December 31, 2014: 'Pinned'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 31, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

Pinned

Sharon G Flake

Award-winning author, Sharon G. Flake, presents a powerful novel about a teen boy and girl, each tackling disabilities.

Autumn and Adonis have nothing in common and everything in common. Autumn is outgoing and has lots of friends. Adonis is shy and not so eager to connect with people. But even with their differences, the two have one thing in common--they're each dealing with a handicap. For Autumn, who has a learning disability, reading is a painful struggle that makes it hard to focus in class. But as her school’s most aggressive team wrestler, Autumn can take down any problem. Adonis is confined to a wheelchair. He has no legs. He can't walk or dance. But he’s a strong reader who loves books. Even so, Adonis has a secret he knows someone like Autumn can heal.

In time, Autumn and Adonis are forced to see that our greatest weaknesses can turn into the assets that forever change us and those we love.

Told in alternating voices, Takedown explores issues of self-discovery, friendship, and what it means to be different.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Autumn goes to her match and wins. Adonis foes on a date with Raven to the movies and sees Autumn is humiliated when soda is spilled on him by accident. Adonis tutors Roberto a seventh grader. Officials come to the school. Patricia/Peaches show them around. Autumn is in a match with James and wins. She wins in a tournament. Autumn starts volunteering at the library. She admits to Adonis that she loves him. Adonis teaches Autumn's math class. They work in the library together. Roberto gets Autumn a chess set. Autumn gives Adonis cupcakes and a movie ticket. Adonis dreams of Autumn. Adonis and Patricia talk to the seventh graders about leadership. 

Autumn is kicked off of the wrestling team. Adonis notices how sad Autumn is. Autumn asks Adonis to tutor her. Adonis doesn't agree or disagree. Autumn quits working at the library. Adonis sees Autumn at tutoring. Autumn apologizes to him. She kisses him. Adonis teachers Autumn's class. Adonis sees Patricia cheating in math class. Adonis and Autumn kiss. Autumn confronts Patricia about the cheating. Autumn makes cupcakes for finals. She does a practice test in English and does better than before. She tells Adonis who kisses her and says I love you. 

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Adonis.

Smart. No legs. Fourteen years old. Ninth grade. Judgmental. Tutor. Not many friends. Reclusive. Team manager for wrestling. 

Autumn.

Female wrestler. Fourteen. Cooks. Kind. Smiles a lot. Cheerful. Happy. Not very good at reading or math. 

Opinions:

I really wasn't impressed by this book. I was reluctant to read it to begin with. I have to read it for my book trivia. But this wasn't very good...

The girl in a sport where mostly guys participate in is great. Go girls!

Now...onto my rant. I am all for feminism. I like that Autumn was good at it too. Not a pity case or anything. She tried her best to be in the sport. Except for school. She kinda...gave up in that area. I admire her strength in ignoring the males' taunts. I definitely wouldn't challenge her to a fight. Girl power. 

The grammar. Oh my goodness. The word 'is' is dropped so many times.

There seems to be plot, but nothing really happens. I know that people do talk like it...but as a person who can't stand text language, this drove me crazy. I wanted to grab the characters by their lapels and shout at them to get their grammar together. I might not have perfect grammar, but I don't drop words. I smash them together. Or whatnot. But still! This drove me absolutely crazy. 

The ending is confusing too. Did time pass? When did they end up together? How much time passed? It's rushed. And leaves me questions. When did she agree to all this tutoring? Man. That's crazy. None of the ending had much depth. It made not a lot of sense. 

And the romance. Seriously. When does that come in? I thought Adonis hated Autumn. I don't see where that came from. Adonis hated Autumn. He mentioned that many times. Did he harbor an awkward crush? Hm. That was never mentioned. And he was adamant about his hate. And Autumn. Why do the girls put in so much work into the relationship when the guy doesn't? I don't get that. Poor Autumn was lost in her mind, thinking Adonis liked her. Poor girl... How did she win him over? It's never mentioned... 

The characters aren't very good. They annoyed me. Adonis was whiny. A complainer. He complained about everything. And was negative. Not that I'm an optimist. I'm a pessimist myself. But I prefer reading about more optimistic characters. I know that not everyone is an optimist. (I'm a prime example after all.) But he was really negative. And why did he hate Autumn? Did Autumn do anything but like you? Do you have a problem with people liking you? Is that saying something? I'm confused by his character. He seems to dump the 'I hate Autumn' part and become Autumn's...boyfriend? What? When did that happen? How could he change so quickly? We didn't get any insight. And Autumn. Her grammar drove me nuts. But she was pretty kind. I didn't like that she completely gave up when she lost wrestling. You got to get back on the horse, as they say. Keep going. Don't let that stop you! She seems like a good character. In any other book... 

Overall, I wasn't very impressed. It could have been better.

Weather:

Cloudy with a 75% chance of rain 

2/5

The Doorknob Society Blitz

Young Adult / Paranormal / Steampunk

Date Published: February 2012

Chloe Masters’ world changes in a heartbeat and all she did was touch a doorknob.

When she was young Chloe’s mother vanished. Wracked by feelings of abandonment and anger she lost herself traveling with her fathers magic act, where illusions were part of her everyday life. Yet everything changes when they are pursued by a mysterious man in black out to kill her father. Touching a doorknob activates abilities she never knew she had and she finds herself thrust into a world of ancient societies and secrets.

When her father disappears it is a race against time to find answers before she loses whats left of her family. Now Chloe must choose who to trust, the man who will do anything for her or the one she can’t stop thinking about.

Book one of the Doorknob Society Saga.

About the Author

MJ Fletcher is the creator of the comic book series Adam Zero: The Last Man of Earth published by Ronin Studios. He’s also been published in Hope: The Hero Initiative and Digital Webbing Presents. The Doorknob Society was his first book series and still among his favorites. His other works include The Grimm Chronicles series and numerous novellas and short stories. He lives near the beach with his wife, daughter, and an insane dog.

Author Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter: fletch125

Instagram: mjfletcherwriter

Buy Links</ strong>

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

KOBO

December 28, 2014: 'The Jewel of the Kalderash'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 28, 2014 

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

The Jewel of the Kalderash

Marie Rutkoski 

Upon arriving in the Romany homeland to deliver the Mercator Globes, Petra Kronos, Tomik, and Neel formulate a plan to save Petra’s father, who has been transformed into a Gray Man. But when a long-held secret is revealed, Neel finds himself bound to his country.

