In My Mailbox (11/30)

IMM is a book meme brought to us from The Story Siren. Hey guys; it's Caressa. I actually didn't receive any books for review this week. I'll definitely have to start taking care of the stack of emails in our mailbox. :P

Crossed by Allie Condie
This book was actually ordered for me by my wonderful co-host, Rae, several weeks ago. I was so excited to file it in my shelves with my matching (pun intended) first edition copy of Matched, I forgot to feature it on my IMM. I'm super excited for this book.


Although not specifically book or blog related, I also got an amazing package in the mail with my NaNoWriMo 2011 Winner's shirt. That was super exciting.
For those of you who haven't ever given much thought to participating in NaNoWriMo but perhaps admire the program, the NaNoWriMo administration spent almost a million dollars on programs to encourage young writers. As a young writer, I always looked forward to the workbook, blogs, and activities they provided. This year they haven't broke even on their spending. Please donate or check out their shop!

Tuesday Review from Rae 11-29

8.96/10 lightbulbs

This week I am reviewing Anthem by Ayn Rand;I had to read it for school. I actually woke up early in the morning and read this the day it was due. I did not regret reading this book. It was a very pleasant read for it to be so early in the morning.

This book takes place in a future where everyone is the same and no one focuses on the word I but the word we. This conformity starves people of their individuality. When Equality7-2521 makes the discovery of electricity and takes it to the council they instantly bash him for having no help from others. He is sentenced to a horrible death but before this can happen he runs off into the uncharted forest to embrace his individuality. He plans to create a new civilization where the word I is accepted and individuality helps everyone.

This book was a good thing to read especially after reading Fahrenheit 451 the book I reviewed last week. This book had great writing but I believe the book was too short. I wish it would have kept going forever. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick great read.

I hope to figure out how to do pictures with this iPod soon. I am sorry followers my computer is messed up. The cover of this novel is very cool and goes with the theme of this novel. Thank you for stopping by. If you any comments just leave them below. Thanks!- Rae

Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

Today I'd like to highlight an upcoming book I've very excited about reading. -Caressa

What: Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

         Summery from Goodreads: 

Everyone leaves a mark. What if your could be erased?
Untraceable is a new teen wilderness thriller with a missing father, a kickbutt heroine, and of course - two hot boys.

"This thrilling story is a dramatic entanglement of mystery, deception and teen romance. The action flows like a brisk mountain stream interspersed with rapids, holding suspense to last page." - Kirkus Reviews

"Grace is a spunky, independent, nature girl who doesn't need a boy to save her. With wilderness survival, a juicy love triangle, and more twists and turns than a roller coaster, this fast-paced novel had me holding my breath until the very last page—and still begging for more!"
-Kimberly Derting, author of the The Body Finder series

================================

16 year old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.

When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.

Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.

When: Starting November 29

Where: * To buy in paperback -  The paperback has been reduced to $8.99 (from $9.99) and can be purchased here.

* To buy the Kindle ebook - The ebook has been reduced to $2.99 (from $3.99) and can be purchased here.
* To Buy the Nook ebook - Unfortunately, the ebook is delayed on Barnes and Noble for a few more days (BOO! HISS!) But if you can't wait - you can purchase the EPUB here :)

* Other ebook Formats (including ePUB (for Nook), iBooks, Sony and more) - go here to choose the best format for your ereader. 

Who: S.R. Johannes

S.R. Johannes lives in Atlanta Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world. After earning an MBA and working in corporate america, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. You can find her hanging out online and visit her at srjohannes.com

(Review) Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Goodreads summery:

"Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

"When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door."

