Annette's Book Spot

Friday, January 2, 2015

Feature and Follow Friday - Best of 2014

Happy New Year! This week's question from Parajunkee and Alison is:

Happy New Year!!!! What was your favorite book of 2014 - or books if you can't name just one?

I gave 25 books a 5 out of 5 rating this year. My favorite adult book is State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett. For YA, it's a hard decision but I think Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little wins.

You can see a list of all the books I've read in 2014 on my Archives Page.

You can see some other favorites of mine for the year on my 2014 End of Year Book Survey.

Thanks for stopping by! Leave me a link to your faves.

2014 End of Year Book Survey

Thanks to Jamie, The Perpetual Page Turner for hosting the End of Year Book Survey

Reading-stats-2014

Number Of Books You Read: 153
Number of Re-Reads: zero, I think. (That's unusual...)
Genre You Read The Most From: YA, Dystopian or Fantasy

Best-YA-books-2014

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?

I gave 25 books a 5 out of 5 rating this year. My favorite adult book is State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett. For YA, it's a hard decision but I think Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little wins.

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

White Space, by Ilsa J. Bick. I've loved all her books, but didn't even finish this one.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?

Diamond Boy, by Michael Williams. This one has stuck with me. Don't like the cover, that's probably why I didn't expect much.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?

It's really Unbroken, by Hillenbrand, but I read that last year. So, I'd have to say Dark Places, by Gillian Flynn. Everyone has read Gone Girl, so I recommend her other books.

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?

Started: Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little
Sequel: Her Dark Curiosity, by Megan Shepherd
Ender: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Taylor, Fire & Ash by Maberry,

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

Meg Wolitzer, Belzhar

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I pretty much read anything. Nonfiction is out of my comfort zone, but I didn't really read anything standout this year. I guess Skink No Surrender, by Hiaasen because it's more juvenile.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Fire & Ash, by Jonathan Maberry

9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I'm not a big re-reader, so I don't think there's any.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

The Cure for Dreaming, by Cat Winters

11. Most memorable character of 2014?

Glory O'Brien, from Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A. S. King

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

Lies We Tell Ourselves, by Robin Talley
Mornings in Jenin, by Susan Abulhawa

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?

The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

I need to start keeping track of this during the year, because at the end, when I'm trying to remember, I can't.

16. Shortest and Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Swamp Bones, by Kathy Reichs (98 pages)
NOS4A2, by Joe Hill (704 pages)

17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

Sami and Fatima from The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Chava and Ahmad from The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A. S. King

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Daughter of Fortune, by Isabel Allende

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

I guess I'm too old for crushes :)

23. Best 2014 debut you read?

A Mad Wicked Folly, by Sharon Biggs Waller

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Belle Epoque, by Elizabeth Ross

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

The Reece Malcolm List, by Amy Spalding
The Prince Charming Starter Kit, by Carolyn Carter

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?

Torn Away, by Jennifer Brown

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

So, so many. Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer, Belle Epoque, by Elizabeth Ross, A Death Struck Year, by Makiia Lucier, Forbidden, by Kimberly Griffiths Little, A Mad Wicked Folly,by Sharon Biggs Waller

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

The Secret Sky, by Atia Abawi

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick and The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden
.
Looking-Ahead-Books 2015

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?

Unspoken by Brennan, Stitching Snow by Lewis, and The Invention of Wings by Kidd

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?

The Great Zoo of China, by Matthew Reilly

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

The Prey, by Tom Isbell

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?

Cold Legacy, by Megan Shepherd

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?

Read more! Comment more!

6. A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

All Fall Down, by Ally Carter, Golden Son, by Pierce Brown

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year!

I hope 2015 brings you much joy and many blessings! And books too! Yes, we can't forget about the books!

Also, if you are interested I'm hosting the 2015 EBook Reading Challenge. So, go sign up!

