Bout of Books 13.0!

Hello all! I hope you are doing well. I am doing okay. I have had the staples removed from my incisions on Thursday, but I'm still having pain because, the way I understand it, is that they had to got through muscle to get to my appendix and so they had to stitch it closed and the pull from the stitch is causing the pain. It should go away in two to four more weeks, when the stitch either dissolves or pops. Yey.......

Anyway, the Bout of Books 13.0 starts on Monday! I have a pretty mellow week, so I'm hoping to get a fair bit of reading done. If you haven't noticed, I've posted the BoB button on the homepage, so that will get you right to the BoB blog. But, if you want some more information, check this out:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I'm guessing you want to know what I'm going to be reading and my goals, don'tcha?? Well, here they are.

My goal is to read 150-200 pages per each of the days.
My TBR is the entire LUX series by Jennifer L. Arementrout
If I finish that, I want to pick up The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

I will be posting my page count each day on my Twitter, GoodReads, and Instagram. And of course, here on the blog as well! (Feel free to friend/follow me on any of these sites! ;))

I hope you all will be joining in! I will also be participating in #RYBSAT or Read Your Bookshelf-A-Thon which takes place next week. I will have a separate post up for my TBR for that one! 

For now, that's it.

I'll type at you later!

Shea

Recent Reads, Top 5 Wednesday, and Appendix Update!

Hello all! I hope you are doing well! I am doing okay, I get my staples out tomorrow and I'm super excited! I still have a little bit of pain, but it's easier to move around and do things for myself.

Anyway, I've been reading a lot of Alex Flinn's shorter novels. Let me tell you, they are very dramatic! But, they have trigger warnings. I can't believe how much she can pack into a 200 page novel. They are really good. I've given all of the ones I've read so far four out of five stars. If you want,  I can do a more in-depth review of the novels or even a spoilerey book talk. Let me know.

Okay, it's been a while since I did my last Top 5 Wednesday. I wanted to do this week because it's Top 5 Books you want to see made into a TV series. I had a little bit of trouble with this one, but I've decided on a few. Here they are:

1. Harry Potter Series
2. Uglies Series (Even though I've only read one... ;))
3. Beautiful Creatures Series
4. Wicked
5. Fannie Farmer Cookbook

Okay, let me explain the last one. I think this would make an awesome cooking show! :P

Anyway,

Type at you later!

Shea

April Wrap-Up... AKA I Read a Shit Ton of Books This Month!

Hello all!

I hope you had an awesome April! It seems like it lasted so long, but it's over so soon too! I have read a whole bunch of books this month. Honestly, I thought I read some of them last month, but my GoodReads page says otherwise. I guess I'll stick to what that says!

Anyway, I read a total of 11 books and an essay this month. So, let's get on to the Wrap-Up.

The first book I read this month, or rather finished, was Wicked by Gregory Maguire. This book honestly did not live up to my expectations. It is a very seldom instance when I enjoy an adaption over the book. This is one of those instances. I prefer the Broadway adaption rather than the book. I think this may be because of the explicitness of the book, but I'm not sure. I have the second book, but I think I'll hold off on reading it for a little while. I gave it three stars.

The second book I read was Cinderella's Dress by Shonna Slayton. This was one of my favorite books that I read this month. I honestly thought it was going to be a fairytale retelling of Cinderella. But it wasn't. Basically, it was about this family who is the protectors of the three Cinderella Dresses (the ACTUAL dresses). It takes place during WWII and the main character's great aunt and uncle comes to the states from Poland with these dresses and are handing them down to the next generation. It was a really enjoyable book. I gave it four stars.

Next, I read The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. I also watched the movie and did a joint-review of the two which you can find under the tags Silver Linings Playbook and Matthew Quick for easy access to them. See that to learn my thoughts on the book! I gave it a four star rating.

After that, I read, or rather finished, Macbeth by William Shakespeare. I had to read this one for school. It was honestly one of the better Shakespeare plays that I read in my school career. Either that, or I've just grown to like Shakespeare more as I've gotten older. I gave Macbeth a three star rating.