The friends are quickly swept up in an epic battle for power. Thrones are at stake. Spies are afoot. Murder is common. Worst of all, Prince Rodolfo is close to becoming emperor, and ruling half of Europe.

How much is Petra willing to sacrifice to defend the people she loves? Her search for answers will take her to castles and cities, through mountains, and even underwater as she tests her strength and gambles her life.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Petra celebrates her fourteenth birthday on the ship. The ship gets to the Vatra. Neel is summoned by the queen of the Roma. He is told Iona the queen is Neel's mother. Neel storms off. Petra and Tomik meet the Metis who suggest Petra talk to Fiala to cure her father who was turned into a Gray Man. Petra talks to Neel. Neel decides to be king of the Vatra. Neel gives Tomik the Mercator Globes to examine them. Petra studies with the Metis. Tomik makes smaller Mercator Globes for each Roma tribe. Petra and Tomik prepare to leave. Neel can't go with them. Neel and Petra form a mental link. Petra and Tomik leave for Bohemia. They end up without supplies in Krumlov. They are attacked by Gray Men and live. They survive in the forest and rush to Iris's castle when Astrophil's gears stop working. Neel has a ball in the castle where he decides the fate of a coconut plantation. Neel is almost poisoned. Tomik and Petra head for the Academy where Fiala is hidden. The Academy is burned to the ground by the rebels. Neel tries to find out who poisoned him. Dee appears at the Roma court asking to be an ambassador. Petra talks to Sadie Neel's 'sister'. Tomik hopes to get an apprenticeship to Fiala. Neel figures out who is the assassin. He publicly gets the assassin to appear and try to kill him before just imprisoning the assassin. The assassin being Arun Neel's adviser. Dee talks to Neel about killing Rodolfo who is killing his brothers to eliminate competition. Sadie is killed when she is caught spying one night, and her body is publicly displayed in the market. Emperor Karl dies, by the hands of the Gray Men. Rodolfo prepares to become emperor. Petra finds out about Sadie's death and tells Neel. Petra's location is found out by Rodolfo who sends soldiers after her. Petra, Tomik, and the two people Petra was staying with Lucas and Zora escape. They head for Fiala's lab; this information was found by Lucas moments before they fled. They capture Fiala and force her to make a cure for the Gray Men transformation. The Roma prepare for war. Fiala makes the cure. Petra joins Neel at Krumlov. A battle strategy is formed. Petra turns herself in. In an attempt to convince Rodolfo to go to a certain bridge, she makes the Choice, putting all her magic and energy into a single magic her mind magic. This convinces Rodoflo to cross that bridge, thinking he'll win. The plan started. Iris and Treb both die early on in the fight. Tomik throws the Marvel containing the gas to turn the Gray Men back into humans. Rodolfo dies conveniently. The war ends with the other Bohemians simply giving up. Zora and Tomik get together. Petra talks to Neel. The two kiss.   

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Petra.

Bohemian. Mind magic and metal magic. Running from Rodolfo the prince of Bohemia. Has a father who is a metal magician turned Gray Man. Hates Rodolfo. Cares for her family. Friends with Tomik. Reckless. Impulsive. Fourteen. 

Tomik.

Becoming a stronger magician. Uses glass magic. Likes Petra and Zora. Petra's childhood friend. Kind. Smart. Adaptable to any place with any people. Bohemian. Fifteen. 

Neel.

The king of the Vatra. Roma. Danior's Fingers. Cocky. Wicked. Cares for Petra. Fifteen. Lovari/Kalderash. Rash. Impulsive. Reckless. Acts before he thinks. 

Opinions:

I think this book let me down. Just a bit. I mean...I still loved the plot, but there were nagging problems.

The action was great. Really. This action was more than the action in both of the first two books combined. It was fast. It was gory without being creepy. I loved the action. Petra has gained abilities with that sword of hers. She can fight well. And, of course, there is a battle scene. I am a big fan of those types of scenes when the battle commences. The action is poured into that scene. Completely. Sword. Cannons. Ah. I just love those things. The action in this book was thrilling. I was kept wanting more. 

Neel turning into a king but still being the Neel everyone loves. I liked that. He didn't let royalty status change him. Neel was still Neel. Reckless. Impulsive. Stupid. But he did make some smart moves. Not the 'I'm letting an outsider destroy our globes' part. That was plain stupid. He made everyone hate him. At least give them a reason to like you. They don't like you in general. You practically ruined the Maraki. They have a reason to fight you. I hope he did expect assassins. Really. There were many reasons for Neel to be assassinated. But he didn't change. Most people take  royalty for granted. Neel didn't. He didn't even want to be king. I admire that he did become king for Petra's sake. It shows he really cares. 

Tomik. He really stands up for himself in this book. He turns into someone the other characters need. The Gray Man gas in a Marvel thing. The sailing Fiala's submarine. He is needed. He seemed to be in the background for book one. He was barely mentioned. And in book two? Not much of a helper. He is someone who people need now. I think he deserves that. He deserves to be recognized for his accomplishments. I think, while Petra seems like the main character, Tomik is very important. He has magic. People seem to forget that. Petra seems to ignore poor Tomik and focus on the thief she befriended not her oldest friend. (Which is not a good move for Petra.) 

I didn't like Petra and Neel's relationship. Where is it from? Why doesn't the 'old friend' win? I mean...I adore Neel as much as the next reader, but I don't see the relationship. They barely know each other anyways. Where is the chemistry? I felt like there was nothing there. Yeah. You had a mental link. What now? It seems like just physical attraction here. Sure. They robbed the Cabinet of Wonders together. What next? In book two, they didn't do much together. They were apart practically the entire time. So why is there a relationship? I rooted for that in the beginning, but I think Petra is being an impulsive teenager without thinking. She really needs to examine her relationship choices. 

The ending. Oh man. That was rushed. Really rushed. I felt like it also didn't give enough. The ending is...boring. You're left with too many questions. What happens next? Who is king? Neel? Does Petra end up as queen? And the way things were resolved. Oh my goodness. Too quick. Rodolfo just conveniently lands on a sword? How... No. That's not possible. Why is there no showdown? No fighting? No revenge? And the Bohemian army just...gives up? No. That's not how things work. There has to be other generals, not just the one. The ending made me feel like nothing happened. It made me feel dissatisfied.  

