It's Monday, What Are You Reading (86)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.


I skipped last week's What Are You Reading since I was sick so this is two weeks worth of books. Even though I had a sore throat and cold, I was able to get some reading done. Unfortunately, I am behind on writing reviews!

Books read:

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Even though I read the Glass series first, I still really enjoyed Poison Study. I liked being introduced again to Yelena, Valek, Janco, and Ari and I look forward to reading book two, Magic Study.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

At first I really liked this retelling of The Scarlet Letter and felt for Hannah and all she was going through. but then the plot took some bizarre turns. I thought the protagonist acted out of character and the story really lost focus and disappointed me in the end.

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

I love time travel novels and while I didn't think The Rose Garden was as good as The Winter Sea, I still really liked it even when it wasn't believable.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

I was just a bit disappointed with this book. I think because Alanna is so young and a little naive I found her to be annoying at times. It is still a good book and I hope that I will like the rest of the series more. 

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Another fun historical romance by Julia Quinn! I really liked that the protagonist wasn't known as a beauty and that she was a wallflower. That made her more relatable and the romance more sweet. Now I know which author to try next time I am sick and need a good distraction.

Books reviewed:

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Currently reading:

Come Sunday by Isla Morley

I knew going into it that this book was going to be really sad. I am only on chapter three and this is a definite tearjerker! It is my evening book discussion's November pick.

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

I was reading Bright Young Things on my Kindle when I realized that I have two book discussion books that I need to read by November 29th. I hate having to put this to the side because I am really enjoying it. My favorite character so far is Letty though Cordelia is also fun to read about. Will I like this book more than the Luxe series? Stay tuned...

What I plan to read next:

Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

I will be rereading this book because it is my afternoon book discussion group's November pick. It is a book I have read twice before (and I love it) but it has been awhile.

The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry

I have started this book but haven't gotten very far yet. I love all the descriptions of food, the recipes, and the writing style.

Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean

I really need to read this soon! I have had it checked out from the library since August. Thankfully we get to keep our books for four weeks and renew them for four more weeks but time is running out. I just read a really good review of this from Mystica that makes me want to read the book even more!

So that is what I have planned for my week. 

What have you been reading and what do you hope to read next?

In My Mailbox (68)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to share what books you received for review, purchased, or checked out from the library during the past week.

For review:

The Agency: The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

I was really excited to see this available for request from NetGalley. I love Y.S. Lee's Agency mysteries and look forward to reading The Traitor in the Tunnel.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Though I am not a fan of The Snow Queen, I have heard really good things about this retelling. 

The Traitor's Daughter by Paula Brandon

The cover of The Traitor's Daughter makes it look like a historical romance but it is fantasy. I don't know much about the book but hopefully I will like it. 

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

Purchased:

The Lost Letters of Brother Gabriel by Bree Despain

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

I finally read Poison Study and I really liked it so I went ahead and bought Magic Study. I am a fan of Snyder's Glass series which is a spin-off from this one. Unfortunately since I read that series first, I already know a lot of what will happen in the Study series.

StarCrossed by Elizabeth Bunce

From the library:

11/22/63 by Stephen King

This will be my first ever Stephen King book and it doesn't sound like what he usually writes. I like the time travel/historical aspect of it.

Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz

I am not sure I will read this one cover to cover. I am kind of tired of this series but I still want to know what happens :)

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

This sounds like a fun book though I think it has received mixed reviews. I don't get the chance to read many YA contemporary novels written with male protagonists.

A Little Break

I am unfortunately sick again with a cold and lovely sore throat so I will be taking a little break from blogging. I don't really like coughing and sneezing all over my laptop :)  

I have been reading a lot so I will have plenty of books to write about when I recover. Be back in a few days--I hope!

Review: The Son of Neptune

The Son of Neptune

By Rick Riordan

Publication date: October 4, 2011

My review:

In this sequel to The Lost Hero, we find out what Percy Jackson has been up to away from Camp Half-Blood and we are introduced to a whole new cast of characters. There is a new threat to civilization and a prophecy (made at the end of The Last Olympian) and on top of that Percy has amnesia. With only days to stop Gaea from rising, Percy and his new friends journey to Alaska, the "land beyond the Gods".

I found this book to be more enjoyable than The Lost Hero because Percy is back as one of the main characters. We also get to see glimpses of Grover and Annabeth as well as Tyson. I enjoyed the introduction of two other main characters, Frank and Hazel. Frank is a favorite new character in the series and I was surprised by the identity of his godly parent-not at all what I was expecting and kind of funny. I think young readers will be inspired by Frank's growing courage and relate to his insecurities. Hazel also has had a lot of hardships in her life and shows strength and bravery. It is nice to see imperfect characters who grow and find their place.