     Before I begin, I must clarify that Stephanie Perkins's work is absolutely amazing. If you have not read Anna and the French Kiss, there's no better day than today. It will blow you away. My review for Anna can be found here.
     During November, I've been taking part in NaNoWriMo and promised not to read until I hit my goal of 50,000 words or the first of December (whatever came first). A friend of mine, Katie, was reading Lola and the Boy Next Door. After some predicted fan girl-ing over the book, Katie promised to let me read it when she finished. When she brought it to school on Monday and offered to let me read it, I was heartbroken I couldn't start right away. Thankfully, Katie told me to carry the novel around until I could. I didn't make it to my first classroom before I cracked open the book and started reading as I walked.
     I had extremely high expectations for this novel and they were met. However, they were not exceeded. Lola, the protagonist, and the entire story was flamboyant in the best possible way just as Anna and the French Kiss was. I, however, related much more to Anna in the underlying themes that the novels individually covered. In example, I can connect to Anna's struggle with undergoing a move, a boarding school situation (dance intensives), and making friends similar to Anna's. I, personally, haven't lived most of the factors that create Lola's life. Lola and the Boy Next Door could possibly be another reader's favorite out of the two.
     Possibly because I've been writing just under 2000 words a day, I saw a lot of more of the writer, Stephanie Perkins, through the words. In my experience romance and friendship are an individual and very personal journey. Some authors are able to capture that chemistry and some do not. Perhaps because I was better connected to Anna, I felt the romance between Anna and St. Clair was believable and undeniable. Lola and Cricket made a good couple, but I didn't relate or feel captured in the romance until the story started exploring how they were currently interacting rather than telling the back story.
     In fact, the flashbacks and back story were difficult for me to follow and felt poorly connected to the rest of the novel. Instances such as the star connection did not feel as romantic as what seemed possible because they were so sudden. I do think Lola had the opportunity to be a masterpiece, but while Stephanie Perkins had more time to think, write, and redraft Anna, I imagine she had less to focus on Lola.
     With all that said, everyone should read both Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door. These novels are amazing. Most of the negativity I'm displaying in this review stems from the fact that I expected the stars (pun intended). I loved this novel.
-Caressa

Thanksgiving apology

     Hey guys; it's Caressa. As I'm sure you noticed, we failed to upload something both Thursday and Friday. I was out of town and discovered only when I got to my grandparents that their internet wasn't working. Thankfully, I now know to come prepared just in case.
     In other news, I won NaNoWriMo! I'm absolutely ecstatic about the win and accomplishment. On November 21, I read Lola and the Boy Next Door and that review will be up today to compensate for Thursday. We'd like to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving, even if we're late. After all, it's important to give thanks every day.
      Rachel composed a short list of novels she was thankful for when I was able to text her early Thursday morning. This is her reply:

     I am thankful for the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. I'm thankful for every book of Ray Bradburys; he is a genius. I am also thankful for The Only Way to Paradise by GG Vandagriff and all the fiction novels I stuff myself with every day.

     We're thankful for all our followers and audience. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

In My Mailbox (11/23)

     Hey everyone! It's Caressa again. Rae is having some issues with her computer, so we'll be switching off imm weeks.

For Review:

Scary School by Derek the Ghost

Bedtime Stories for Dogs/ Bedtime Stories for Cats: Combined Edition by Amy Neftzger

The Secret Of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle (with an amazing collection of swag)

The New Phenomenon by Chris Raabe 

Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble by D. Robert Pease (blog tour)

Bought:

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1) by Kami Garcia

After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel

     I am so extremely excited about all seven of these books. The covers are brilliant and the synopsis's make me want to set down the novel I'm writing and start reading immediately. Because so many wonderful authors have contacted us recently, there may be multiple reviews some weeks in December so I can catch up on my huge TBR pile.
     I hope you all had a fantastic book week as well and I will see you next week. ;)

(Review) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

 

Rating: 9.37/10 flamethrowers

    I was assigned this novel for my English class and I studied and researched the author of this book extensively. I instantly fell in love with Ray Bradbury and watched interview after interview on his website. I love the way he thinks; he is so extremely intelligent. Unfortunately, Ray Bradbury passed away a couple of years ago. If this man was still alive, I promise I would find and meet him. The one thing I didn't like about this novel was the complication of messing up my top 10 list of novels; without a doubt, this will sort itself out soon.