I felt like this book didn't give enough story time to just one character. I like multiple narrators, but I want more Petra or Neel or Tomik. I got a description of what happened but not exclusively in one person's point of view. I wanted to see things through just one person's eyes this time. Maybe with some point of views from other people. Maybe it will be focused on Neel. Since he's king. Or Tomik! I would love that. I prefer Tomik now, even though I preferred Neel in the first two books. Tomik really seems to grow. Petra. Man. She just turns me off. She is more sour and reckless in this book. I really had high hopes for her. And she just failed all of them. Is this how teenagers are these days? How...disappointing. 

Petra at the end. Oh man. She really annoyed me at the end. She was back to being whiny. It was as if losing her magic lost everything she was amazing at. I mean...she's reckless throughout the series, but the Choice just tore me apart. Wasn't there a better way? I don't know...maybe just saying yes to marrying him and convincing him? Or poisoning his drink if you said yes to marriage? Come on, Petra. You can do better. I know you can. I swear...she's more whiny in this book's ending than I can handle. And mopey. Really mopey. I can understand that losing your magic might devastate you, but you have to keep going on. After all, that indirectly caused your father to come back to you. Be happier, Petra. Be happy in general.  

Weather:

Sunny with a light fog 

4/5 

December 27, 2014: 'The Celestial Globe'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 27, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

The Celestial Globe

Marie Rutkoski

After stealing her father’s eyes back from Prince Rodolfo, Petra Kronos lives in constant danger. She and her tin spider, Astrophil, end up hiding out in London, where she learns more about her magical abilities. London has its charms (like Petra’s attractive fencing master), but Petra needs to get back to Bohemia and her father.

Meanwhile, Prince Rodolfo is trying to locate a powerful object called the Celestial Globe. Petra’s friends, Tomik and Neel, are searching for her and traveling with a band of Gypsies searching for the globe.

The race is on to see who will find the globe first, and who will make it out of this deadly chase alive.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Petra's family without her father and her leave Okno. Petra goes to deluge tin to Tomik. The gray men attack the Sign of Compass Petra's father's shop. She faints. She wakes up in London with John Dee nearby. Tomik tries to follow Petra. He ends up on the coast with Romas, in directing meeting Neel. Petra is saved by Dee. Dee summons Ariel an air spirit. Tomik and Neel and the Roma pirates land in Sallay where Tomik is supposed to be sold. Tomik runs off after Neel is used to scry the location of the Celestial Globe and Petra. Neel catches him. Tomik and Neel plan to find Petra. Petra trains in sword fighting with a young man named Kit. Petra finally leaves room and the Dees' house with John Dee. Tomik and Neel fight. They become allies in the quest to find Petra. A ship follows the Pacolet. A storm comes. Neel is hurt. 

Petra works on the West's death. She goes to the winter ball and dances with Kit. Petra talks to Dee's wife Agatha. She reveals the truth to Kit. Kit and Petra kiss. Kit takes Petra to someone who knew Cotton a man who was murdered. She goes to a print shop Cotton took interest in and gets a title page for a certain book. She goes to Sutton Hoo and finds a coin from Romany in the mounds. 

Neel and Tomik land in London. Petra pretends to be a servant for information. The two boys find Petra. The three talk about the murders Petra is trying to solve and the Celestial Globe. Rodolfo the prince of Bohemia arrives in London. Petra sees Kit again after he is fired by Dee. Madinia, Margaret, Petra, Kit, Neel, and Tomik go to Cotton's house. (Madinia and Margaret being Dee's two gifted daughters.) Neel and Tomik are taken by the prince. Kit attacks Petra. Petra is forced to find the globe. She summons Ariel who almost destroys her. Dee comes in and saves Petra. Kit and Walsingham are arrested after the fight. Neel gets the globe. He gives it to Treb the Roma captain. Petra talked to Kit and gives him a key to escape. Petea finds out that her father is no longer a human but a gray man. She joins Neel and Tomik on a boat to the Roma homelands. They use the two globes the Terrestrial and Celestial Globe to get to said homelands.  

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Petra.

Chimaera. Metal magic. Owns a metal spider named Astrophil. Has an invisible sword. Audacious. Cares for her father. Wants to make things right. Confused about her magic. Bohemian. Stole from the prince of Bohemia. 

Tomik.

Glass magic. Fighter. Petra's childhood friend. Kind. Learner. Curious. Befriends people easily. Bohemian. 

Neel.

Danior's fingers. Thief. Liar. Roma. Cocky. Standoffish. Stole from the prince of Bohemia. Cares for his 'family' who aren't blood related. Cares for Petra. 

Opinions:

This series keeps making me smile. I really like it.

I liked the action. Petra gets to sword fight. Exciting. I like action in general. This book gets more action. She gets to fight. We get less running and more confrontation. The first book had a lot of running. Petra gets to stand up and face her fears. 

Petra grows. Finally. I mean...I liked her, but she needed to grow up. Just a bit. She was acting a little childish. She grows up now. She realizes that she had to learn her magics, perfect them. I like that she has this change. I wanted it to come. I was waiting for it to come. Petra no longer seems like a little girl barely twelve. She acts like a teenager but a mature one. (Hard to believe.) 

The multiple perspectives were cool. I liked knowing about what was going on with the other people. I really like Neel's character. I'm happy that I got more of him. But we also had Petra. That was good. It wasn't hard to keep up with. You want to know what happened with the others. 

The hunt for the murderer is really amazing. I don't love mysteries, but I like this one. The clues are a bit vague. I couldn't really keep up. The mystery is weaved in. I liked it. It seemed to work right. Sure, the story didn't gain much from the mystery, but I still liked it. 

For me, the only thing that I didn't like is Kit and Petra. Wow. Where is that from? The chemistry isn't there. Petra put in too much in the relationship when Kit did nothing. Kit seemed to just put effort when he needed Petra. He really didn't seem to like her. Poor Petra. I feel sorry for her. She put so much effort into it but got nothing out of it. 

Weather:

Sunny with no clouds 

5/5

Letter to the Editor: 'The Heart Thief'

Letter to the Editor

The Heart Thief

S Lee Benedict

Ezra Keene is an artistic sixteen-year-old who wants nothing more than to settle in at his new school and put the tragedy of his brother’s death behind him. He awakens one night, reeling from a hazy dream, to find his fingers blackened with pencil lead and a new drawing in his sketchbook—a drawing that depicts the grisly murder of someone he knows. The next morning he is shocked to learn the picture has become a reality.