The addition of Roman mythology to the mix was fascinating. I never knew that there were differences between Greek and Roman mythology beyond the different names for the gods. I did find Percy's amnesia to be annoying after awhile though it does serve a purpose. Frank and Hazel's stories helped to make up for it as did the humor. Some of my favorite scenes involved Percy's continuing fight with Medusa's sisters (who work at a Bargain Mart). The alternating viewpoints work much better here because readers will already be familiar with Percy. It also gives insight into the new characters.

Overall I was really pleased with this sequel. It advances the overarching story line and entertains the reader at the same time.  In The  Son of Neptune, we see some of the brilliance of the original series. I can't wait to read The Mark of Athena. 

Waiting on Wednesday (73)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week, I'm waiting on:

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

Publication date: January 31, 2012

Description from Goodreads:

When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies. 

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love? 

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen's world. How could it not turn out right in the end?

I am looking forward to this because I really enjoyed Austenland and any Jane Austen-related book is of interest to me so I want to read this companion novel.  Austenland is currently filming with Keri Russell starring as the main character, Jane Hayes.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Publication date: November 21, 2011

Description from Goodreads:

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

I am very excited about this book, partly because I graduated from high school in '96. I think it sounds like a fun and creative book and I've read only positive reviews so far.

Teaser Tuesdays (67)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teasers this week:

"When she woke, she was red. Not flushed, not sunburned, but the solid, declarative red of a stop sign." p. 1

"For the first twenty-six years she'd been alive, her hands had been a honey-toned pink, deepening to golden brown in the summertime. Now, they were the color of newly shed blood." p.1

"During her teens she was always getting into trouble over one thing or another: trying on lip gloss, doing forbidden searches on her port, reading books her parents considered corrupting. Most often though, it was for voicing the questions that cropped up so insistently in her mind; 'Why is it immodest for girls not to wear shirts but not for boys?' 'Why does God let innocent people suffer?' 'If Jesus turned water into wine, why is it wrong for people to drink it?' These questions exasperated her parents, especially her mother, who would make her sit in silence for hours and reflect on her presumption." p.14

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

Description from the book:

Hannah Payne's life has been devoted to church and family. But after she's convicted of murder, she awakens in a new body to a nightmarish new life. She finds herself lying on a table in a bare room, covered only by a paper gown, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home, for whom observing new Chromes--criminals whose skin color has been genetically altered to match the class of their crime--is a sinister form of entertainment. Hannah is a Red for the crime of murder. The victim, says the State of Texas, was her unborn child, and Hannah is determined to protect the identity of the father, a public figure with whom she shared a fierce and forbidden love.

A powerful reimagining of The Scarlet Letter, When She Woke is a timely fable about a stigmatized woman struggling to navigate an America of the not-too-distant future, where the line between church and state has been eradicated, and convicted felons are no longer imprisoned and rehabilitated but chromed and released back into the population to survive as best they can. In seeking a path to safety in an alien and hostile world, Hannah unknowingly embarks on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to question the values she once held true and the righteousness of a country that politicizes faith and love.

Happy Halloween!

For a special treat, I thought I'd share these clips from, It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. You can watch the full episode on ABC or Hulu.

Have a Happy Halloween! 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading (85)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.


I had a busy week this week with my book discussion Tuesday night and then the Ohio Library Council Convention and Expo from Wednesday-Friday. It was great being able to go to OLC Convention and I also had the opportunity to reconnect with a friend from college that I hadn't seen in 11 years. The Barnes and Noble store at the convention had a cool Book Lovers edition of Scrabble that I bought (you get extra points for building character names and book titles) and I can't wait to try it out. Even with the busy week I did find some time to read and participated in the Bout of Books Read-a-thon. 

Books read:

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

I have to say that I enjoyed book two in the Heroes of Olympus much more than book one, probably because Percy Jackson is back as one of the main characters. I also liked the supporting characters, Frank and Hazel.  Something I like about this spin-off series is that these demigods feel very human-they have struggles and doubts about their abilities. Frank in particular was a favorite. I didn't care about Jason, Piper, and Leo (from book one) as much.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (reread)

It is always nice to reread the Harry Potter series and this is my favorite book of the series and the one I've read the least number of times (after Chamber of Secrets). I always seem to gain new meaning with each read.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

 I thought it was good for a second book in a trilogy but the ending was a little disappointing. I am hoping that Lauren Oliver will surprise me with the final book. 