Next, I picked up the Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick. This consists of Hush Hush, Crescendo, Silence, and Finale. Honestly, I don't think the titles go with the story at all. It's basically a twilight-esque love story between a fallen angel and a mortal. Don't get me wrong, Hush Hush was one of the best books I've read so far this year. But the rest of the series (and especially the last book) got too much like Twilight for my taste. Twilight is an okay book, but the similarities were there.... to the point where the main love interest has lots of money, several expensive cars, overly eloquent houses, and takes it upon himself to see that the main protagonist is safe. During the last book, I rolled my eyes several times. I gave Hush Hush a five star rating, but Crescendo and Silence got four, and Finale got three.

This was the time that I was admitted into the hospital to have my appendix out. That was an experience in itself, let me tell you. But in the three days I was in the hospital, I read two full books. They were just simple ones with easy to follow story lines, but they kept me occupied whilst there. I read Wicked Little Secrets and Deadly Little Sins by Kara Taylor. These are the last two books in the Prep-School Confidential books and they are actually pretty good. If you like the Gallaghar Girls Series by Aly Carter, I think you would enjoy these as well. I'm not going to go into the books, since they are at the end of a series, but I gave them four and three stars, respectively.

It was then that I was forced to pick up A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift. This is the man that wrote Gulliver's Travels, so I thought this piece of satire would be an okay read. No, it was not. He is writing that to control the population problem in Ireland, that people EAT BABIES. What has the school system come to? I gave this one star.

Lastly, I read Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. I thought this book was very insightful. I, as someone who has never encountered the Prison or Legal System, thought that we are shown how women can come together as a family and become protectors of secrets and each other. Now, the book is slightly different than the Netflix Original Series. They use different names and there is A LOT less sexual content. Aside from using the F-Bomb a gazillion times, the most sexually explicit scene was when she explains how these two inmates were bringing in contraband, which turned out to be a box full of Dilldos. *shrugs* It wasn't bad. I gave it four stars.

As for Dewey's Read-A-Thon, I'm marking it as a fail. When I was awake that day, I ate and took medicine, and then went back to bed. Oh well. I'll try again in October. :)

And my appendix? I'm recovering quite well. I'm still a slow mover and can't bend over yet. But I'm mobile and am walking around much easier. I get my staples out next Thursday.

And one last thing.......... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEST FRIEND BROOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday Reads, Dewey's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon & Appendicitis!

Hello all! Tomorrow is the Dewey's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon and I will be participating in as much of it as I can! I'm not going to even attempt to read for the complete 24 hours, however. Why, you may ask? Yesterday, I had the pleasure of having my appendix out! Now, recovery may be the perfect time to get some reading done, and believe me, I have (I've finished two books in the past few days!). However, when it's time for my pain medicine, I zonk out for a few hours and can't concentrate on a book. I might invest in an audio book for this RAT, but I'm not sure yet.

Anyway, what am I planning on reading this weekend? I think I've decided on two books. I've already started Deadly Little Sins by Kara Taylor. It's the third in a trilogy (I think, but don't quote me on that.) called Prep School Confidential. The trilogy is pretty good. :)

The second book I'm planning on reading is Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. I'm obsessed with the Netflix series, so to prepare for the new season coming out, I though I would read the book! I'll let you know what I think of it!

Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. I'm not going to have a end of the week/beginning of the week update up again. I'm just going to take some time for some good ole fashioned R&R. I'll have an update up for you soon however!

Type at you later!

Shea

P.S. You can find all of the Dewey's RAT info here!

Book Problems TAG

Hello all! I'm bored, so I thought I would do another tag. :) Oh, the joys of being sick!

Anyway, today I am going to do the Book Problems Tag! (Originally created by About to Read on YouTube and I was not tagged. I thought this would just be fun to do as it is raining and I am sick. Lovely!)

Anyway, ON TO THE QUESTIONS!

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR pile. How on Earth do you decide what to read next?

I think if I were ever faced with this problem, I would have to result in using my TBR jar. I am usually a mood reader, but I think this case would be perfect for the use of a TBR jar. But, writing/typing out all of those book titles to put into the jar would be a pain in the butt, don't you think?

2. You're halfway through a book and you're not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

Hmmm.... Usually, I would DNF a book like that. Unless it's a book that I've been invested in and want to know how it ends. At a time like this, I would put the book aside and pick it up down the road  again.

3. It's the end of the year, and you're so close, yet so far from your GoodReads Reading Challenge. Do you try to catch up now?