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Book Review: Golden Son, by Pierce Brown @Pierce_Brown

Golden Son, the second book in the Red Rising Trilogy, is nothing short of epic. What an intricate, sophisticated world Brown has created!

I would suggest reading my review of Red Rising or other reviews to get the background for the world and characters of Golden Son.

At the beginning of the book Darrow is participating in war games to prove he is the best warrior and win a fleet of his own. It's only him and Karnus, his arch enemy, left, and Darrow has the upper hand. But things take a turn, Karnus wins, and in the process many lives are lost. This happens in the first few pages, so this isn't really a spoiler.

I didn't understand why so many lives were lost if this was supposed to be a game. And why does Darrow get blamed for it all, when Karnus is the one who killed everyone? But, this episode changes everything for Darrow and so the stage is set.

If you haven't read Red Rising, Golden Son won't make much sense. As a matter of fact, it took me a while to remember what happened and get back into the world that Pierce has created. There's no summary of the previous book, although some reminders are given.

Darrow loses everything. Augustus takes everything away from him and plans to sell him at auction. With no protection, he will surely be murdered by Karnus' family. But an unlikely benefactor offers to help Darrow if he joins up with this man. Darrow doesn't have much choice so, even though he distrusts the man, he agrees.

Things NEVER turn out as expected. No one is to be trusted. There are more twists than you can possibly imagine. And, just like Red Rising, Golden Son is non-stop action. Battle after battle. Each time barely coming out of it alive, but never giving up.

There are a lot of characters, and everyone, every place, and everything has weird foreign names. It's hard to keep track of the characters, their race, and what family they are associated with. I know this book has been compared to The Hunger Games but Golden Son is much more complex and harder to read. I'm not even sure this should be categorized as young adult (I think it is, though, isn't it?)

Golden Son is long (over 450 pages). But, it's not just long in pages, it takes your full attention, and I had to read it much slower than your average YA book. I do think it could have been culled a bit, but I did think it's pacing was better than Red Rising, even though it's longer.

Now that those negatives are out of the way, I want to make it clear that I loved this book. It keeps your attention. Each character is unique, and portrayed with enough detail to make you care about them (or hate them, as the case may be.) Wow, and the world. Down to the tiniest detail, the world is vivid. The politics are complex and totally unique. Golden Son is a dystopian, but it's so far in the future that there are a lot of fantasy elements. Those who enjoy adventure, fearsome battles, and fantastical worlds and creatures will not want to miss the Red Rising Trilogy.

Published by Del Ray, January 6, 2015
eARC obtained from NetGalley
464 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Book Review: Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

I'm not sure what to say about Midwinterblood. It is one strange book.

We begin in the year 2073, and each story goes backwards in time from there. We end up during the time of the Vikings. Each story takes place on an island called Blessed. Characters reappear in each time period.

Midwinterblood is essentially a love story, but I didn't really get that until the end of the book.

It's easy to read, and the stories are each interesting and loosely related to prior stories. The story does come full circle at the end, which helps. I was going to be really angry if we didn't go back to the beginning (which is the end.)

It's a very short book, and reads very quickly. However, its unique style makes it suitable to only a select population of teens. At least in my school. I think Midwinterblood would be an interesting classroom read. There are some wonderful literary themes and techniques that could be discussed.

So if you feel adventurous and have a few hours to spare, pick up Midwinterblood.

Published by Roaring Brook Press, 2013
Copy obtained from the library
262 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 3/5

Monday, December 29, 2014

Book Review: The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy @SarahMMcCoy

While there are many aspects to the plot of The Baker's Daughter, I was totally captivated by this story.

The Baker's Daughter is Elsie's story. In a dual narrative, we are told her story beginning in 1945 in Germany and also in Texas 60 years later.

In Germany, it is war time and Elsie's family owns a bakery. Her family has escaped the worst of the economic disaster that has been caused by the war because of the bakery and the protection of a Germany military officer who wants to marry Elsie.