Bleeding Hearts by Alyxandra Harvey

This was a quick read that I finished in an afternoon. I like this series but it is getting to be harder to keep track of the different characters. I was very happy to see Lucy as one of the main characters (her cousin is a new addition to the series) but Solange is becoming more and more annoying. If she doesn't improve in the next book, I hope she gets bitten by a Hel-Blar!

Books reviewed:

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Currently reading:

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

I am reading this for a tour I signed up for and I wish I hadn't. Sometimes I like Deeanne Gist's books and other times (like with this one), I am disappointed. So far I find Georgie to be incredibly annoying. Maybe things will get better soon.

What I might read next:

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

I am really excited to read this because it is about a librarian. It also features an early "bookmobile" (delivery of books by mule) and it is set in Appalachia. One reviewer even compared it to Christy, a book I love.

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

I am eager to start this retelling of The Scarlet Letter. I know it is about a controversial subject which makes me want to read it even more.

Belonging by Robin Lee Hatcher

So that is what my week looked like.

What have you been reading?

In My Mailbox (67)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to share what books you received for review, purchased, or checked out from the library during the past week.

For review:

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Courtesy of Around the World ARC Tours

I received the following books at the Ohio Library Council Convention and Expo:

Courtesy of Lara Oliver from Random House:

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Courtesy of the publisher:

Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman

Purchased:

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Scrabble Book Lovers Edition

So it's not a book but it is book related! I love Scrabble and this sounds like a fun twist on the original. You can play by the original rules or you can play the book lover version where you get extra points for building character, author, and book title names. I can't wait to play- but first I have to find some willing players...

Review: What Alice Forgot

What Alice Forgot

By Liane Moriarty

Publication date: August 11, 2009, June 2, 2011 (US)

My review:

Alice Love comes to after an accident at the gym believing she is 29 years old, happily married, and pregnant with her first child. In reality she is a 39 year old mother of three who is getting divorced. She has no memory of the past ten years and can't understand where her life went so wrong. The more she learns about her new self, the less she likes it. Can Alice reclaim her memory and save her family or is it too late?

Going into this novel, I was reminded of Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella. While both protagonists suffer temporary amnesia, the books are different in tone. What Alice Forgot explores not only marriage and parenthood but also the issues of infertility, loss, friendship, and new love. Young Alice is portrayed as naive and perhaps a little immature. She is babied by her family and husband and they seem to think she isn't capable of handling much. They protect her from life's difficulties. I sometimes found Young Alice to be annoying (I could picture her being portrayed in film by Amy Adams-the character reminded me of the one she played in Enchanted).  In contrast, mature Alice is much more driven. She likes control and order and she expects perfection. Seeing this new and "improved" Alice is difficult for her younger self to take. 

In addition to Alice, we also see the story through the view of Alice's older sister Elisabeth who is a successful businesswoman on the outside but she struggles with her continuing inability to have children. Elisabeth is very different from Alice and her thoughts help readers to understand Alice better too. Interspersed with Alice and Elisabeth's stories is that of Frannie, the girls' honorary grandmother. Frannie has suffered loss too and she held their family together when Alice and Elisabeth's dad passed away and their mother fell into depression. Frannie's voice is not as strong as the sisters and I think it did not add much to the book. She is feisty but we didn't need to read the story through her eyes as well.

What Alice Forgot has some flaws but somehow it still works. One problem is that there is quite a bit of jumping around between past and present. It is also strange that no one around Alice seems to truly grasp that she has amnesia and what that means. They all keep expecting her to remember and know things in her present life that she has obviously forgotten. I didn't like the way the whole story-line with Gina was revealed and I also thought the ending wasn't very believable though it was still nice.

It is wish fulfillment to have the opportunity for a do-over in life and maybe some readers will have a hard time with this book because it comes across sometimes as a holiday movie. The amnesia plot device is used to explore the drastic differences in Alice's life then and now and it allows readers to reflect on how our choices can change so much of our lives. I liked how we were able to look at a marriage and see some of the things that went wrong. What Alice Forgot refers not just to the loss of ten years of memory but also to forgetting what is important to us in life. Mature Alice and Nick have lost sight of what mattered to them ten years ago and life has a way of changing people sometimes for the better, sometimes not. Overall I thought this was an excellent novel about family, friendship, and self discovery.

Readalikes: Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella, PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern, The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen