand words but after getting used to my routine and my self-imposed obligations, I’m cranking it out in half the time.

But maintaining a routine isn’t just about showing up every day and doing the work, it’s also about finding balance. Some days the internet swallows me like a black hole and when I finally find my way back out, the laundry’s turned sour in the washer and my lunch has calcified. It’s a dangerous place, and as temperamental Creatives who are constantly looking for an excuse not to do the one thing we love most in the world (Can you believe how messed up we are?) it’s imperative that we learn how to navigate every distraction in a healthy way.

When we find ourselves getting easily distracted, or seeking out any excuse to avoid writing, it usually means one thing–that we’re lacking balance. Everyone’s heard the expression “work hard, play hard” but in the context of creative work, these lines can sometimes get blurred. When I’ve hit my writing stride, I can hibernate for days with a story, typing until my fingertips are raw and forgetting to engage in even the most basic necessities such as eating and sleeping. And I think a lot of us find ourselves working in this same pattern of extremes. When the writing really gets going we gorge ourselves on words and the second we hit a roadblock, we starve ourselves to death. But no one can survive like this. It’s not natural and if you keep telling yourself that this is “just the way I am” or this is “just how my muse works” I’ve got news for you. You’re wrong. So wrong.

When it comes to your life and your creativity, you make the rules. And whatever rules you set, the muse will adhere to as long as you’re stringent about the consequences if you falter. So set deadlines. Schedule every hour of every day, and not just your writing time, but also the amount of time you’ll spend reading or watching TV or surfing the internet. For every forty-five minutes I work, I spend fifteen reading weird news stories on the Huffington post–just enough time to give my brain a break, but not enough to break my stride. I know it may sound counter-intuitive but when it comes to creativity rules are crucial and boundaries are everything. So don’t be afraid to set out every day with a plan, to make a schedule, to create boundaries, and to set expectations. Because who knows? After making them a part of your daily declaration and creating a solid plan of attack, you just might actually reach them.

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Book Review: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads synopsis: Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

Rate(1-10): 6

Winter Angel by Mia Hoddell - Blitz

Winter Angel
by Mia Hoddell

Genre: YA Romance
Release date: 25th June 2014
Length: Novella

Blurb:
She was on holiday. He was tricked into returning.
Neither of them wanted to be there, but neither could avoid it.

Amy wants to be back under the sun in Portugal. However, when her suggestion is overruled in favour of a skiing holiday, even she can't turn it down. What she couldn't have predicted is that the holiday could make her break the one, and only, rule she has: not to get into a serious relationship again.

When Amy first sees Luke, she knows something is wrong. He's struggling to cope with everything and her need to help people makes him the perfect distraction from the cold. He hasn't been to the Alps in five years and he swore to never ski again. But as his defences are broken by Amy's persistence, the winter paradise begins to reawaken his desires.

However, with constant flashbacks triggering his anxiety, he's torn, battling conflicting emotions as he becomes increasingly captivated by Amy. She has a rule though. She didn't go on holiday to fall for someone and the last thing she needs is to ignore her own advice. Whether or not she can move past her insecurities will depend on whether Luke can face his biggest fear.

Winter Angel is a standalone, young adult romance novella, but is the second book in the Seasons of Change series.

Download in now for FREE!

Only free 19th & 20th of July

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Add to Goodreads

You can also download Summer Demons: the first, bestselling, standalone novella in the Seasons of Change series for 99c / 77p.

Excerpt

White. Gazing out of the small, circular window, it was the only colour he could see surrounding him. The bursts of light—which had broken through the heavy, grey clouds—were reflected back as the ground grew closer with each passing second. Not too long ago he had been blissfully unaware of the location his sister was dragging him to for a holiday. A bubble of excitement had surrounded him throughout the early morning as he got up, and stayed with him through travelling to the airport and catching the flight. However, it had burst as soon as the icy tips of the mountains appeared and the plane began its descent. Until that moment, he had hoped his guesses had been wrong.

His sister had carefully planned the trip, making sure to hide all clues as to where they were heading, and as she glanced across at him, it seemed as if she had been successful. Luke’s knuckles were white on the arm rests. He had claimed both of them, gripping them so hard they looked like they would snap under the force, or at least be moulded to the shape of his hands when he removed them.

Ellie watched as he took in a shaky breath, but she heard no exhale.

“Luke?”

The silence that filled the space around them was icier than the Alps they had just flown over. Her brother’s gaze remained fixed on the window, watching as the ground, and his fate, drew ever closer. Deep, ragged breaths steamed up the window, which was almost touching his nose. Desperately, he tried to control the tremors shaking his body, and his pounding heart, from the fear that washed over him in waves.

“Luke, please, say something.” Worry had crept into Ellie’s tone. She had thought her idea would do him good, that forcing him to face everything would turn him back into his old self. Ellie missed the brother she had grown up with and wanted him back. However, seeing his eyes wide with fear, his jaw clenched in anger, and his arms tense with both, suddenly she wasn’t so sure about her plan.

“You promised, Ellie. You swore you wouldn’t pressure me, and I trusted you with that. You know how I feel about this.” His voice was sharp and curt as he spoke through clenched teeth, trying to keep a hold on his emotions.

The urge to flee surged within him. He wanted to go home, to get off the plane and board the next flight straight back to England, but he couldn’t. Not only was the plane still minutes from landing—trapping him in the confines of economy class, which felt even smaller as realisation forced him to understand Ellie’s plans—but he also refused to waste more money on the pointless trip Ellie had conned him into taking. If he was going to use the money he had earned from before everything changed, it would be on his own terms.

“You’ll enjoy it when you’re there,” Ellie stated, brushing off his comments like they meant nothing to her.

“That’s easy for you to say. You don’t have to live with, or through, what I have.” Luke was trying hard to control his voice. Had they been in private, he would have already been shouting. The cramped environment meant that Ellie was getting off lightly, but he swore that when they reached their chalet, he would not hold back. She had no right to interfere with his life.

“Never tell me I didn’t live through it, Luke. I was there when it happened, in the hospital, and when you got home. I was there through it all. It may not have been me, but it wasn’t like it had no effect on my life,” Ellie hissed. It was the only way she could convey her anger without disturbing other passengers.

“Why though, Ellie? Why is this such a big deal to you?” Luke’s eyes were full of sorrow as he turned to face his sister for the first time, begging to understand her reasoning for putting him through something she knew would hurt him.

About the Author

Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading, loves anything paranormal and has an overactive imagination that keeps her up until the early hours of the morning.

With three poems published before the age of sixteen, Mia moved on to short stories but finding she had too much to tell with too little space, Mia progressed to novels. She started her first series (The Wanderer Trilogy) at the age of fourteen and since then hasn’t stopped writing. Elemental Killers is her second series and with an ever growing list of ideas, Mia is trying to keep up with the speed at which her imagination generates them.

Connect with Mia:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Amazon Author Page

or subscribe to Mia's Newsletter for information on:
 ARCs, giveaways and new releases

Book Review: The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
Book Summary: Since his debut in 1951 as The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been synonymous with "cynical adolescent." Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his sixteen-year-old life, just after he's been expelled from prep school, in a slang that sounds edgy even today and keeps this novel on banned book lists. It begins,
"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them."

His constant wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive) capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation.
Liana's Summary: Holden Caulfield is kicked out of Pencey Prep School because he was failing four courses, basically all but English. English, he passed. This story revolves around the journey he takes between getting kicked out and going back home to his parents. Caulfield narrates with a very interesting voice and is a very interesting character.

Rate(1-10): 8.7

Book Review: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Book Summary: For readers of Amy Tan's bestselling novel, The Valley of Amazement, revisit her classic tale of mothers and daughters

Four mothers, four daughters, four families whose histories shift with the four winds depending on who's "saying" the stories. In 1949 four Chinese women, recent immigrants to San Francisco, begin meeting to eat dim sum, play mahjong, and talk. United in shared unspeakable loss and hope, they call themselves the Joy Luck Club. Rather than sink into tragedy, they choose to gather to raise their spirits and money. "To despair was to wish back for something already lost. Or to prolong what was already unbearable." Forty years later the stories and history continue.

With wit and sensitivity, Amy Tan examines the sometimes painful, often tender, and always deep connection between mothers and daughters. As each woman reveals her secrets, trying to unravel the truth about her life, the strings become more tangled, more entwined. Mothers boast or despair over daughters, and daughters roll their eyes even as they feel the inextricable tightening of their matriarchal ties. Tan is an astute storyteller, enticing readers to immerse themselves into these lives of complexity and mystery.

Liana's Summary: The Joy Luck Club is a story following the past and present of four mothers and daughters in a struggle to bridge the culture gap between Chinese people and American people.

Rate(1-10): 8.5

Discussion #20: Why Book Covers Are Important

Note: This is a matter of my own personal opinion. If you might find this kind of post offensive, please do not read. Thank you!

