Annette's Book Spot

Monday, January 6, 2014

Book Blogger New Year's Challenge - Day 6

No one can pick just ONE favorite for the whole year, right? I've read 167 books and gave 28 books a "5 hat" rating, and it's impossible to pick just one. So here goes:

I guess my absolute favorite is Ready Player One. I just loved that book.

To add to the dystopian list, I also have to mention The 5th Wave and The Trap.

Simply amazing books...

I also wanted to mention a contemporary by one of my favorite authors, Ask the Passengers.

And as far as adult novels are concerned, you can't beat The Light Between Oceans.

What a year! So many great books. How about you? What are your favorites? Don't forget to visit Parajunkee to see the other participants. It's not to late to join up!

Book Review: In the Shadow of Blackbirds, by Cat Winters @catwinters

In the Shadow of Blackbirds is my kind of book, you guys. Historical fiction with a little macabre twist. Yummy!

It's 1918, and the world is in turmoil. The U.S. has entered the war, and there's a world-wide flu epidemic and people are dying by the thousands. Our main character, Mary Shelley, has to leave her home in Portland to stay with her Aunt Eva in San Diego. Her mother died in childbirth, and her father just got arrested for treason.

She's is worried about her father, but excited about seeing her best friend, Stephen, who moved to San Diego.

There are so many aspects to this rich story. First, the flu. Everyone wears masks. They have all these things that supposedly keep you from catching it. Eating onions. Chewing garlic flavored gum. Drinking kerosene. Of course, none of it worked very well, and it seems only a small percent of people survive this deadly disease.

The war. When Mary Shelley visits Stephen, who wants to be a photographer like his father, it is the day before he leaves to enlist in the army. There relationship has progressed into the romantic area, and Mary Shelley is devastated that Stephen is going to war. This was the first war that had things like machine guns and horrible fighting conditions, so there were many soldiers killed or maimed. Mary Shelley eventually volunteers at a hospital for those wounded in the war.

Spiritualism. People were dying right and left. Their relatives were desperate for some consolation. So, spiritualism became very popular. Seances were common. Stephen's brother, Julius, has a thriving business taking portraits of people where the spirits of their dead relatives appear after the picture is developed. Both Mary Shelley and Stephen think this is a scam. But Aunt Eva is a believer.

Mary Shelley gets struck by lightening, and it changes her. She can now see spirits, and feel their pain. I don't want to say too much more about this, because it involves some spoilers. But this is the main element of the mystery in In the Shadow of Blackbirds.

The end involved some surprises that were unexpected and enjoyable. There's a nice resolution to the story, although not entirely happy. How could it be, with all this suffering? I learned a lot about this period in time, especially what it was like trying to avoid getting sick. The flu ended up killing more people that WWI!

In the Shadow of Blackbirds reads so easily and quickly. I couldn't put it down and when I had to, I kept thinking about it. I had the urge to wear a mask when going out! As you can tell, I was pretty immersed in the story. And I love that feeling.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I would highly recommend In the Shadow of Blackbirds. Even if you don't like paranormal stories, this is very subtle. The spiritualism "epidemic" makes the paranormal aspects of the story seem very realistic. I really need to start pushing this one to my students. I think I know many of them that will enjoy In the Shadow of Blackbirds.

Published by Amulet Books, April 2, 2013
Copy obtained from the library
390 pages

Rating: 5/5

Sunday, January 5, 2014

2013 End Of Year Book Survey

This is my third time participating in the End of Year Book Survey, hosted by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner. I'm picking and choosing the questions that I want to answer and skipping some...

Best Books of 2013

1. Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

It is, as usual, very difficult to narrow it down to ONE book. I gave 28 books a "5 hat" rating (out of the 162 I read.)

One favorite for sure is Ready Player One. I just loved that book. To add to the dystopian list, I also have to mention The 5th Wave and The Trap. Simply amazing books... I also wanted to mention a contemporary by one of my favorite authors, Ask the Passengers. And as far as adult novels are concerned, you can't beat The Light Between Oceans.

Whew! First question, and that was HARD!!

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

That would have to be Never Fade. I really enjoyed the first book, The Darkest Minds but couldn't get into the sequel at all!

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

One that comes to mind is Rose Under Fire. Excellent book. I had a LOT of trouble getting through Code Name Verity, so I was shocked at how absorbing Rose Under Fire was.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

I read a lot of sequels that I have to recommend to kids who read the first book. The Benny Imura Series is a great example of this. But, really the book I want EVERYONE to read (because it was my first choice in question number 1) is Ready Player One.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

I'm really enjoying The Testing series. I recently read the second book and I'm loving it.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Because of the above question, the author of The Testing, Joelle Charbonneau, has to be mentioned.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

Well, I read pretty much everything, but probably non-fiction is my least favorite. Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, is one of the best books I've ever read. Once I got into it. That's why it got 4.5 hats instead of 5. But this is truly an amazing story that I would recommend to ANYONE.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

I'd have to say The Trap. My goodness, I gripped that book so tightly that I could barely pry it out of my hands when I was finished.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

No matter how badly I'd like to re-read some books, it just doesn't happen. Look at all the great books coming out in 2014! And all the already published books on my list! I just can't justify re-reading....

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

I have to say Delia's Shadow. This is a beautiful cover that also PERFECTLY depicts the story inside. That's rare...

I also need to mention my second favorite, Going Vintage, just because it's so darn cute.

11. Most memorable character in 2013?

I love ALL of A. S. King's characters. That's why she's probably my favorite author. My favorite character this year is Astrid, from Ask the Passengers.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

This is a hard one. I wish I had read an Alice Hoffman book this year, because I love the way she writes. I usually pick an audiobook for this category. I tend to listen to more epic, detailed stories on audio, and I think these are the "beautifully written" ones. So, I'm choosing Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese. I really enjoyed this slow, detailed book.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?

Never Fall Down. This short book packs a huge wallop!

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

Most of the books I read this year are pretty current, and the ones that aren't really didn't do that much for me. I'll have to say And Then There Were None. One of the teachers at school has been telling me to read this, and I finally did and really enjoyed it.

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

I won't count novellas, so the shortest NOVEL I read was Twelve Things to Do Before You Crash and Burn. It's 121 pages long.

The longest book is Monsters at 688 pages. (And believe me, that was TOO MANY!)

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Beatle and Destiny, from Beatle Meets Destiny. Second place to Eleanor & Park (I suspect that will be a popular answer for this question.)

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

I read both Ask the Passengers and Reality Boy by A. S. King. I'll read anything she wants to write!

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

I haven't counted, but I don't think I need to. I'm sure it's dystopian.

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

I ready two Flavia de Luce novels this year. A Red Herring Without Mustard and Speaking From Among the Bones. I love this series and this character. Great fun!

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

I don't cry much, but I'm sure there were a couple. The first one that comes to mind is The Light Between Oceans.

Looking Ahead

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?

Champion.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?

Into the Still Blue

The Here and Now

The Impossible Knife of Memory

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?

Well, I really need to update my blog. It's had the same (boring) design for a long time. I hope to read AS MUCH in 2014 as I did in 2013. I'm not sure it's possible to read any more. I'm just hoping to keep up the reading/blogging pace that I've established.

Hope 2013 has been great for you and that 2014 will bring more of the same! Leave me a link so I can check out your answers!

Friday, January 3, 2014

My 2014 Reading Challenges!

I'm signing up for four reading challenges for 2014. Three have to do with how MUCH I'm reading. I don't like to sign up for things that LIMIT which books I can read.

Here's a link to my Challenge Page, where I'll keep track.

You Read How Many Books? is hosted by Book Dragon's Lair. I'm going for Level 2: 150 at Least! I've read over 160 books in 2013, so hopefully I can do this in 2014.

