Top 10 Tuesday: 10 Fellow Book Nerds

Hey bloggers and readers alike!! So it's Tuesday and that definitely means another Top 10 Tuesday is upon this. If you don't know Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish . This weeks theme was to choose 10 characters that love books just as much as we do. So without further delay here are my top 10 choices!

1. If there ever was a book character that loved books, it hands down would have to be Hermione Granger from the infamous Harry Potter series. Hermione could be found using books as her means of getting herself, Ron, and Harry out of trouble in every single book. Her book knowledge allowed her to excel beyond all the other students in her year making her one of the brightest students to ever grace the doors of Hogwarts. When it came to the three characters she truly was the "brains" behind the operation.

2. Another one of my favorite book obsessed "bookish" characters would be Klaus Baudelaire from The Series of Unfortunate Events. This kid loved reading so much that he would literary spend hours of his day in his parents library reading as much as he could. Of course, this reading would eventually assist the children in getting out of a lot of trouble with Count Olaf.

3. One of the cutest and most adorable book-obsessed characters would definitely have to Matilda. In both the book and the movie, Matilda finds comfort and solace in reading books when growing up in a family that didn't care about her as much as they should have.

4. Although this may seem like a stretch for some people since Hazel Grace was only obsessed with one book, she truly is one of my favorite characters that loves books. Her passion for An Imperial Affliction is what guides the book and sets the tone for a lot of themes that make TFIOS so wonderful.

5. I just love appreciating how bad ass of a character Celaena is to begin with, but then on top of that she loves to read!! Like it really doesn't get much better than a female assassin that loves to cozy up with a good book.

6. Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower demonstrates his love of reading and writing to the point that his English teacher assigns him extracurricular book reports as a way to mentor him and assist him in growing as a writer.

7. The wonderful Katy Swartz from the Lux Series loves reading. It's a comfort area for her and guess what?!? She blogs too! I fell in love as soon as I figured that out.

8. I could go on and on and on about Ms. Chase, but I'll her love of book and knowledge speak for itself.

9. Ms. Elizabeth Bennet can be remembered as being chastised by Ms. Bingley for her chose to read books instead of play cards with the rest of the party while waiting for her sister to recover from her illness. She also uses reading to her advantage to chide Mr. Darcy...ahhh the level of despising someone then growing to love them is just beautiful in this book.

10. This list would not be complete without Ms. Scout Finch from TKAM, a loud, boisterous, and outgoing tomboy who is so very well remembered for not only her understanding of race relations in the American South, but also her intelligence and most importantly love for reading. 

What are your favorite books with characters who are book nerds?!? Leave your comments below. :)

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Author Spotlight: Marissa Meyer

Name: Marissa Meyer

About Author: Marissa Meyer is a young adult author best known for her Lunar Chronicles series, a fantastic set of novels loosely based around famous fairy-tales. Before her introduction to the world of young-adult fiction, Meyer originally wrote Sailor Moon fan fiction under the pen name of Alicia Blade.

She developed the idea for the Lunar Chronicles while writing a futuristic version of Puss in Boots for a NaNoWriMo competition that took place in 2008. In addition to the Lunar Chronicles, Meyer is contracted to write another series based on Alice in Wonderland. The first book Heartless is set to release in the fall of this year.


Published Works:

• The Lunar Chronicles 
• Cinder (2012)
• Scarlet (2013)
• Cress (2014)
• Winter (2015)
• Fairest: Levana's Story (2015)
  

My Recommendation: Although I have only read Cinder, I can truly say that Marissa Meyer has a gift for writing fairy-tale re-telling's with a futuristic twist. Her writing is continuously engaging, fast-paced, and entertaining. There wasn't a moment when reading Cinder that I was bored or felt like the story was moving slow. If you are truly interested in books that focus on fairy-tales, but also contain fast-paced adventures. I would highly suggest looking no further than Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. 

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Spelled by Betsy Schow

Publication: 2015

# of Pages: 352

Source: Books-A-Million

Favorite Quotes:

• "After a 100 year nap, I like to think myself as a bit of an expert on dreams. For starters, you never want to die in one. That would be bad luck.--Sleeping Beauty's Dream Dictionary."
• "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is--Gretel from Candy Kills: A True Story."
• "True love can overcome anything. Even fish breath--The Little Mermaid from Pea Soup for the Fairy-Tale Lover's Soul."

Goodreads Summary/Blurb: "Fairy Tale Survival Rule #32. If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day. Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks--like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future. Talk about unhappily ever after. Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called 'Kansas.'" Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse..before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story. 