In Texas, Elsie and her daughter, Jane, own a thriving German bakery. Reba is a reporter wanting to write a story about German Christmas traditions who comes to interview Elsie. Reba and Jane become close friends.

Here are some other aspects of the plot that add so much depth:

Elsie's sister (in 1945) is part of the Lebensborn Program, a breeding program to take the most pure Aryan women and pairs them with German military officers to have babies to purify the Aryan race. I'm not kidding!
Reba's fiance in Texas is a border patrol agent who is Hispanic. This causes him some turmoil.
Elsie, in 1945, hides a little Jewish boy in her room without anyone else in her family knowing.
Elsie's German officer has his own emotional struggles after shooting another German soldier. I won't give you the details.
Reba isn't sure about marriage.
Jane has never been married, but her story is a romantic one.

For the most part, I loved the way The Baker's Daughter was told. I did have some problems when the story in Germany flashed back to how Elsie met the German officer. You have to pay attention to the dates, even within each time frame.

I loved the ending. I'm so glad the loose ends were all tied up. Most people got their happily ever after and you end up feeling good after all the destruction and heartbreak of the story. The Baker's Daughter is just my kind of book and made me want to check out other books by McCoy.

The Baker's Daughter is an adult book, but mature teens who are interested in the time period, and enjoy a story of family, friendship, and romance will enjoy it. I'm certainly going to recommend this to my adult reading friends.

Published by Crown, 2012
eBook obtained from the library
304 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Signup! 2015 EBook Reading Challenge

Time to clean up those e-readers! Welcome to the sign up page for the 2015 EBook Reading Challenge!

Challenge Guidelines:

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015.

Anyone can join, you don’t need to be a blogger. If you don’t have a blog, feel free to sign-up in the comments. You can post reviews to any book site (i.e. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Goodreads, etc).

Any genre or length of book counts, as long as it is in ebook format.

You can plan your books in advance or as you read them.

When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the E-Book Reading Challenge.

Sign-ups will be open throughout 2015, so feel free to join at any time during the year.

Levels:

1. Bits – 5 ebooks
2. Bytes – 10 ebooks
3. Megabytes – 25 ebooks
4. Gigabytes – 50 ebooks
5. Terabytes – 75 ebooks
6. Empty the Cloud – 100 ebooks

At the beginning of each month there will be a roundup post for you to add your reviews for that month. The linky will remain open for the remainder of the year, so if you forget, feel free go back and add them when you remember.

Sign up for the 2015 Ebook Challenge below. Please use the direct URL to the post where you join the challenge and declare your level.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Stacking the Shelves: Nothing for Christmas

Surprisingly, I didn't get any books for Christmas. But I did get some for review!

For Review:

All Fall Down, by Ally Carter from LMC Magazine

Lost Republic, by Paul B. Thompson from LMC Magazine

Woven, by Michael Jensen and David Powers King from LMC Magazine

Things We Know By Heart, by Jessi Kirby from Edelweiss

That's it for me. How about you? Anything I need to add to my list? Thanks for visiting. Make sure you stop by Team Tynga's Reviews our hosts.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Feature & Follow Friday - Book Gifts

The day after Christmas is probably my favorite day of the year. I don't plan too much -- unless it's something I WANT to do. I hope you enjoy today! Here's this week's question:

What books did you give other people this holiday season?

I gave my niece Greenglass House, by Kate Milford and a gift card to the book store

I gave my husband a couple Harlan Coben books I found on the bargain rack. One of his favorite authors.

I gave another niece a gift card to the book store. I gave my little grand nieces and nephews various children's books. I gave my daughter and son-in-law gift cards to Amazon. I know they can use them for anything, but they both like to read eBooks, so they may use them for books.

Not a big book-giving year for me. So, how about you? Thanks for stopping by, and make sure to visit Alison and Parajunkee, our hosts.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas!

I hope you and your loved ones have a joyous holiday.