     Guy Montag is a fireman, except he doesn't put the out fires; he starts them. The society Guy lives in believes that books cause unhappiness. The people in this society are brainwashed by televisions. Mildred, Montag's wife is the worst victim; she thinks the TV wall means everything. Montag thinks the same thing until he meets a beautiful flamboyant girl named Clarisse. She makes him questions his so called "happiness". It is not long before Montag is hiding books in his home and reading them every chance he gets. Unfortunately his wife turns him in and his books are confiscated; however, it is not long before he is on the run from government officials.

      This book was published in 1953. I believe the ideas were way before their time. This book was so before its time that it gave Sony the idea for headphones. The writing in this novel is extremely beautiful. I am eternally grateful to Ray Bradbury for writing this novel. The characters are also phenomenal. Clarisse and Mildred are very alike in Montag's eyes but Montag sees that they could never be the same because they are from two different worlds. Faber is also an additional character that I took much interest in. He is very dimensional and wise.

     I would recommend this book to anybody. It is fantastic and I doubt you will regret reading it.

     Thank you to everyone for stopping by my review. If you have any comments pertaining to this review just leave them below. Thank you sooo much! -Rae

Musing Monday! (11-21)

This week’s musing asks…

How do you decide to read a book by an author you haven’t read before? What sort of recommendations count most highly in making that decision?

     It's actually most common for me to pick up books by authors I'm unfamiliar with; however, recommendations for any book go a long way. I've been known many times in my reading career to pick up a random collection of books from a bookstore or library. The more I blog, the less I do this. I am able to see recommendations and reviews on books of the highest quality online and researching a book before investing in it has become almost an essential. I value the opinions of book bloggers I hold in high esteem highly and confront them when in question of a novel. The most powerful recommendations are usually from these blogger friends or blogs and friends I am satisfied embody my taste in literature (I've also been know to be suckered into a book when someone brings it to school and hands it to me with no preface; it almost guarantees I'll finish it in days). -Caressa

Books I'm thankful for,

    Beth Revis is the amazing author of Across the Universe and A Million Suns. This year she's hosting an awesome giveaway for bloggers who share their posts on books they're thankful for. We'll have two editions of this, one from Rae and this one from myself. Please leave comments and links down below and share books you're thankful for; conversations and comments can go a long way. :)

     I must say that choosing any one book to write about is hard, so I want to share some of my favorite books with everyone today, although I'm only able to go really in depth with one.

• Wicked by Gregory Maguire
• This fantastic book is one of my favorites. I'm thankful for having books that can change your life in one read. Wicked was one of those books for me, affirming friendships in my life.

• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling 
• Rather, I'm thankful for the community Harry Potter has built. Up until recently, I'd never read the books, but even as a child all of my friends were complete and avid Harry nerds. I've been to a fair share of midnight releases and book braggings and I'm really glad I had the opportunity to be with a community of people who share a slight but awesome book obsession.

• Heart's Blood by Jane Yolen
• Another one of my favorites, I'm thankful for books whose ending can completely make the story.

• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• This is a huge one. I'm thankful for nerdfighters, NaNoWriMo writers, and amazing blogs that inspire me to write and keep writing. I wish I would have read this book the moment I set eyes on it, but even reading it after the release of Lola, this book really reminded me that authors are real people and real people write real, amazing, inspirational books. 

     There are so many books I love and am thankful for that I can't mention here, but it stands to reason to highlight this book as one I'm thankful because it made such a difference in my life at the time.

• Amazing Gracie by A. E. Cannon

      "Gracie, fifteen, looks just like her mother--and she worries that she's like her in other ways, for Mom has a history of depression. Practical Gracie has been the one to manage their lives. Then Mom remarries, suddenly, and they move to Salt Lake City, where Gracie has to share a room with her six-year-old stepbrother, Sinjian. In some ways the move is good for Gracie. She meets Tiimo, her first boyfriend, explores the city, and even begins to enjoy Sinjian's company. But for Mom, it's a disaster--and it's up to Gracie to hold the family together." (Delacorte 1991)

     Amazing Gracie was an inspirational book for me. While I didn't have the obstacles Gracie did, it was nice to read a novel with such a strong and real heroine. Life is hard and this book really captured that while showing that happy endings are possible. 