Before, I did a discussion post regarding whether or not you should judge a book by its cover. (The answer is no, btw.) HOWEVER-- This is different. This post, as you may have guessed, is regarding WHY having a nice book cover is extremely important.

Here are three plain reasons why:
1. I don't want to be seen in public with an ugly book.
2. If the book cover is unattractive, then it sells terribly. (You already know. You can have the best synopsis in the world, but if that cover is ugly, there is a very small chance that someone will be attracted to it in the first place, pick it up, and read it. Much less purchase it.)
3. People say to not judge a book by its cover, but a lot of us do it anyway.

I think you can agree with me that the cover is what attracts a reader to a book in the first place, right?

Let's say that an ugly book is stacked with other pretty books at a bookstore. The buyer would be attracted to the pretty books. Yes.

Let me just say that I've encountered a handful of people that thought "The cover was pretty, so I bought it. I don't even read." Those little shits didn't even read the synopsis  Personally, I don't do it, but a lot of people do.

I can recognize what type of book a book is because I've been book blogging for quite a while. I know what a stereotypical dystopian novel would have as a cover, or a contemporary romance novel. Those covers attract me.

So, friends:

The cover matters. A lot.

Discussion #19: Integrity

Ok, I've been doing a bunch of discussion posts recently, and they were kinda rants.. And I'll be honest, discussions are something to post. Unfortunately, I haven't been reading books recently, so not much reviews..

But I do have something to say. This is sort of a spinoff from last week, where I wrote about authors who bought their fake 5 star reviews.

Have you ever come across a book that said, "The next Harry Potter!" Or whatever? I have. A lot of times. I don't want to mention any specific titles because I might offend someone with my personal opinion, so I'll leave it to anonymity.

Yeah. I fucking hate when that happens. I know that it's obvious that Harry Potter is a great, renowned hero in modern literature, and he's dear to most of our hearts. (Am I right or am I right?) But it is NOT OK to claim that your book is "the next Harry Potter." No, what did you want to do? Recreate the cupboard under the stairs, the tell-tale lightning scar? Hogwarts? Wizard chess? Chocolate frogs? What the fuck did you want to do? Maybe I might be one of the only people getting offended at something so little, but...

If you're trying to say that your protagonist will be a great hero just like Harry Potter, then say something about heroism. Don't compare him/her to Harry freaking Potter. You will disappoint so many people. Unless, you know, you know you will be bigger and more loved than JK Rowling.

It's all about integrity. Please, don't claim that it's the next Harry Potter when it's really not. Compare your protagonist to Harry, sure. But don't say that your book will actually be loved as much as JK Rowling's works. Please don't. I mean, if you do, might as well just stick to fanfiction and carry on the Hogwarts world from there.

The Drabble Challenge Begins!

Hey guys! So, recently I've posted pieces of my writing, in drabbles. (Once again, for those who don't know, drabbles are short stories of 100 words. Only. 100 words. And I realized I haven't been writing much recently. So why not write drabbles?

THIS CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE A THING. OK. I CHALLENGE MYSELF TO WRITE AS MANY DRABBLES AS I CAN IN THE PERIOD OF 1 YEAR. This will start, like, now. 5/14/14. This will end on 5/14/15. I will be numbering my drabbles as I post them, on a separate blog (http://thedrabblechallenge.blogspot.com/) STAY TUNED. Because I don't want drabbles to clog up the book blog. WISH ME LUCK.

Feel free to join in! This is going to be exciting.

Drabbles #1-5

HELLO ALL THIS IS A NEW THING. I am going to start posting my writing on this blog, because hell, why not?

I'll start with drabbles. For those who don't know, drabbles are small short stories that are 100 words. So I want to share drabbles 1-5 with you guys. (Let's see how many I can do. Is this the Drabble Challenge? It might be.) Tell me what you think!

1

“Duuuude. Fuck.”

“Don’t,” I retort, more annoyed than usual at her obscenity.

“Don’t even fucking—”

“I swear to God, if you drop the F-bomb one more time I will sock you in the face, and you’ll be sorry you were ever born,” I yank my keys out of my purse and jab them into the ignition.  

“Maybe you shouldn’t be driving when you’re heated,” Adelaide suggested. I didn’t take my eyes off the road, because if I did, I wouldn’t be able to resist punching her stupid, smug stoner face and losing control.

2

His comforting hands were all over me and I couldn’t help but arch my back against his warm body, wishing that we could be closer, closer, just a little more, despite how we were literally pressed against each other— practically the closest we could get. His eager lips hungrily moved over mine and one of his hands rested at my lower back, pressing me tightly against him, the other tangled in my hair.

He groaned, and my fingers found and cradled the back of his neck, ever so gently.

I pulled back. “I love you.”

“Thanks,” he said, smirking.

3

“You,” I hissed. I drew my sword.

“Me,” Aaron laughed. “Me, indeed. Did you miss me, sweetheart? Because I sure missed you.” His sweet-as-honey voice rolled over me, reminding me of the time in which I’d actually trusted him. I used to love that voice, even trust it. But now, I cannot block out the fear every time I see him, I cannot block out the trace of evil that mixes itself in with the sweetness. How could I have missed it before?

“You should’ve stayed away. But now— you will die. A very slow, excruciating, painful death.”

4

The blade sliced through the demon’s middle, and a sickening crack-thump signified that the demon had finally died. Eli wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about— people had been fearing a demon that couldn’t die, and before him was the demon, dead.

“Damn, I’m good,” Eli smirked, cocky.

That was when the demon parts began to reassemble. It sounded like however flesh coming back together was supposed to sound. It attacked Eli from behind, brutally twisting his neck and wrenching his head off his shoulders, and then dropping it, letting it thump to the ground..

5

“Is it because I’m a girl?” Cecily asked angrily.

“No! Of course not! Who do I look like?” Marcus told her, trying to calm her down but at the same time getting even more angry himself. “Not because you’re a girl, but because you are a teenager.”

“Damn you,” Cecily whispered.

Marcus’s hand cracked across her face, and then quickly retreated in horror of what he had just done.

“We’re through,” Cecily bit back a sob and turned her face away. “It’s over. You screwed up so many times already. I don’t care anymore.”

Discussion #18: It's Too Long...!

No, fuck you. No it isn't.

Sorry, ignore that first line. I just got really irritated. So-- as some of you might know, I am a bookaholic. Or at least, I used to be. (What happened? AP classes happened.) Fortunately, people still know me as the girl who reads hella (obviously I'm from NorCal. Who else uses "hella?") or "the crazy book lady." Yeah, seriously. And I find it really funny and satisfying whenever someone asks me for book recommendations. Especially people I don't know that well. Like, wait, how do you know I read? I love my reputation. And then I go on and on and on, listing my all time favorite books/series, Harry Potter (OH MY GOD YOU HAVE TO READ HARRY POTTER), everything Cassie Clare (READ MORTAL INSTRUMENTS AND INFERNAL DEVICES PLEASE)... Usually I suggest mainstream books first. It's my test to see if they're genuinely interested.

Like when Malcolm suspected Macduff of being a spy for Macbeth so he was testing him. Get it? That's the first and only Shakespeare reference I'm making for today..

So, anyway, I recommend Harry Potter and, guess what? "It's too long! Give me something shorter!"

There are so many things wrong with that statement.
1. Reading for leisure? Then I don't see why a long book would be such a problem, because there isn't a due date, is there? Regardless of how fast or slow you read, HARRY POTTER SHOULD BE A PREREQUISITE TO ASPIRING BOOKAHOLICS. I'M SERIOUS. Does it discourage you that Harry Potter is such a long series? Well suck it up, because it's good and that's all that really matters.
2. Asking me for a recommendation? Don't expect me to recommend something like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. If you ask me for a recommendation, expect something big. Don't ask for something small because the big books are usually the good ones. AND I'M GIVING YOU THE GOOD ONES. GOSH.
3. There is no such thing as "too long." A book can be as long as it needs to be. Unless there's a whole bunch of extra shit that's totally unnecessary to the storyline. But if it were a bad book, I wouldn't even recommend it.

HONESTLY I DON'T SEE WHAT'S SO DISCOURAGING ABOUT A BIG BOOK??? There's nothing wrong with hundreds of luscious pages, as long as the author is good! Gosh people are so impossible. They want to read more, yet they don't want to read. I M P O S S I B L E.

Book Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3)

Cress by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3)
Book Summary: Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 
When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Rate(1-10): 10

Book Haul- 5

I'm just stacking these on and not reading. (I know, I'm bad.)

Well I didn't get all these books at once, I was just waiting to get enough books to make a book haul post.

1. Cy in Chains

I don't know, it doesn't seem like my usual type of book, but it is historical fiction. And yeah. For educational purposes. Let's see how it is.

2. The Secrets of Lily Graves

If anything, those jackets just make dudes look like douches. Well, please please please be a good romance...

3. Liv, Forever

Seemed interesting. Creepy, but interesting.

4. 1000 Places To See Before You Die

I probably won't pick it up until after I finish school, but.... 

5. The Time Traveler's Wife

This is definitely one of the best books I've read. Like, ever. Click here to see my review.

Movie Review: Divergent (REVIEW REDO)

Yes, here I am again. Yes, I deleted the first review. After watching this movie for the second time. (But Liana, are you calm enough yet to write a legit review this time?) YES I AM. And ha-ha-ha, no, my love for this movie has not decreased at all. Not a single bit.

This is definitely one of the BEST book-to-movie adaptations I have ever seen. That probably explains how my first movie review post was completely crazy and contained nothing else but me screaming at you about how this movie was fucking perfect and that you had to go see it...

You have no idea. As some of you probably know, I read the book quite a while back and I didn't really remember all the details. However, I read Allegiant recently (and fuckity fuck fuck fuck that ending), and this movie just managed to bring up all my Allegiant feels. Again.

Discussion #17: Don't buy 5 Star Reviews

So, recently, I'd read an article about indie authors who buy their 5 star reviews. See it here: http://lucypireel.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/cheating-the-reader/

I don't care if you are desperate to get your book out in the open; don't buy your fucking 5 star reviews.

Bloggers like me get tons and tons of review requests, and sometimes we can't even accept them all, much less than read them AND like them all. What pisses me off the most is when authors get mad at us for writing negative reviews. I've posted a couple of discussion topics in this category a while ago, but I just need to RANT.

So, a simple numbered list to authors who bribe their readers for 5 starred positive reviews:

1. You are cheating the people who actually read those reviews and let those reviews determine their opinion of whether or not they should like it.
2. No offense, but if you have to bribe to get good reviews, maybe you should really stop writing...
3. True, you may get some good reviews with monetary compensation, but most of us have review policies. And those review policies say that we can't be bribed into dishonesty to make you look good. And so, some of us get gravely offended when you offer us monetary compensation.
4. Fuck you.

Book Review: Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Let's just skip right to my summary because all the Goodreads "synopses" are not legit at all..
Liana's Summary: Macbeth, originally thane of Glamis, has been promoted to thane of Cawdor. Three witches told him a prophecy that said he would eventually become king-- this troubles him. He actually becomes king, and that is the start to his ultimate downfall.

Rate(1-10): 6.5

Discussion #15: Lynn Shepherd Against JK Rowling

Lynn Shepherd doesn't get it.

So, before I launch into a heated discussion about this topic, here are two posts you should probably read first (You won't get what I'm rambling about if you don't):

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/lynn-shepherd/jk-rowling-should-stop-writing_b_4829648.html

http://bookriot.com/2014/03/03/j-k-rowling-can-do-what-she-wants/

Well, the thing is, Ms. Lynn Shepherd had posted an article on Huffington Post, called "If J.K. Rowling Cares About Writing, She Should Stop Doing It." Now, before I start ranting about everything already wrong with that title, let me just make a quick point: Lynn Shepherd said that she has not read a SINGLE WORD OF J.K. Rowling's.

That's like me saying I fucking hate Nash Grier despite how I've never watched any of his vines.

Or me bashing Fifty Shades of Grey although I've never read it.

Or ANYONE saying they hate a certain food they've never tried.

I'm sorry this makes me so angry I just don't know what to type.

Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Book Summary: A coming-of-age tale of fanfiction, family, and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan.... But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she's really good at it. She and her twin, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Liana's Summary: Cather Avery and her sister, Wren, were so close before college. But now? Wren doesn't want to have Cather as her roommate anymore. She doesn't want to be involved with Simon Snow anymore. Cath lives with her new roommate, Reagan, who doesn't seem to like her at all. Reagan has a cute boyfriend.. or many cute boyfriends.

Rate(1-10): 8.5

Book Haul- 4

Discussion #14: The Struggle of Reading Shakespeare

(Well, mainly because I ran out of queued posts, so I was like, why not?)

Well, if you're friends with me on Goodreads or go to school with me or something, you would know that I am currently reading Macbeth, by William Shakespeare.. As I'm typing this I'm waiting for the movie on Youtube to load so I can actually understand what the hell I just read in Act 4. This is my second Shakespearean reading, and actually my first independent Shakespeare reading-- (no way would I have been able to read Romeo and Juliet all on my own) without teacher guidance.