Ezra has reason to believe the father of a classmate, an eccentric German scientist, is somehow involved in the slaying, but he needs something tangible to bring to the police. He sets out to discover the truth, but what he finds instead is that something much more sinister than murder lies at the heart of this mystery. Monsters exist, magic is real, and sometimes there are worse things than death. 

Dear S Lee Benedict,

I do think that your book is good. It isn't amazing. But it still is good. I really liked some parts. Note that I'll be ranting soon enough. 

I like the magical aspect. The magic was interesting. Combining the magical aspects with the realistic aspects was great. You weaved in the worlds, made them combine. There was reason in magic. If that is even possible. (Which it might not be.) I say that I personally liked that.  

The action. Wow. I normally don't like quick action scenes, but I was left breathless. How could that happen? You can't help but root for the good guys. And there is a reason. (Looking at you, Lars.) The action is fantastic. Fast without being annoying. Which is hard.  

The mystery. You can't help but wonder what happens as the story draws on. You know who the killer is. And you're screaming at Drake to just figure it out. And you're wondering why the world isn't accepting the magic. And you're ripping your hair out. I loved the mystery. It was probably one of my favorite parts. I learned the clues even though you knew full well who was murdering those poor people. (How gory... I would hate to die that way. Having your heart ripped out of your chest. Sounds painful.) That part was well done.

The Leichman family. Gosh. They are the Addams family reborn. Creepy without being freaky. I, at first, was put off by them. You get used to them. They grow on you. Forgive the pun. Their backstory  is fantastic. Seriously? (Spoiler.) They were dead? How is resurrection possible? Isn't dead a simple fact? The question that now arises is the moral consequences. Should resurrection be possible? My question is who would you bring back from the dead if you could? 

Sadly. There are a few things that pulled me down from enjoying the story too much. 

The romance between Emma and Ezra is a bit annoying. Why did that come around? Or is there any relationship? I can't tell. To me, there is something. This story doesn't have the relationship. (Maybe the second will? Not sure.) Ezra just seems to like Emma for her looks. (Does she have that amazing of a personality?) There is no chemistry. No history. I don't see why Emma accepted that kiss. She didn't seem attracted to him.

Emma is annoying. She kinda just hangs around. She's the romantic interest you wish you didn't have to acknowledge. She really doesn't help. Her only purpose was when she led Greta to the place where Greta's daughters were. Really. She is for Ezra to ogle at. If Emma had been more developed, I would have liked it more.

And our darling Dietrich. (How do you even spell that? I apologize if I butchered your name.) He is multi-talented. Scientist. Fighter. Father. Husband. He wears many hats. While I don't discourage these types of people, this guy just annoys me. How old is he really? He has so many degrees. And everything. How old? Forty? Older? I wouldn't believe it if he was. If he wasn't someone with all the talents, I would like him better. He was nice enough. But you can't just be nice. That isn't enough. He seems to hold every part except Variant. Or cop. Or...teacher. You get my point.

Overall, this wasn't bad. I mean, sir, it was a good story. But there were still faults. Not all books are amazing. Yours was just pretty good.

Weather:

Cloudy with a 25% chance of rain

3/5

December 27, 2014: 'Now That You're Here'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 27, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

Now That You're Here

Amy K Nichols 

In a parallel universe, the classic bad boy falls for the class science geek.

One minute Danny was running from the cops, and the next, he jolted awake in an unfamiliar body - his own, but different. Somehow, he's crossed into a parallel universe. Now his friends are his enemies, his parents are long dead, and studious Eevee is not the mysterious femme fatale he once kissed back home. Then again, this Eevee - a girl who'd rather land an internship at NASA than a date to the prom--may be his only hope of getting home.

Eevee tells herself she's only helping him in the name of quantum physics, but there's something undeniably fascinating about this boy from another dimension... a boy who makes her question who she is, and who she might be in another place and time. 

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Danny escapes the crowd after tagging a wall. An explosion happens. He wakes up somewhere else. He goes to Eevee's house after he runs out of class. He leaves after only one night. Danny comes back and stays with Eevee. She goes to school with Danny staying back. Warren Eevee's close friend ignores her, noticing Danny with her. Danny visits his parents' grave. She spends the night with Warren on the roof. Warren reluctantly agrees to help. Danny goes to school at last. Danny and Eevee talk to Warren, deciding that Danny has come from another world. Eevee cuts Danny's long hair. Danny and Eevee skip a class. They kiss. Warren gets supplies to make an EMP to simulate how Danny got to their world. Danny goes to his foster home. The teens test the EMP. They put Danny in the EMP. Danny stays, not jumping as expected. Eevee's parents fight about her grades. Danny goes to his friend Germ. He gets arrested. Danny has an episode, switching between worlds. Danny and Eevee go to Mac Eevee's teacher's house. Mac takes them in and helps Danny. Danny jumps back into his world. Mac disappears. Eevee is left with questions and no answers.

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Eevee.

Rules person. By the book. Fact not fiction. Has friend Warren. Strict. Doesn't like spontaneous. Draws fractals.

Danny.

Graffiti artist. Crazy. Skateboards. Jumps into Eevee's dimension. Spontaneous. Wild. Spurn-of-the-moment. 

Opinions:

I truly adored one part of this book. The parallel worlds. I just love parallel worlds. 'A Thousand Pieces of You'. These stories are interesting. What would have happened if you went left instead of right? It's amazing to see what happens. Really. Choices make everything. Parallel worlds portray that in such a way. It's amazing. 

Eevee is interesting. In that 'she's weird' way. She is quirky. Even if she is fact focused. The quirkiness comes from her organized world and her fractals and facts. The facts make her odd. Not many focus on just facts. There are other things. But she is facts. And organization. 

Danny. Man. What's with me and the bad boys? (Kidding, readers, kidding.) He's tough. Wild. Rough. He really is one of those people. But he's 'cute' in that sense. He is nice. Surprisingly. Not rude. He is a delinquent. But not. It's weird. I can't believe it. Danny's niceness is what makes me like him. 

I didn't like the romance. There is no basis for the romance. Why do you like him/her? There is no basis. They don't have attraction. It isn't really there. It seems nonexistent. They like...what? No even physical attraction really. Eevee seems to like the oddity. The rareness. The uniqueness. And Danny? What makes him like Eevee? What? Seriously. Eevee is hard to like. She can be ogled at. But not much more. I like facts and reasoning. But not as much as Eevee.

Or the dull beginning. Nothing really happens in the beginning. A little flirting here. Some sly smiles there. Nothing really. No action.  No drama. The yelling happens later. The action happens in the end. The beginning doesn't have enough. Why? 

Or the ending. Such a cliffhanger! If you know me, you know I hate cliffhangers. They drive me crazy. Why can't books end well? Unless...of course...the next book is coming out soon when you read book one. Ugh. Drives me crazy to have such an amazing ride end abruptly. But still! This book drove me crazy with its ending. The action was shoveled in at the end. Everything was thrown at you. And then it ends. It's a TV series that ended too soon. 

Weather:

Sunny with 50% chance of rain

3/5

Special Report: Why I Don't Read Romance

I could probably list out a million reasons why I don't read romance. If you read enough of my reviews, you notice a trend. I talk about action or plot or characters. And, almost always, romance.
Yes. I am not a fan of romance. To me, writers make romance this quick and easy thing. Which it is not.
I can't stand romance. The kissing. The mush. The gush. The people clinging to each other. It is rare to find a couple that I can stand.
I mean...Mac and Wesley Ayers from 'The Archived'. And they aren't really a couple anyways. Giddon and Bitterblue from 'Bitterblue'. (Not cannon. But Sapphire is simply rude. He leaves more Bitterblue!)

Here are some reasons why I hate romance:
1: Romance characters, if the book is just romance, can't be separate/not thinking about each other.
They cling to each other like Velcro. They can't do anything but cling to each other. They have to be with each other. Nothing can come between them! To me, that isn't right. They have jobs. Or school. Or work. Something. Anything.

2: Romance=sex. For some reason.
No. Not all teenagers have sex. Not all teenagers dream of sex. Why is it always in books? And typically during the relationship. A perfect example is the Graceling series. Sex. In. All. Three. Books. Why? Just why?

3: Great heroines turn clingy.
This refers to one, but it's different as well. The heroines start to lose their toughness in exchange to be sucking face...I mean kissing a guy. This doesn't always happen, but it's not uncommon. Tough girl turned weakling for love. (For 'love'.)

4: The guy is typically this buff, tall guy who gets all the ladies.
Muscles. Don't you just love them? Why aren't they nerdy types? I would prefer a nerdy guy to one with bulging muscles and ripping abs. Seriously! And players. Why do authors think readers love players? I don't. I know I don't.

5: The girl puts too much effort into a relationship when the guy doesn't.
The guys put little to no effort. Maybe a nice ring or a necklace. But anything else? Not really. It's the girl who tries. Who puts her heart and soul into a relationship. Is that how real life is? No! Guys put effort as much as girls do. Why is it portrayed this way?

6: Two words. Instant. Love.
Quick. Sudden. Kissing within a day. I don't like this. You need to develop a relationship. Sure. A week is...quick. Do I like week relationships? No. Do I want someone to say I love you that soon in real life? No. I want to know the person. Be their friend. Talk to them. It makes no sense why this has to happen. A perfect example is 'The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight'. Do I believe in love at first sight? No. You can't judge someone by physical looks alone. You need to see their personality. What commonalities you share.

7: The plot seems to be abandoned for rescue missions for the girl.
By this, I mean all the action is tossed out of the window for the romance. Kissing scenes take up half the book. You get more of the lip action than fighting. Why? I adore action. I know it doesn't make everyone happy, but the world isn't just kissing and love. It's action. Fighting. Drama. I would take DRAMA  over romance. Really. And I don't like drama that much anyways.

8: The characters seem to forget about everyone but their lover.
Their focus narrows from the world to him/her. They forget their friends. Their family. Why can't they focus on other things? The world isn't comprised of one person. It's many people. Billions of people. People of all races and genders.

9: It is unrealistic that you just find your true love the first time you look at people as baby makers-I mean people.
I know that isn't common. You don't just fall in love the first time. It's typically the girl that goes through that. I can't tell if it's too crazy to hope for that. You don't have that happening. You try. You look. You don't just get your true love the first time. That would be impossible. Your true love might not have been born yet.

10: True love's kiss.
WHY? This just annoys me. Why can't this not be a thing? Why is this a cure for curses? There has to be science backing a cure. Reasoning. Understanding. My rational brain isn't comprehending how a kiss could cure anything but a magical spell. And that doesn't even make sense. At all. Thankfully, I don't read many fairy tales or retellings of fairy tales.

Do you love romance? If no, why? If yes, why?
Comment below! Or email me. I would love to hear your opinions.

December 21, 2014: 'The Cabinet of Wonders'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 21, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

The Cabinet of Wonders

Marie Rutkoski

Petra Kronos has a simple, happy life. But it’s never been ordinary. She has a pet tin spider named Astrophil who likes to hide in her snarled hair and give her advice. Her best friend can trap lightning inside a glass sphere. Petra also has a father in faraway Prague who is able to move metal with his mind. He has been commissioned by the prince of Bohemia to build the world’s finest astronomical clock.

Petra’s life is forever changed when, one day, her father returns home—blind. The prince has stolen his eyes, enchanted them, and now wears them. But why? Petra doesn’t know, but she knows this: she will go to Prague, sneak into Salamander Castle, and steal her father’s eyes back.