This question makes me laugh because this very situation happened to me last year. In December, I was about eleven books away from my reading goal. I managed to finish it by plowing through a bunch of really awesome books! :D So, I guess the answer to this question would be that I would try to catch up.

4. The covers of a series you love do not match. How do you cope?

*Siiiiiiiigh* I am currently dealing with this situation right now with my Vampire Academy books. Most of my books are the ones with a person on the cover. But, I didn't have the complete series and when I went to my local Books-A-Million, they had the other covers. I don't really mind because they all have the same story in them, but I would like uniformity on my shelves. So, eventually I will pick up the other covers off of the Book Depository website or something like that. But for right now, I'm okay with it.

5. Everyone and their mother loves a book that you hate. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

In this case, I suppose I would find someone on GoodReads that has reviewed/rated the book same as I had and I would talk with them about it. And then try to avoid videos/blog posts mentioning the book at all costs! ;P

6. You're reading in public and you're about to start crying. How do you deal?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Public! You're so funny.

7. A sequel to a book you love is coming out, but you've forgotten the plot of the previous book. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on GoodReads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?!

This one's easy. I would re-read the previous book. If it's a book I love, why would I have a problem with re-reading it?

8. You do not want anyone, ANYONE, borrowing your books. How do you tell them no?

This is a hard one because I haven't had someone ask me to borrow my books (unless you count my mother, who lives in the same house as I do and I can keep an eye on my book.) I guess I would just ask them to be extra careful with them and if they ruin it, would they please replace it?

9. Reading ADD. You've picked up and put down five different books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

Either read a book I know I love or watch tons of different reviews to find a new book that I know I'll love.

10. There are so many good books coming out that you want to read. How many do you actually buy?

I usually wait until they come onto BookOutlet or someone is selling one on Amazon or half.com at a really good price.

11. After you've bought the new books you can't wait to read, how long do they sit on your shelf before you actually read them?

Now, that depends on how many books I've actually bought. If I've only bought one or two books, I'll pick them up pretty much right away. If I've hauled a giant pile of books, they could sit on my shelves for weeks and months.

Well, I hope you liked this tag. I may or may not have another post up tomorrow. Sorry I didn't have a Beginning of the Week or End of the Week Update up this week. I wound up in the hospital with an infection, so I've been recovering. Nothing too serious. I'm fine and have been reading a lot. :)

I guess that's everything for now. I'm going to dive into Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick because I've got about 50 pages left and really want to finish it tonight!

Type at you later!

Shea

The Royal Court Tag

Hi guys! Today, I'm going to be doing the Royal Court Tag (Originally by Janna Marie on YouTube). There are ten questions total that pertain to book characters and I thought I would share my thoughts with you!

And now, presenting.....

THE ROYAL COURT!

1. The King (Who is your favorite Male lead character?)

Hmmm... I have a lot of favorite Male characters. But, if I had to pick my favorite LEAD character, I would pick Harry from Harry Potter. I don't mean to be biased, because Harry Potter is my favorite series, and I'll try to keep as many of those characters off of this list, but Harry is legitimately one of my favorite characters in a book. He's so sassy and funny in the books and so, he is my King.

2. The Queen (Who is your favorite Female lead character?)

Again, hard to choose. I think I would have to choose Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. Rose is just such a kick-ass girl and the way that she is protective of Lissa is just such a great thing. I kind of look up to her as a sort of a role model.

3. The First Prince (Who do you think is the most loyal Male character?)

My opinion on the most loyal male character is Peta from the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Peta is loyal to Katniss even though he is embarrassed by her. Peta keeps up a good front and protects Katniss in the Games and even after them. He even keeps a good watch out for Haymitch and his drinking.

4. The Second Prince (Who do you think is the most laid-back male character?).

For this one, I would have to go with Agustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars. I mean think about it, this guy is eighteen years old and he has terminal cancer. He's not going completely out of control. He has mentally prepared himself and I think that makes him just perfect.

5. The Headstrong Princess (Who do you think is a headstrong female character?)

For this, I would have to pick Karou from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone quartet by Lani Taylor. Karou is very headstrong. All she wants to do is be an artist and hang out with her best friend, Zuzanna, but Brimstone has her running all over the world collecting teeth and then she has to help settle this war between races. Headstrong? I think yes.