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My Review/Thoughts: 

Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Toto, the Tinman, and the Lion all sound familiar right? What about the Little Mermaid, Alice, and Beauty and the Beast? Imagine all these characters mashed together in one world created by an omnipresent figure known as the "Storymakers." You have just stepped into the pages of Spelled. No longer is this about Dorthy being stuck in Oz after being caught in a magical tornado in Kansas, but a story that focuses on a princess named Dorthea who makes a pretty dangerous wish upon a pretty dangerous star. 

Relatively skeptical about reading another Wizard of Oz re-telling, Betsy Schow proved me incredibly wrong with her ability to take a unique perspective on this classical tale. The reader is given the chance to see various characters from not only the Wizard of Oz, but other fairy tales as well. Even Schow's writing of dialogue is uniquely crafted. Traditional swear words are replaced with worlds like "spell" and "pixed." Instead of saying phrases like "oh my God" the characters say "oh my Grimm," clearly an ode to the infamous Grimm Brothers. Even the chapter headings are uniquely titled taking excerpts from imaginary books like Ruthless Ruling, Neverland Orphanage Handbook, and Definitive Fairy-Tale Survival Guide. 

Schow was completely able to build her characters into strong, able-minded individuals with a slight combination of romance in a very tactful manner. It is difficult to find a balance of adventure, growth, suspense and romance in young adult novels. The characters within the text were also challenged to find truth within themselves and others while attempting to save their respective kingdoms. With that being said, if you are looking for an interesting perspective of not only the Wizard of Oz, but also other fairy tale characters be sure to check out this book. And with a cliff hanger written within those last few pages there is sure to be another book in the making. 

Rating: 4.5/5

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Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Publication:  2012

# of Pages: 390

Source: Books-A-Million

Favorite Quotes:

• "Even in the future the story begins with Once Upon A Time."
• "Vanity is a factor, but it is more a question of control. It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth."
• "I heard that when citizens are unruly, there's usually a good reason for it." 

Goodreads Summary/Blurb: "Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

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My Thoughts/Review:

Imagine a world in which your favorite fairy-tale characters become futuristic cyborgs and heroes determined to fight an evil by the name of Queen Levana. Welcome to the world of the Lunar Chronicles brought to you by Marissa Meyer. Her first novel Cinder introduces readers into a fast-paced, intriguing take on the traditional Cinderella.

What was most rewarding about this novel was its ability to keep the reader intrigued in its plot development. Although no major action occurs until around the middle of the book, Meyer keeps and leaves the reader wanting more. Her ability to creatively build Cinder into an astonishing and charismatic character is beautiful in itself. The reader is graciously given insight to Cinder's development from meek and calm to a strong, readily determined individual.

Personally, it was truly the creativity of Marissa Meyer's writing that kept me so enthralled. To write a fairy-tale retelling, a good one at that, takes skill, ability, a talent to understand what will entice your readers. Meyer does just that. Cinder is no longer a simple re-telling of Cinderella with a few plot twists, but a breath of fresh air; an introduction to a new world meant to expand and test the boundaries of our creativity. With that being said if you are interested in a beautiful re-imaging of a classic do not hesitate to pick up Cinder.

Rating: 5/5

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Top 10 Tuesday: Last 10 Books I Bought

Happy Tuesday everyone! And you know what that means! Another top 10 Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! This weeks theme is to talk about our last 10 books acquired through review copies, purchases, or library check-outs. Here are my last 10 acquired books in no particular order:

 Okay so if you know me then you know I'm a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet especially the movie remake with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. I found this book on Book Outlet and when I saw that it was a Romeo and Juliet retelling I just had to get it.

I mean it's the Lunar Chronicles! Need I say more? After reading Cinder I just knew I had to get Scarlet. 

I was looking for another contemporary author and Jennifer Echols seemed like a good place to start!

Okay first of all how could I not buy a book about Jane Austen?!? I absolutely love her so when I found out this was a book about Jane Austen from her cousin's perspective I had to pick it up. This book has cute drawings, lists, and diary entries that make it even more appealing!! 

Okay so there is an explanation for this lol. I definitely already have a copy of Outlander; however, I left my copy at my parent's home sooooo I needed a copy that I could read until I can get my original copy back.

There is no explanation for this except the fact that I get more of Lucas. If I had a book boyfriend outside of Jamie from Outlander it definitely would be him.

Okay so if you guys didn't know. I had all the 1st edition copies of the Harry Potter books when I was younger. I lent them to a friend and never got them back so I'm re-collecting all the books in different editions. I recently acquired the 4th in the scholastic paperback editions that make Hogwarts castle. 

Another Wizard of Oz re-telling?!? Ahhh this purchase made my life...like seriously. I love Wizard of Oz re-tellings. 

I mean it's a historical fiction about Nefertiti and Egypt. I didn't major in history for nothing haha. 

I mean just look at the cover. But then imagine reading it and finding out that it deals with flappers in the 1920's. It's enough to make anyone who loves historical fiction go insane. 

Want to see more of my latest books purchases? Check out the two videos below: 

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Absence: Family Vacation!

Vacation, Vacation, Vacation!!!!

Hello fellow book bloggers and readers!! I have been absent for the past week due
to family and friend visits. Naturally I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible since I don't see them very often. I just want you all to know that I am back and I have a few interesting post in store for you all!

Just so you know I am still reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I have about 200 pages left and I must say it truly has been a wonderful book so far and I cannot wait to get to the second book. I also decided to participate in #Cramathon this weekend so I'll be posting the video for updates very soon. I hope everyone had a great weekend and a wonderful Monday to start off the week. Look for new posts this week!!

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Sunday Post #2

Happy Sunday fellow bloggers and readers. I am back with another Sunday post hosted by the lovely caffeinated book reviewer. I am coming to you today from the sunny state of Florida as my family has decided to spend the 4th of July holiday here. I decided to get this post done early today considering that we are supposed to be headed to Busch Gardens in a few hours. I am extremely excited to try my luck with a few of those roller coasters. Although I didn't get much accomplished on my blog this week (I have been thoroughly distracted by family), I have some great things planned for the upcoming week once I get into my usual schedule.

Last Week on Blog

• Confessions of a Shopaholic (Review) 
• Top 10 Tuesday: Top 10 Favorite Books of 2015 

This Week on Blog

• Monday Author Spotlight: Diana Gabaldon 
• Top 10 Tuesday 
• Cinder (Review) 
• Dorothy Must Die Stories (Review) 
• Friday Reads 

Read This Week

Currently Reading

Books Acquired This Week

So I went thrifting this week which in the world of book buying is quite dangerous as I can acquire a lot of books for a very cheap price. Here are some of the books that I purchased this week. =

1. A Raisin in the Sun 
2. Wicked 
3. Tipping the Velvet 
4. The Pilgrimage 
5. The Cuckoo's Calling 
6. One Hundred Years of Solitude 
7. The Awakening 
8. The Summoning 
9. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 
10. East of Eden 
11. Losing Hope
12. Rebel Springs
13. Clockwork Angel 
14. Gathering Darkness 

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Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Publication: 2013

# of Pages: 368

Source: Audiobook from Local Library

Summary: "Becky Bloomwood has what most twenty-five year-olds only dream of: a flat in London's trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season's must-haves. The only trouble is, she can't actually afford it---not any of it. Her job writing at Successful Saving magazine not only bores her to tears, it doesn't pay much at all. Still, how can she resist that perfect pair of shoes? Or the divine silk blouse in the window of that ultra-trendy boutique? But lately Becky's been chased by dismal letters from Visa and the Endwich Bank---letters with large red sums she can't bear to read---and they're getting ever harder to ignore. She tries making more money. But none of her efforts succeeds. Her only consolation is to buy herself something...just a little something...

Finally, a story arises that Becky actually cares about, and her front-page article catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life---and the lives of those around her---forever."

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Rebecca Bloomwood is hands down one of the most hilarious characters I have encountered in a long time. Her ability to take any common situation and turn it into a circus act gave the book true character and grace. What's most interesting about the context of this novel is Kinsella's art of characterizing what most human beings, regardless of age, struggle with: finances. Although Becky's level of indiscretions in terms of finances is more on the extreme end of the spectrum, the overall theme of learning to appropriately distribute funds is one I was able to relate to. I can't even begin to count the number of times in which I have had to remind myself that book purchases have to wait until all necessary finances are taken care of.

Unfortunately, Becky's inability to correctly appropriate her finances also proved to be a nuisance. There were situations in which Becky could have easily rectified her behavior and told the truth about certain situations; however, she chose to continue to wallow in her lies and debt and then continuously wondered how and why she obtained certain results. At some points in the book I was rooting for Becky and in others I wanted to give her some stern, unfiltered advice. To be honest, it was Becky's humor that saved a lot of pitfalls I found within the text.

Although I did find issues with the development of Becky's character, Confessions of a Shopaholic proved to be a quick and entertaining contemporary read. It was filled with quirky and humorous passages, great life lessons, and an overall decent story line. If you are looking for a quick and easy read centered around contemporary chick-lit this is an excellent choice. I would also recommend listening to this book on audio-book. The narrator does a wonderful job embodying and fulfilling the role of Rebecca.

Rating: 3.5/5

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