READING HIS BOOKS IS A REAL STRUGGLE. (And here I'm assuming that Shakespeare has actually written the works despite all the controversy going on and the movie Anonymous wHICH JUST SO HAPPENS TO STAR JAMIE CAMPBELL BOWER that says Shakespeare was too fucking poor to know of noble life and to write this amazingly well fuck it) I'm guessing that most of you are pretty familiar with Shakespeare and have read a couple (if not all) of his works. But those of you that haven't read Shakespeare yet, go ahead and read! Despite it being a struggle, I actually enjoy reading him. He's pretty unique. (I mean, what other books have crazy main characters that kill everybody in his damn way to become king? Don't forget the hallucinations. Don't.)

"What, you egg?" IV. iii. 94

I'm fucking dying. Best line in the entire book so far. Shakespeare is HILARIOUS. Well, he can be. As long as you understand him... Once you do that, you can totally laugh at all those not-so-hidden jokes. For a first time reader, you need a few resources. And I use all of these.

1. Youtube
Youtube is so important to me in reading this play. Because oh my god if I didn't have Youtube to give me a visual I would DIE. There are so many good videos on Youtube right now.

2. Sparknotes
Sparknotes is your friend. A really good analytic friend who helps you get through writing assignments.

3. Cliffsnotes
Cliff is also your friend. Not to mention hilarious.

I don't even want to mention taking notes as you go because I believe that is tedious. But different things work as you go.

4. Self Endurance
Don't DNF it. You'll never get anywhere. I know it gets tempting, especially if you're reading his stuff just for fun and not for a school assignment that you'll be graded on, but it's also super fun to actually know what's going on instead of "reading" the entire thing. Which I used to do with classics.

So, yeah. What about you? What other authors that you have come across are terribly challenging to read, but enjoyable?

Discussion #13: Reviewer's Responsibility

I feel like I wrote about this already (but really this blog is just endless rants so it hardly matters). This is a barely controlled rant. Repeat, barely controlled rant.

So, as a reviewer we are pressured about many things.

• updating consistently
• posting up a review for an ARC BEFORE the publishing date
• blog tour responsibilities
• being honest
• integrity & living up to what yous say you do
• negative reviews
• time management

At least, that's what I always suffer. I know that as a blogger, I signed myself up for all this, and so there's really no point in complaining about it. I mean, I think all this is fun, but something provoked me to make this post.

Book Review: The Librarian's Daughter by M.M. Gavillet

The Librarian's Daughter by M.M. Gavillet
Book Summary: Not All Books Were Meant To Be Checked Out…

Magic scepters, enchanted wands, and poisoned darts aren’t usual implements used by librarians—unless you’re in charge of imprisoning bad wizards, renegade sorceresses and evil magicians into books that aren’t ordinary books. Keeping order among the enchanted community isn’t what nineteen-year-old Abi VanHaven had in mind of a career.
Finding out your mother was a librarian isn’t earth shattering. At least that’s what Abi thought. Everything changed when Abi received a letter from her mother that died before she had any memory of her. What was to end with her mother has now spilled into Abi’s life.
Now hunted by Victoria-a once librarian turned evil sorceress, Abi must find and secure a powerful scepter her mother took from Victoria. Abi isn’t alone on her quest. With the help of two eccentric witches, a drop-dead-gorgeous siren, a misunderstood gnome and the guardians—an organization devoted to protecting libraries that hold incarcerated criminals, Abi finds herself between good and evil and also the blurred edges between friendship and love.

Liana's Summary: Abi VanHaven, after the death of her mother, is sent to live with her Aunt. But after her aunt dies, she is sent to her cousin Jenna, but heartlessly kicked out. She lives with her cousin Meg and her suspicious and controlling husband, Nate, until she finds somewhere else to live and a job. And that's when she finds out her mother was a librarian, and is immersed into the world of sirens, treelords, guardians, and the such.

Rate(1-10): 5.5

Book Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth (Divergent #3)

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Divergent #3
Book Summary: The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories. 

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love. 

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Liana's Summary: Tobias has finally escaped the claws of his parents, and Tris has escaped her boundaries as well. This new life takes adaptation, and they are faced with hardships, dangers, and ups and downs in their relationship. They must learn to trust each other, they realize, after a plan goes terribly wrong... Can they grow to cooperate and realize that they are for each other, or will they separate?

Rate(1-10): 7