6. The King's Advisor (Who do you think is the most trustworthy male character?)

I think this would have to be Wolf from the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Now, I haven't read the entire series yet, but in Scarlet he is really trustworthy and helpful to Scarlet.

7. The Duke and Duchess (Who is your OTP?)

Okay, here's another Harry Potter one. But Ginny/Harry will always be my OTP. <3

8. Lady/Gentleman in Waiting of the Bedchamber (Who do you think is the best supporting character?)

I'm going with Tiny from Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Leviathan. He's just so amazing and comfortable with himself. His character really helps both Will Graysons and just makes me smile over all.

9. The Secret Traitor (Who do you think is the most untrustworthy character?)

Just gonna say it... President Snow from the Hunger Games. 'Nuff said.

10. Court Wizard (Who is your favorite character with magical abilities?)

Juliette from the Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi. Again, I haven't finished the entire trilogy, but I love her powers. She is just such a good person with her powers (in the first book) and just wants to learn how to control them.

11. The Royal Fool (Who do you think is the funniest character?)

I'm going to go with Pumpkin from the May Bird trilogy. This is one of my favorite trilogies from growing up. Pumpkin is just so awkward and he adds comedy to this story. I really enjoy him as a character.

12. The Gossiping Lady's Maid (What character is most likely to spread rumors?)

I'm going with another blast from my past. I'm going to pick Massie Block from the Clique Series by Lisi Harrison. She is really a bitch and spreads rumors anyway, so I thought she would be the perfect pick for this one!

13. The Handsome Servant (What male character is most likely to seduce a female character?)

Okay, this is kind of backwards because I'm actually going with someone royal. Prince Maxon from The Selection series. He really does seduce several female characters so I thought he'd be perfect for this one!

Well, this was The Royal Court Tag. I hope you guys enjoyed it and I'll check back in soon!

Type at you later!

Shea    

The Silver Linings Playbook Book/Movie Adaptation Review

Hello guys! I know this was supposed to go up on Sunday, but I've been having trouble with my Mac and this is the first time I was able to get to a different computer to type this up! Anyway, today I am bringing you my Silver Linings Playbook Book/Movie Adaptation Dual-Review.

So, let's talk about the book first. It was really good. It was the first book that I read that had anything to do with Adult Mental Illness. And, speaking from personal experience, I know how mental illness is perceived. I thought the way it was handled in this book was done really well.

We meet our main character, Pat, the day his mother checks him out of a Mental Institution. He has the idea in his head that he must get back into shape and look good so that his wife will get back together with him. All we know at the beginning of the book is that they are having "apart-time".

Pat begins to see a therapist as one of the conditions on him being released from the "bad place" as he calls it. Pat and his therapist really bond and they become close friends. Especially over their favorite football team, the Eagles. Turns out, Pat's brother has season tickets to the home games and so does the therapist. They aren't therapist and patient when they are talking about football, they are friends. That was something I really enjoyed.

But then, Pat meets Tiffany. Tiffany is Pat's best friend's wife's sister. They are trying to set Pat up on a date with Tiffany because Tiffany's husband was killed and Pat's wife has divorced him, though Pat doesn't know. (I don't know if you would count that as a spoiler or not... It's hinted at right in the beginning of the book...). The two have a special kind of friendship. They bond over the fact that they are both seeing a therapist. Tiffany says she can get a letter to Pat's wife for him and he takes her up on this offer. But, she has an ultimatum for him. Pat must help Tiffany in a dance competition.

Pat agrees to this and then he begins writing the letters to his wife. Tiffany reads them to her over the phone and then writes her replies to Pat and then delivers them to Pat. The only problem is that it doesn't go so well in the end.

At the end of the story, things aren't all hunky-dory for Pat, but they're all right. It's not a happy ending per-say, but it's satisfying. I gave the story a four out of five stars.

Now, the movie on the other hand, really bothered me. It was practically nothing like the book. It had the same basic story line, and same characters. But things were in a mixed up order. And they didn't spend as much time obsessed with football (which I liked because I'm not a football person). I think I would give the movie a three maybe three and a half star out of five. It really wasn't one of the best.

But, I think that's all for now.

I'll type at you later!

Shea