Thursday's review

     Hey guys. It's Caressa. I have a few things to tell you guys before I actually post a review this week. First and foremost, because my camera has entirely stopped working, my laptop's camera is incredibly out of sync, and I'm way behind on my word count, chances are there won't be a video or post on Saturday. I'm really sorry guys and I hope to have everything fixed by next week. Secondly, for those who follow my Goodreads, I'm super sorry for lack of activity. NaNoWriMo has been really hard and I haven't been able to read or update things as much as I need to or respond to emails. Second to last, I did respond to everyone's emails on Monday. If you have not gotten a response to your email, please send me another. Things have a tendency to get lost.
     Lastly, I need all our followers to give Rae a pat on the back for working on NaNoWriMo with her busy schedule and encourage her to keep with it to receive the print copies of her novels! Comments and encouragements mean the world to us. I hope you all enjoy the review!

Summery from Goodreads: 

"Nick Hornby returns to his roots-music and messy relationships-in this funny and touching new novel which thoughtfully and sympathetically looks at how lives can be wasted but how they are never beyond redemption. Annie lives in a dull town on England's bleak east coast and is in a relationship with Duncan which mirrors the place; Tucker was once a brilliant songwriter and performer, who's gone into seclusion in rural America-or at least that's what his fans think. Duncan is obsessed with Tucker's work, to the point of derangement, and when Annie dares to go public on her dislike of his latest album, there are quite unexpected, life-changing consequences for all three.

"Nick Hornby uses this intriguing canvas to explore why it is we so often let the early promise of relationships, ambition and indeed life evaporate. And he comes to some surprisingly optimistic conclusions about the struggle to live up to one's promise."

     First to clarify, Juliet, Naked is the draft version of the CD Juliet. 
     A great break from YA fiction. I picked this book up on a whim while I was on a road trip with a friend and found it in their car. The writing is cute, the story was slightly predictable, but it was fun, short, and simple as well. I was really disappointed in the ending, however, because the whole story seemed like it was about Annie, and while Tucker's plot was resolved, it felt empty not knowing how Annie ended up. Alone? With Duncan? With Tucker? In a small town?
     While I wouldn't go out of my way to get get this book, it was a fun, light read and perfect for the occasion.

Sorry for the short review this week, but I wanted to give everyone a review more fresh from my brain. Is anyone going to see Breaking Dawn's premier tonight (No hate, please)? 

In My Mailbox (11-16)

IMM is a book meme brought to us from The Story Siren. It's a really great activity to share the books we won't get to review on the blog and point out some really good titles. My camera quit on me so today we had to go back to the webcam. :(


Intoxicated by Books: http://intoxicatedbybooks.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Review (11-15)

   
 Rating: 9.10/10

     Hello everyone this is Rae. I am back on Tuesday this week.Yay! The book I read was requested to us by the author. The book was written by Larissa Hinton and is a collection of short stories and poems. I enjoyed it so much that I read it today in two sittings.

     It has been a long time since I read poetry on my own. I think the last collection of short stories and poems I read were by Edgar Allan Poe. I was a little weary because it had been so long, but I was so excited after I jumped right into the book. Each short story and poem is very intriguing and different. When I read the titles I was a little scared but after I started reading the short story or poem, I realized the purpose of the title. I would very much enjoy to see some of these short stories become novels. The ideas that are in the short stories are very creative and imaginative. I think Hinton could speak to lots of people if she created a novel out of any short story in this anthology. Hinton did a fantastic job with putting this book in order. The book was so smooth and it felt relaxing as I read through every page.

     I would recommend this book to anyone. It is reviving and beautiful. It was a rainy day and I believe a perfect evening to sit down and read an anthology.