Joining forces with Neel, whose fingers extend into invisible ghosts that pick locks and pockets, Petra finds that many people in the castle are not what they seem, and that her father’s clock has powers capable of destroying their world.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Petra's father comes back without his eyes. Petra visits her friend Tomik who shows her glass balls that he used to trap a wasp and lightning. Petra starts sleeping late. She gets money for two Worry Vials that Tomik's father Tomas makes. Tomas comes with glass eyes for Petra's father. It rains sand, and lightning strikes. Petra goes with Lucie Tomik's sister and her fiancée Pavel to Prague. She leaves them when she arrives. She is pickpocketed by Neel a Roma. She saves Neel from being put in jail. Neel brings Petra to his sister Sadie. After that, they head to the wagons belonging to Neel and Sadie's group. Astrophil sleeps and reveals himself by accident. Petra gets a job as a kitchen in the castle. She is fired and goes into the Dye Room with Mistress Iris. She works with Iris, making different colors. Iris has an acid attack because she sweats acid. Petra gets a day off while Iris calms down. She sees Neel who works in the stables. They visit the garden. Petra gets a pass to the library to research minerals. She asks Sadie about residents or guests with Worry Vials. Iris makes a new primary color for the prince. She gets to the fourth floor. With Neel, they steal the captain of the guard's Worry Vial. They use water to get some worries and find out where Petra's father's eyes are hidden. Emil catches her, making her flee back to the castle. The prince's birthday happens. Petra sees fireworks for the first time. She talks to Dee an English spy. She makes a blood oath with Neel and tells him the truth about the clock her father made. She gets a job as a maid to the prince. She stays in Iris's room one day. Astrophil her spider gets caught by the prince. Petra and Neel break into the Cabinet of Wonders. She finds her father's eyes and the heart of the clock Dee was looking for. She destroys the heart and flees. They find Iris's room. The mistress helps them escape. They get to the stables where they take a horse from Jarek. Neel leaves Petra with the promise to meet again. Petra goes home to Okno. She gives her father his eyes back. She prepares for soldiers to come, taking up an invisible weapon to practice. 

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Petra.

Stubborn. Reckless. Loves her family. Tough. Knows metals. Has a pet spider named Astrophil. Daughter to the creator of the clock. Hard worker. Determined. Sets her mind to things and gets through the task. Meets a Roma boy named Neel. Befriends easily. Cheeky. 

Opinions:

I was really impressed with this book. As some background information, I've been looking for this for around four years. Give it take. I finally found it. And I was impressed. 

I really liked Petra. She had spunk. Sure. She was younger than the characters I typically read, but she was as reckless as some others that are eighteen or nineteen. (That is simply annoying.) Petra cared for her father. She was reckless in a bad/good way. She was kind. Petra was one of those characters you love. Not matter what they did. She was funny in an odd way. You root for Petra. Hope she succeeds. 

And Neel. I can't believe Neel. He has magical fingers. What thief wouldn't love that? Neel was really interesting. A family guy. He cared for his family. Really cared. Even if he wasn't blood related. He cared for Petra too. In his own way. (The present. Look at that scene. The horseshoe. Wow. Just wow. I smell a relationship.) He was interesting. I want to know about his past. How he got to be with the Lovari. Why he stays. Who he is. 

The magic was amazing. I loved the idea of having metal abilities. Tomik's powers too. And whatever the prince has. (Is that just intuition or something? Can't tell.) I love magical worlds in general. Especially if they're done well. This combines magical elements with the actual world. There is a Bohemia. Or was. There was a Hapsburg Empire. It combines realistic elements with fantastical ones. I don't expect magical beasts. This isn't 'Leviathan'. (You'll know what I mean if you've read it. It's a historical fiction with steampunk and animals used as weapons. It's a good book. I recommend it.) This book isn't too high fantasy. It's not 'Lord of the Rings'. But it's not light fantasy like some urban fantasy these days. It's amazing how this book works. 

I can say I liked most of this book. I really did.

The cliffhanger drove me crazy. I'm happy I don't haw to wait weeks to read the next one. Will they get caught? Will they escape? What happens next? What about Neel? I really liked Neel. What happens? Questions linger in my mind. I can't help it. This book leaves you wondering. You know the prince will come. The story foreshadows it. I can't wait for the next one. 

The quick ending annoyed me. I wish there was more. I know it's juvenile fiction. I know. But I wish there was more. This series could be young adult. If it was longer. And has an older protagonist. (You can barely tell how old Petra is sometimes.) I wish the story was a bit slower. We get a bunch of scenes in the castle. And a lot of different jobs. But the ending is rushed. The action scene where they escape is skimmed through. I wanted more action. Maybe more fighting. Even if neither Neel not Petra could fight. It would have been interesting. Really interesting. 

Weather:

Clear skies

5/5

December 20, 2014: 'Captive'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 20, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

Captive

Aimee Carter

For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever. 

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape. 

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Kitty goes to party with Knox. She leaves early, haunted by Augusta's death. Knox leaves for a Blackcoat meeting. Knox finds her after Kitty sneaks around to go to the meeting. Together, they go to the meeting. She leaves the meeting after being insulted by Knox. Benjy and Kitty prepare to leave the Hart household. Greyson gives Kitty a gift for 'her' birthday. The photograph can switch to a picture of Kitty and Benjy. She goes to Daxton's safe after learning about a file about her before becoming Lila. She takes her file and sees a file on the Masked Daxton. She shows the file on her to Knox. Knox takes off. Daxton arrives, demanding to know where his file is. He takes Kitty and Benjy hostage with a gun to their heads. Knox shoots Benjy, betraying Kitty and the Blackcoats. Benjy dies. Kitty ends up in Elsewhere. She meets Scotia. She befriends Noelle. Kitty sees Noelle and her boyfriend Elliot. Kitty is taken to the cage and sees someone who beat her up fighting against her friend. An inspection happens. Chelsea is killed because of Kitty opening her big mouth. She goes to a meeting with the Blackcoats with Scotia. She sees Scotia take her necklace from Mercer. Another day comes. Knox comes and takes three girls away to hunt. She works at the dollhouse with Noelle. She is taken to Hannah. She stays in the Mercer Mansion. Knox takes Kitty to Benjy who happened to be alive. Knox ends up not being a traitor. She goes to the bunkhouse after finding out that she has to get the armory codes and needs the lock pick on her necklace. She sees a sad Noelle and assures her help in the form of rebels will come. Kitty steals the necklace from Scotia. She sees Ellioy and Norlle in the cage. Mercer kills both when they don't fight each other. Kitty gets the codes. She is caught by Mercer. Hannah frees Kitty. Kitty goes to Scotia and gives her the armory codes. She is caught by Williams. Kitty is put into the cage with Benjy. The rebellion starts. She takes children and Benjy to the secret tunnel. Kitty finds Hannah. Hannah reveals that she is her mother and that Daxton, the real Daxton, is her father. Scotia is killed. Hannah kills Mercer. The Blackcoats come to help. Kitty is found by Benjy. She stays with him in the mansion. After staying for a few days locked up, she has sex with him. She finally meets with Knox. She sees Lila on TV.

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Kitty Doe.

A bit stuck-up. Pretending to be Lila Hart. Loves Benjy. Ex-fiancé to Knox. Part of the Blackcoat rebellion. Rebellious. Cares. Shows her love in odd ways. Will do anything to protect her friends and loved ones. Doesn't know her parents but finds out her mother and father. 

Opinions:

For me, it's hard to say whether or not I liked this book. I mostly do 

I like the secrets in this book. They're interesting. We learn about Kitty's past. And the truth about the real Daxton under the Masked face. The secrets kept in this book are juicy. Can I hide the word juicy?  I think so. They keep you wondering what secret is next. Kitty and Benjy running to the Blackcoats? Benjy dying? The secrets draw you in. They affect Kitty'a decisions. They drive her. I swear. The secrets make her desperate. They make her dangerous. 

Kitty's change from stuck-up and whiny to brave. Kinda. She ends up doing the right thing. She ends up fighting back instead of letting it all hit you. I like her this way. She really annoyed me at first. She was acting like someone who takes advantage of everything. She lets the fantastical world of the Harts draw her in. She acts whiny when she doesn't get what she wants. A true Lila Hart if you ask me. (Lila annoyed me too. The real Lila.) If you ask me, our darling Kitty ends up in a better position. I can't wait for the next book. She'll end up a great heroine. I can tell. 

And the only character I really liked is Benjy. He's kind. Caring. He'll do anything for Kitty. While Kitty doesn't seem to deserve it, Benjy is that boy-next-door. Smart. Nice. Friendly. You just want to love him. And I really liked his character. He is the guy I want as my best friend. A brother. This guy is really the good guy. Which...seems impossible. How is someone this nice? Is it possible? I'm not sure. It's a great dream, though. 

There is the downside of Kitty being stuck-up. I mentioned it. Just mentioning it again. 

The fast plot was driving me crazy. It jumped from scene to scene. We blasted through scenes. From Elswhere's bunkhouse to the mansion. What? The action is fast. Crazy fast. Leaps from scene to scene. I'm not sure exactly why this book is so short. I really like this book, though. The fast pace was hard to keep up with. I couldn't keep jotting down notes on plot as I read. Ten pages meant like...ten sentences of full-on description. 

That. Cliffhanger. Lila Hart. The real one. She walks back in. And is Elsewhere completely free of Shields? Why? I have to wait until the next book. I want to know if there are more secrets. More betrayals. If Knox actually betraying everyone? Is he? What about Hannah? What will Hannah do? I feel like she's going to confide in Daxton. The real Daxton or not. 

Weather:

Sunny with a 10% chance of rain 

4/5

December 16, 2014: 'Even in Paradise'

Welcome to Book City

Date: December 16, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

Even in Paradise

Chelsey Philpot

When Julia Buchanan enrolls at St. Anne’s at the beginning of junior year, Charlotte Ryder already knows all about the former senator’s daughter. Most people do... or think they do.

Charlotte certainly never expects she’ll be Julia’s friend. But almost immediately, she is drawn into the larger than-life-new girl’s world—a world of midnight rendezvous, dazzling parties, palatial vacation homes, and fizzy champagne cocktails. And then Charlotte meets, and begins falling for, Julia’s handsome older brother, Sebastian.

But behind her self-assured smiles and toasts to the future, Charlotte soon realizes that Julia is still suffering from a tragedy. A tragedy that the Buchanan family has kept hidden... until now.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Charlotte saves Julia from being caught by the Headmistress. She meets Julia's friends and hears of Julia's dead sister Gus. She is invited to Julia's hiding place the chapel on school campus. They listen to prayers from fellow classmates and teachers. She slowly enters Julia's world. Parents' weekend comes. Charlotte's father and step-mother can't come. Charlotte meets Julia's brother Sebastien and sister Cordelia. Julia and Charlotte sneak through the office, looking for Gus's file. They get in trouble. 

Summer comes. Charlotte goes home but is summoned to Julia's family's house on Arcadia quickly. She goes on a bus and meets Sebastien who drives them to a ferry. They get to the island, and Sebastien drives off. Julia talks about her family. Charlotte, when Julia isn't near, goes into Gus's room. Charlotte and Julia skinny dip on the water. Julia's family the Buchanans come. Charlotte meets the family. 

A party happens. Charlotte falls in love with the family. School starts. Rosalie starts to avoid Charlotte, feeling like her friend abandoned her. The regatta comes. Julia participates, and Sebastien and Charlotte watch. They kiss in the dock house. Charlotte doesn't want to go to Thanksgiving because she thinks she'll be embarrass by the kiss. Charlotte goes to the family for New Years. She goes to a club with Sebastien and Julia. She gets drunk. She kissed Sebastien again. They go back to school. Headmistress Day comes. The two friends go sledding on trays. Charlotte's birthday comes. She hangs out with her friends and Sebastien at the library when no one is there. Sebastien and Charlotte fight. Charlotte runs out. Rosalie and Charlotte have a heart-to-heart where they become friends again. She has her official birthday with her family, Julia, Sebastien, and Vinay. She is accepted into her dream school RISD. She asks Sebastien to have Arcadia for just him and her. They have sex. She finds out that Gus did the best prank of all time. She tells Julia. She learns the truth about the accident that killed Gus.
Charlotte goes to prom. Julia pulls an impromptu dance as her prank. The party for Bradley Julia's older brother happens. Julia tries to have fireworks but burns herself and the dock down. Charlotte leaves the house after Mrs. Buchanan yells at her. She doesn't go back to school. Graduation happens. Mrs. Buchanan visits Charlotte at her work place and tells her to find a runaway Julia. Charlotte does and tells Julia to go home. Julia complies. Boom dies when he tried to go home to see Julia. Charlotte attends Boom's funeral, saying it wasn't what he would want at all. She becomes famous as time wears on. She makes a piece for the Buchanans and leaves it at their doorstep. She sees Sebastien and makes up with him. 

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Charlotte.

Normal girl. Likes Sebastien. Friend to Julia. Lives at St. Anne. Nice. Caring. Can let loose. Artist. Has father, step-mother, and two step-brothers. Is nanny to Julia sometimes. 

Julia Buchanan.

Part of the Buchanans. Oldest sister alive. In rowing. Crazy. Wild. Misses Gus. Knows the truth about Gus and David's death. (David being Gus's boyfriend.) Sister to Cordelia, Sebastien, and Bradley. Daddy's girl. Drinks. Knows French.

Opinions:

This book wasn't something I intended to read. I saw it. Wondered if I should read it. And decided 'why not'. I was surprised. It seemed like 'We Were Liars' all over again. (That was a fiasco. Trust me. I didn't like it.) But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this one.

I liked Julia. Definitely. Not in the 'lesbian' way, guys. I pitied her. I saw that Julia was like a lost of people who go through traumatic experiences. She had to drown her sorrows. She drank. Tried to be like Gus. I have a feeling she didn't want people to miss Gus, so she acted like Gus. For her family. Julia is broken. Beautiful. I thought she deserved to be top dog, main character supreme. She was well-written. Emotionless. Reckless. A teenage girl but not. Rich girl but still homey. She was that girl I would befriend. In another life. 

The backstory was interesting. It wasn't really touched on, but it was still interesting. Gus's fault? David's? In the end (spoiler), it's neither. It's the other girl in the car. (Highlight if you want the answer)  Julia.To me, Julia was the best. She was my favorite character in this book.
I also like the lavish lifestyle. While that turned me off for 'We Were Liars', the Buchanans are different. They don't express it as much. Except in schools. Colleges. St. Anne. They really are more down-to-earth. Rich but not spoiled. Kind. Funny. Owning a large piece of land but not letting it go to waste. (I mean...they sold it. To a museum. That's kind. Very kind.) The Buchanans were some of the nicest rich book characters. Ever. Most of them are snotty and stuck-up. Not this family.
I like the loyalty and friendship. Julia  and Charlotte. Contra mundum. They had a great friendship. I wish for that. Being together. Getting crazy together. Act now talk later. I like that. It was nice to see that friendship. Family too. Sadly, there wasn't enough family for me. I wish there was more. It would be nice to know the Buchanans better. Why did Charlotte love the family? They're kind, I know. But why? There are many whys. 
Sadly, the romance turned me off. I didn't like it. It was instant love. The spark wasn't there. I feel like it was physical attraction. Where did they fall in love? Over bottle caps? Quirks? I see why there is appeal in Sebastien. Kind. Funny. A reliable guy. But Charlotte? Boring. Annoying. Dull. Not someone I would ever date. But that's me. 
The ending drove me crazy. How could Charlotte do that? She left Julia. The star. And Charlotte got famous? How? Why? The ending was rushed. I felt annoyed. And getting together with Sebastien? Why not Julia? Where is Julia? The conflict between Julia and Charlotte is not resolved. Why? Is Sebastien more important? Where's the friendship? The family? 
And talking about Charlotte... I didn't like her. She took for granted what she was given. Plus, as a narrator, I didn't like her. She was plain. Dull. Boring. I preferred Julia. Charlotte is that boring narrator I didn't like. She was interesting. Enough. It was her loyalty that I admired the most. But that romantic drama? Pah. The girl was too touchy. They're rich. You're not. Deal. It's not Sebastien's fault if he teases you. Don't be so touchy. 
I also like  

Weather:

Sunny with 50% chance of rain

3/5

TBR Tag

The TBR Tag was created by Dana Square and  A Perfection Called Books.! We're just going to ask you some questions about your TBR. It's fun! And it's a tag so once you do it, tag your friends :D 

*all of these answers should be found on your TBR list

How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

I use Goodreads. And I have a written list of the books on my Goodreads I want to read the most. It's around...a hundred books long. (Compared to my Goodreads list, that's nothing. Plus, I just get some books on a whim.)

Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?

Print. I don’t like ebooks. I can’t read them on anything but my phone. Print is easier to read for me. I also like carrying books around school and brandishing them like swords.

How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?

Hm. I just find which one the library has next. Yup. I also look at which book is next in the series. 

A Book That's Been On Your TBR List The Longest 

The Diary of Anne Frank. Been on there for three years since May 17, 2011. Not entirely proud of that. I wasn't really into her book, though. Interestingly enough, 'Moby Dick' is right after that.

A Book You Recently Added To Your TBR
That’s a great question. –scrolls down list- Well…one I added recently is the untitled, unreleased 'The Selection' book five. (Because we all know 'The Heir' is coming out.) And I got 'The Cabinet of Wonders' on there. (The entire trilogy.) And the next 'Mortality Doctrine' book by James Dashner.  

A Book In Your TBR Strictly Because Of Its Beautiful Cover

Hold on… Aren’t you not supposed to judge books by their covers? Hm? Hm? 

But.

I'm not sure I have one for this one. I'm not a cover buy person. It might attract me at first. But it doesn't make me stick. 

A Book On Your TBR That You Never Plan on Reading

Goodness. What’s with this question? I don’t intend to read the Septimus Heap series. And some others. Like the Gone series. I read the books closer to the bottom of my TBR list. I don’t take books off. That's just not me. 

An Unpublished Book On Your TBR That You’re Excited For

Just one? Well well. I can’t simply choose one. It’s like choosing your favorite book. Hm. Depends really. Some books like 'The Young Elites' were hard for me to wait for. 'Allegiant'. But right now? Not sure. Maybe the next 'The Archived'. Which better come out soon! (Looking at you, Victoria Schwab.)

A Book On Your TBR That Basically Everyone’s Read But You 
Everyone’s read? Maybe ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Or ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’. Or ‘Ender’s Game’. Or the Gone series. I'm proud to say that I did end up reading 'If I Stay'. I mean...I haven't read 'Onyx' or whatever that alien-type series is called. And everyone seems to adore it. I'm just...not an alien-type girl. I feel left out, though. Waaahhh. 

A Book On Your TBR That Everyone Recommends To You

Ugh. I don’t like this. No one recommends books to me. I recommend books to them! I really don't. Sigh...

A Book On Your TBR That You’re Dying To Read

Dying to read? The next Penryn Young book maybe… But that’s not out yet. So yeah. Heh heh… I guess a lot of the books I'm waiting for aren't out yet! The next Sarah J Maas 'Throne of Glass' book. (Waiting impatiently.) Or the next 'The Young Elites'. Yeah! 

But I do have that one series from my childhood I never got to read. 'The Cabinet of Wonders'. I just found it again, and I'm determined to read it. At last! 

How many books are on your Goodreads TBR shelf?
257 books. I’m very picky. I can take hours determining what ten books to add to my list. And I’m trying to cut back on looking at beautiful covers and rancid reviews. Haha... But I add a ton of books that aren't out yet. A lot. Trust me on that one. 

I wasn't tagged by anyone...but you can do it!