TAG: Truthwitch Tag

I cannot wait for Truthwitch to come out. Susan Dennard has written another great book and, while I've read the preview on NetGalley, I need to know what happens next!

In honor of this book, an original Truthwitch Book Tag was created by Danielle at Simply Thoughtful Books. She tagged any Witchlander (re: fan) of the book. From what I can tell so far, I'm a Waterwitch from Nubrevna, though I'm most like Iseult the Threadwitch. You can take the quizes to find out your place/person here.

Here, then, is my take on the Truthwitch Tag.

Ohrin Mountains

What is your favorite fictional land?

When I was a kid, I always checked closets because I thought that I might someday be able to find my way to Narnia. Sadly, I have yet to find the doorway, but I'll never give up hope.

Safia and Iseult's Friendship

Who is your favorite dynamic duo?

Inigo Montoya and Fezzik are two of my favorite characters. They work together well and are hysterical. The portrayal of this pair in the movie by Mandy Patinkin and Andre the Giant was another highlight, especially when they played the rhyme game.

Merik

Which fictional character is the ultimate hunk?

Levi is a very handsome type that has some of the best qualities I look for. He's not overly brawny, he's a total brain, and he's a gentle soul.

Kullen

Who is your favorite sidekick?

This is Sumomo! She's a portable persocom from the series Chobits. Whether it's the anime or the manga, this little character would be the model I'd choose. She has a lot of functions, but the funniest is her "wakey wakey exercises" to get you up in the morning.

Aeduan

Who is your favorite villain/mysterious character?

Tsukiko the Contortionist from The Night Circus was not a villain, but she was definitely a mysterious character. I didn't know what to think of her for a long time, but when her big reveal came, I was jumping up and down in surprise.

Aether

A book you can't stop thinking about

There are so many to choose from and I wasn't sure whether I should go with something I've read and that I return to over and over again, or something that I'm really looking forward. I went with the latter. I'm looking forward to reading Winter, but I haven't read the previous books yet so all the amazing things I'm hearing about this book will have to wait. Why isn't there more time in the day to read?!

Air

Name a book with low expectations, but blew you away.

I got this book as an ARC via NetGalley. I had thought that the premise sounded interesting, but when I started reading it I was less than sure. Once I got to reading, though, it really changed my opinion and held it in good standing through the ending. There was a haunted feeling to the story: sadness, despair, and a twist that I honestly didn't see coming. I knew there was something, but the reality hit me like a slap to the face.

Earth

What is a book you always go back to?

I didn't like this book when I first read it, probably because it was a part of a summer reading assignment and I had to read it the same summer that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released. Now, however, I love it. I count it among my favorite books.

Fire

Name a book with hype that spread quickly.

I love the look of this book and I love Leigh Bardugo's writing. The hype that surrounded/surrounds this book has been immense and I can't wait to get to it. I started the first chapter or so and it was such a tantalizing taste that I look forward to the time when I can get back to it.

Void

Recommend a scary/mysterious read.

This is a mysterious read. You're never quite sure what's going on, but that doesn't matter because it is an enthralling story and you can't wait to continue down the rabbit hole.

Water

Name a book that flowed nicely.

Rick Riordan's writing is very good. It flows quickly no matter what. I was particularly please with The Lightning Thief. I didn't want to put it down and I had to pick up the next book in the series right away.

Threadbrothers/sisters

Tag someone!

Aria, I tag you! I think you'd really like this tag and maybe it'll bring you into the Witchlands with the rest of us. :D 

Harry Potter Thursday: Which books would you recommend to Ron?

I'm not sure that Ron would be a big reader. Sometimes tells him he'd leave that more to Hermione, but in case he got the notion to pick something up, here's a few suggestions I think he might like.

1. The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales

Ron seems so excited in Deathly Hallows when he talks about Beedle the Bard and surprised when he realizes that neither Hermione nor Harry have ever heard of them.

These fairy tales were my childhood and I think that Ron ought to read them and get a perspective on what Muggle fairy tales are like.

2. Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham

Once Ron's caught up with what I think is the most important volume of fairy tales in the world, he might like to check out an interpretation of the classics.

3. Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Why not have Ron start reading a series about an American wizard? The wizard politics might also be interesting to him.