     If you have any comments about this review just leave them below. Thanks for  reading! -Rae

Musing Monday(11-14)

This week’s musing asks…

Are you currently collecting any authors? Why?
Do you have all of their books? If not, why not? 
Did you buy all the books in the collection at the same time, or did you buy a book here, a book there? Have you actually read all of the collection? If not, why not?

      This is a great question. Unfortunately, I don't think I have a good answer. I collect series, particularly when friends or family buy me one of a set. It's also common for me to collect books from authors I like, in the expectation I will like their other novels as well. While I'm finishing my collections that are missing just a few novels (several of which authors only have one series out), I wouldn't say I was collecting any particular author's novels currently. I usually read all the books I collect in a timely manner, unless they were gifted and I expect little of the novel. -Caressa :D

It's Saturday! (11-12)

A short vlog on cover art... with editing! :D

Thursday Review (11-10)

                                                               Rating: 8.78/10 blue tablets

        
         Caressa and I decided that she would review Matched the first book of the series on Tuesday and I would review the second book of the series Crossed on Thursday.When I saw this book on the shelf I just had to pick it up even though the ending of the first book was disappointing. I was so exicted in seeing this book that I ordered C a copy of it (first edition).
         The book was not as disappointing as the first one.When I read the first one I found myself bored in the first 150 pages, but with this one I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I am not going to include spoilers because I know C is working on NaNoWriMo and should read this book. I will tell you that it is amazing.
        The characters that come in this book really fit in well with the story line. Sometimes when you add so many new characters into the second book of a series you tend to loose connection with the main characters and the whole book becomes lost. Condie did a fantastic job when adding in these characters.
         The plot was good except for a few things. It started out really good and then it just became average and uninteresting. Even though it wasn't long before it was good again but then it was boring again. It seemed that this happened through the whole novel and I suddenly realized this.
         The romance in this novel tears at your heart. At times you really want Cassia to love Ky and at other times you think that Xander is a better choice for Cassia. I congratulate Condie on pulling this off because each romance is very different and unique.
           Overall I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read but I would recommend you read Matched first. Thank you for stopping by and reading this review. If you have any comments just leave them below. -Rae

In My Mailbox (11-9)

IMM is a book meme brought to us from The Story Siren. My TBR list is overflowing and I do not know what to do since NaNoWriMo is taking time. Oh well more things to read in December. If you participaing in NaNoWriMo offically or nonoffically how are you handling your TBR list? Leave your answers in the comment box and I will gladly check them out. Here are the books I have found. :) -Rae


The book I am reading for school.

A book I have recieved from the author and I hope to be able to read. Also the other books I have filed onto my nook for authors and I hope to start reading. They are the top priority of my TBR list.

  

     

                                                (The book that Barbara Forte Abate sent me. I recieved it signed and with fun tid bits like bookmarks. Thank you so much)

Books I have bought

Matched by Allie Condie (Review)

     Hey guys! It's Caressa. Rae and I nominated to switch review dates this week so that she could review Crossed, a new release by Allie Condie, and I could review Matched, the first book in the series. I didn't give Matched a great rating, but I am super excited to hear more about the 'Society'.

"Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

"The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow."

My rating: 3.4/5  stars

Reviewed by: Caressa

     Matched by Allie Condie was one of the few books that showed up in my mailbox before I'd ever heard of it. Rae ordered it for me after its release last year (Thanks Rae!). After reading the blurb on it, I really, really expected to love this story and I read the book in a singular day.

     I loved the idea of the 'Society' and the world Condie described. I loved the turmoil in the outer provinces and relationships between Cassia and her peers. While a limit on art is not an unbreached topic in dystopian novels, it was a powerful part of this piece.

     And without a doubt, Cassia's grandfather was one of the most powerful, likable, and realistic characters I've ever felt deeply connected with in recent literature. (Spoilers) As he approaches his 80th birthday, his life is ended, but rebels both by not allowing the 'Society' to collect a sample and by reading a poem banned several years ago. I cried unashamed at this point in the novel. Cassia's grandfather may have died when the 'Society' wanted him to, but he did die on his own terms.