I love eBooks. The 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge is hosted by Workadayreads.

I read 66 eBooks in 2012, so I didn't quite make my goal of 75. I'm going to push myself again and go for Level 5 - "Hard Drive" - 75 ebooks. Wish me luck!

The I Love Library Books Challenge is hosted by Book Dragon's Lair. My goal for 2013 was 24 library books and I read 50! So for 2014, I'm going for the highest level, 50!

And, of course there's my own challenge:

There's a link to the challenge page on the sidebar also. I'm going for Level 2 again - 25 books. Here's a link to the list I've started. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for books I can read in a day.

Hope you find something interesting here that you might want to participate in!

Book Blogger New Year's Challenge -- Day 3

There just isn't time to read every book that I want to, so of course, there are many books that could be on the list of "The Books of 2013 You are Sad You Missed."

The first book that comes to mind is Champion. But I intend to remedy that situation SOON!

Some other books still on my TBR:

This is What Happy Looks Like

The Golem and the Jinni

Clockwork Princess

A Million Suns and Shades of Earth

Oh, I could go on...there are many more. I'm sure reading all of your answers will just add to my list! Leave me a link. Also, make sure you visit Parajunkee, our host, and see all the participating blogs.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Book Bloggers New Year's Challenge - Day 2

Hosted by Parajunkee!

Pros and Cons of Blogging

Pros:

1. I enjoy it

2. It helps me remember the books I've read

3. I learn about a lot of books I never would have heard of

4. I get free books before publication

Cons:

1. It takes a lot of time

2. There's always pressure to increase followers, whether I think that's important or not

3. Sometimes I don't get to read what I want when I want to

4. I have too many books on my TBR because of #3 in "Pros!"

The pros have always outweighed the cons for me. I've never had a reading or blogging slump in over 3 years. *knocks on wood* I think if the cons took over, I would quit. I hope that doesn't happen...

Book Review: Defy, by Sara B. Larson @SaraBLarson

Well, what a way to start the year! I loved Defy! Larson has created characters that I cared about in an interesting world.

Alexa has to pretend to be a boy to keep from being sent to the breeding house for girls. She and her brother, because they have become such skilled fighters, are guards to the prince. The country is at war. A sorcerer that cannot be beaten by the guards kidnaps the prince and Alex(a) and another guard are taken with them.

The magic is subtle and believable. The sorcery is slowly revealed throughout the book. There are plenty of surprises that kept my interest. I had a hard time putting Defy down! This is the kind of fantasy that I enjoy. The story is grounded in a human world; the magic is difficult and complex -- it doesn't just save the day over and over again. There aren't weird mythical creature and objects with special powers.

Alexa is tough. She has to be. And she's an amazing warrior. She's already had a difficult life when we meet her, and things don't get any easier in Defy. There's a bit of a love triangle, but it suited the story and didn't overpower the adventure. I'm not exactly happy with the way things ended romantically, but hopefully there's more to this story so things can work out the way I want them to!

I've read a few reviews that talk about how unrealistic it is for Alex(a) to be able to pull off being a male. Everything isn't explained (like, how DID she go to the bathroom?) But, she had the protection of her brother, which helped smooth the way. After that, her charade slowly fell away as expected. I found it believable enough, and the parts that weren't, I just "let it go" for the rest of this awesome story.

Damian, the prince, is multi-layered, and I enjoyed discovering new things about him as Alex(a) did. I think I enjoyed it much more than Alex(a) did. I did get annoyed with her for getting so mad at Damian for keeping secrets. He had reasons, and she just needs to grow up! I don't like when love doesn't survive because of mis-communications, so I just need these two to communicate!

I highly recommend Defy to readers who enjoyed books like Throne of Glass, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Girl of Fire and Thorns. Sara B. Larson's website says the sequel will be published in January of 2015. It's gonna be a long wait...

Published by Scholastic, January 7, 2014
Copy obtained from NetGalley
336 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge - 2103 End of Year Update!

Thanks to everyone who participated in my 2013 Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge. There were only a few of us, but that's OK. So how did you do? Let me know in the comments, or leave me a link.

If you are interested in joining me for 2014, here's a link to the challenge page. There's also a link on the sidebar of my blog.

My 2013 goal was to read 25 books, and I barely made it! I read the last three in December. Once again, I only read a few off of my original list. I just read a lot of quick books as I found them. So, the rest of my list for 2013 is on my 2014 list. Feel free to give me suggestions throughout the year!

Here's my list of books read in a day during 2013:

1. A Certain October, by Angela Johnson
2. All the Earth, Thrown to the Sky, by Joe R. Lansdale
3. 12 Things to Do Before You Crash and Burn, by James Proimos
4. The Always War, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
5. Dying to Know You, by Aidan Chambers
6. The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life, by Tara Altebrando
7. The Future of Us, by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
8. Six Years, by Harlan Coben
9. The Elephant of Surprise, by Brent Hartinger
10. Rotten, by Michael Northrop
11. Manicpixiedreamgirl, by Tom Leveen
12. Trapped, by Michael Northrop
13. Towering, by Alex Flinn
14. The Pregnancy Project, by Gabi Rodriguez
15. All I Need, by Susane Colasanti
16. Sky on Fire, by Emmy Laybourne
17. The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau
18. The Tragedy Paper, by Elizabeth Laban
19. Never Fall Down, by Patricia McCormick
20. Changeling, by Philippa Gregory
21. Countdown, by Michelle Rowen
22. Mojo, by Tim Tharp
23. The Elite, by Kiera Cass
24. The Perfect Christmas, by Debbie Macomber
25. And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie
26. Perfect Scoundrels, by Ally Carter

Happy New Year, and thanks for visiting!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Parajunkee's Book Bloggers New Year's Challenge - Day 1

Happy New Year! I'm trying to participate in Parajunkee's New Year's Challenge. I'm not sure I'll make it every day, but I'll do my best!

Today: Your Blogger Resolutions

Nothing fancy here. I'd like to keep the reading pace that I've had for the past two years. Almost 56,000 pages and around 170 books. I don't think I can do much more than that, so I won't even go for that.

I also REALLY REALLY need to do something about my blog design. It's old, and simple, and I'm really bored with it. I have ideas about what I want, but haven't yet decided to give up the time (and money) and hassle to get it done. Maybe I'll just go for something simple that I can do myself again. I just need a change. I've never been about winning prizes or maximizing hits on my site, so that's why design is not my top priority. But it's time to DO something.

As always, and just like most people, I'd like to read and comment on more blogs every day. I'll keep working at getting better at this. Some days are better than others...

How about you? What are your Blogger Resolutions? Be sure to stop by Parajunkee's and participate!

Monday, January 6, 2014

Book Blogger New Year's Challenge - Day 6

Book Review: In the Shadow of Blackbirds, by Cat Winters @catwinters

Sunday, January 5, 2014

2013 End Of Year Book Survey

Best Books of 2013

Looking Ahead

Friday, January 3, 2014

My 2014 Reading Challenges!

Book Blogger New Year's Challenge -- Day 3

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Book Bloggers New Year's Challenge - Day 2

Pros and Cons of Blogging

Book Review: Defy, by Sara B. Larson @SaraBLarson

Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge - 2103 End of Year Update!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Parajunkee's Book Bloggers New Year's Challenge - Day 1

Today: Your Blogger Resolutions

Happy New Year! 2014!!

I hope 2014 brings you health and happiness!

May all your dreams come true...

LinkWithin

Monday, January 6, 2014

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Best Books of 2013

Looking Ahead

Friday, January 3, 2014

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Pros and Cons of Blogging

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Today: Your Blogger Resolutions

I hope 2014 brings you health and happiness! May all your dreams come true...

LinkWithin

I hope 2014 brings you health and happiness!

May all your dreams come true...