4. Chew by John Layman

A cool, visceral comic would be just the thing to get Ron into a more unsettling visual format and the humor as well would sway him toward this series.

Top 5 Wednesday: Books to Read by the Fire (winter/holiday recommendations)

When the snow starts falling and the fire is roaring in the fireplace, what could be better than reading by the fireside? The atmosphere alone is calming and reading only helps.

Considering that we're having an unseasonably warm winter here, I doubt I'll be reading by the fireplace with snow falling outside any time soon, but these are the books that I recommend should the occasion occur.

They're not necessarily winter or holiday themed. Some are mysteries, some are adventures, all are great fun.

1. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

3. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

4. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

5. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Top 10 Tuesday: Top Ten Best Books I Read In 2015

Since really starting to use Goodreads, finding out about Booktube, and realizing it's okay to read YA even if I'm not a young adult anymore, I've read a lot more than ever before.  My stats for this year surprised even me when I saw them as I was writing this post.

For my Top Ten Best Books I Read in 2015, I went to view my reading challenge on Goodreads and selected the ones that I rated the highest. There were a few graphic novels in here, so for those I'm counting the series rather than the individual volumes

1. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

4. The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

5. Saga by Brian K. Vaughn

6. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

7. Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

8. In Real Life by Cory Doctorow

9. The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer

10. The Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

Review: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories, Edited by Stephanie Perkins

This is a bit of a throwback post. Since it is so crazy at the moment, what with work and the holidays creeping up on us, I thought I'd bring out this post from my old Livejournal blog and share it with you. It's a review I did ages ago for My True Love Gave to Me, a holiday short story collection that was so refreshing and nice. It'd be a great book to read while curled up on the couch, drinking a mug of tea or hot chocolate.

Rating: 4 Stars

I think it can be hard to rate or review a short story collection, especially one that is from twelve different authors, because the voice for each is so different that one "wrong" story can drag the whole collection down. While I did enjoy the majority of the stories in this book, there were a few that either I didn't really understand in terms of feeling, and there are some that I think didn't wrap up well enough to be considered a short story rather than something that sounds like an excerpt.

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell - This story, while moderately entertaining, felt like it was an excerpt from a longer story. There was something about the pacing that made it feel like you were missing out on something. The whole story takes place on a series of New Year's Eves and it was the time between those holidays that I think we needed to know more about.

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link - a modern fairy tale that almost could have been a ghost story, I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on and whether it was a fairy story or a ghost one. The ending was satisfactory.

Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Pena - a nice vignette that didn't have too much meat on the bone, but was pleasant to pass the time with.

Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han - I think that this was the most bittersweet story in the collection. While it is interesting to see behind veil of Santa's life, the ending was so sad. You really wonder, what is going to happen to Natalie? Can she really be happy in this world? Which is her world, really?

It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins - I think that Stephanie is one of those authors that just gets a love story so right. It might not be 100% believable on the time, but the way she writes makes you want it to be.

Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan - I could not muster up a cheery feeling for this story or it's characters. The act that the main character performs for his boyfriend is nice, but that's about it.

Krampuslauf by Holly Black - a typical Holly Black story that is one part creepy, one part excellent. It reminded me a bit of "The Darkest Part of the Forest", with the Fae legend. Is Krampusnacht a real thing? It seems like it could be and that both thrills and terrifies me.

What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman - this is another love story that isn't 100% believable although I can see why someone would want it to be. This was also another story that felt like it was an excerpt from a larger work. I think that the larger work would add more to this character bubble that's going on and maybe help with the authenticity of the story.

Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire - this was a Christmas joke that had me laughing. It was a breath of lightness that I needed after some of the heavier stories that preceded it.

Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White - this story set up a lot of insinuation as to what certain characters were like and then dashed them within a few pages. I'm not sure if I accept that someone's prejudices that have been held for years will change that much within a couple of days, but it would be amazing if they did. There's also a character that seems like he would make much more sense if he was a supernatural creature, which in the end he isn't. Other than that, he's really sweet if a bit creepy.

Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter - this story sounds like the basis for a Hallmark Christmas movie. It is heartwarming, has a sweet if somewhat sappy ending, and is completely improbably. This sort of thing doesn't happen and would freak me out just a little bit if it did. So, I think this story is getting put on the list of guilt pleasure that might get read again, if only very rarely.