     The romance with Ky was sweet and a little different from the usual rebellious couple. (end spoilers) The ending, however, was so incredibly anti-climatic that I felt disappointed in the entire novel. It's my hope that Crossed will reignite the fire and carry on the story line in a more unpredictable and climatic fashion. Take a look:

"The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy

"In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

"Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever."

What did you think about Matched? Are you excited about Crossed?

-Caressa. :)

For anyone wanting to watch my NaNoWriMo progress, I'll be vlogging about it every day on my Youtube channel. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/user/Cresselia16

Musing Mondays (11-7)

This week’s musing asks…

Other than for school, do you read books that teach you how to do things? If so, what were the topics?

My answer: Yes, lately I bought a book about how to make crotchet animals. In the past, I have bought many books that teach painting techniques.

Thank you so much for looking at this monday muse.Hope you enjoy my answer.-Rae

First Editions!

A vlog for you guys in which I am wearing pajama pants and talking about first editions. Sorry about the crazy background noises and camera skills!

Friday Finds (11-4)

Friday Finds is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should be reading. What great finds did you discover this week?


I have been so fortunate for books to be in the right place at the right time.The books must have heard NaNoWriMo was coming and they just popped up on the shelves and started being noticed by writers getting ready. :D Here are the books I have found. -Rae


My Finds:

     

 Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie
Carry Yourself Back To Me by Deborah Reed
Love at First Click by Elizabeth Chandler
The Last Waltz by G.G. Vandagriff

NaNoWriMo and Winners!

     Hey everyone! It's Caressa. I know you're all looking forward to a review, but in honor of National November Writing Month, this week I'll be posting a pep-talk and, for those of you who are uninterested in writing, the winner of the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop.

     National November Writing Month is a month, November, when groups of people get together online and decide to write a 50, 000 word novel (or more) in a month. It's a really super fantastic way to motivate yourself, as a writer, and get together with a great community of people.

     Today is Day three and because I'm a thousand words behind where I'd like to be, I leave you with an awesome NaNoWriMo music video (for veterans) and 5 reasons to do NaNoWriMo (for prospective members). Remember, NaNoWriMo will always make you a better writer, even if you don't win.

 Later guys and good luck!

My word count (daily count/goal, overall count/goal):

1,012/2,000 , 5,826/50,000

Winners!

All winners are selected using random.org. ;)

And the winner is...

*drumroll*

Heather (ham12...)

Heather, I will send you an email tonight when I hit my word count goal!

In My Mailbox (11-2) And NaNo-tiredness

IMM is a book meme brought to us from The Story Siren. It's a really great activity to share the books we won't get to review on the blog and point out some really good titles. I didn't get many books this week, but I did make a short, sweet, monotone video for you guys!


Here's the link to my NaNoWriMo profile: Cressy16

Tuesday Review (11-1)

Rating: 6.78/10 martens

C and I used to be interested in this series. It is actually a dull series but definitely has its moments. I do admit the first time I read this it took me so long. That was probably the longest time I have ever spent on a novel. The past couple of months I have been craving this kind of writing. I am not sure what draws me to this book. Maybe it is the fact that it defeated me because it took so long to read or maybe I just missed Dustfinger. I doubt I will ever know. I read it over the weekend and found that it is the best of the series.

I do not want to give away anything about this novel just in case someone is slowly working their way through Inkheart. I will reveal one thing though this book is ten times better than Inkheart and you definitely do not want to miss it.

The characters in this novel are fantastic. Dustfinger is one of my all-time favorite characters and I think about him often. I think the reason why I like him so much is because he is so different and unique but so beautifully put together. I also enjoy Farid a character who also gets read out of a book.  He reminds you of Aladdin in ways because of his appearance and background story.  Also the marten (a creature from the book Inkheart) is very interesting.

I would not suggest anyone to pick up this book till you really feel interested. I definitely do not recommend this book to beginning readers because it might discourage you but I do suggest that sometime in the future you should check it out.

Thank you so much for stopping by! If you have a comment about this review just leave it below. Thank you so much! -Rae