The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor - I would love for Laini to do a whole series of fairy tale re-tellings. She has a gift that would translate those stories into something just as epic, if not more so, than the original. I liked Neve, I enjoyed her story, and I envied her spirit for believing in a future that seems grim, a future she can accept, even if no one else around her can.

Music Recommendation

I'm not sure I could pick one song that encompasses my feeling for this entire book, so instead I'm going to share with you some of my favorite Christmas carols.

Dominick the Donkey: In my family, it isn't the holidays until we hear the song about that little donkey, Dominick. I like this video especially because these guys look like they had a lot of fun filming it.

Snoopy's Christmas: another song that signals the holiday season has begun! Any of the Snoopy vs. the Red Baron songs will do.

Christmas Eve/Sarajevo: the music is so beautiful and so powerful, I look forward to it every year.

All pictures, quotes, and videos belong to their respective owners. I use them here solely for the purpose of review and commentary.

Letter to Katie Kennedy (Learning to Swear in America)

Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy

Published by Bloomsbury, July 2016
Genre: Young adult

An asteroid is hurtling toward Earth. A big, bad one. Yuri, a physicist prodigy from Russia, has been called to NASA as they calculate a plan to avoid disaster. He knows how to stop the asteroid: his research in antimatter will probably win him a Nobel prize--if there's ever another Nobel prize awarded. But Yuri's 17, and having a hard time making older, stodgy physicists listen to him. Then he meets Dovie, who lives like a normal teenager, oblivious to the impending doom. Being with her, on the adventures she plans when he's not at NASA, Yuri catches a glimpse of what it means to save the world and save a life worth living.

 Dear Katie Kennedy,

I have had this book on my Goodreads TBR for ages and am I glad I was givne the opporutnity to tell you why. Here goes:

I love reading books and watching shows about smart kids. Hermione? Rory? Sheldon? All of them, totally my jam. So, reading the description for Learning to Swear in America, I was pretty much assured of at least picking this book up. Yuri's a brilliant kid and clearly knows what he's doing. What other 17 year old knows as much about physics as he does? Then again, he is a kid so he's getting what we all get at that age: a lack of understanding, of questioning whether we're good enough. I have got to find out how he solves this because I doubt that a boy who knows how to save life as we know it wouldn't do everything he could to convince them that, Hey, I can save you!

The cover is amusing to and I can see how it'd be Yuri making the rude hand gestures to the stodgy scientists not listening to him. Plus, that little bit at the end with a giant hole in the Earth? Doesn't exactly paint a happy picture, but it does make me want to find out, well, if the world does get his by this asteroid, what's going to happen? Are we talking Armageddon here or really bad weather like The Day After Tomorrow?

The cultural differences alone are going to make for interesting reading material. Did Yuri grow up in Russia or the US? Is there any culture clashing between him and Dovie, the typical American teenager? Their interaction looks like it'll be a lot of fun and the tease about their adventures makes me curious about Dovie. Sure she's billed as a normal teenager, but that could mean so many things. What is she like? Is she a sport type of teen, hipster, what? I need to know!!!

I can't wait to read this story and really get in depth with it, with Yuri and Dovie.

Hoping to read it soon!
Heather aka The Hermit Librarian

Letter to Kathleen Glasgow (Girl in Pieces)

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Published by Random House/Delacorte, September 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

While most girls her age are dealing with college choices, love lives, and prom, Charlie is struggling just to survive.  After losing her best friend, Ellis, and her home, Charlie finds herself on the downtown streets of Saint Paul, Minnesota, where ever day is a fight to live. After a traumatic event lands her in the hospital, Charlie finds what might be her best hope: a recovery program for girls just like her.  When her insurance runs out, though, Charlie is back on the streets, alone.  Through the kindness of her old friend, Mikey, the roadie for a band in Arizona, Charlie finds herself in the endless desert of Tuscon, surrounded by musicians, artists, and eccentrics, and, in particular, a washed-up singer named Riley West.

Dear Kathleen Glasgow,

Coming across this book on Goodreads, I wasn't sure what to think at first. This might be evident at first, but I will explain.

I'm usually wary of books that have characters that self-harm and with good reason: I used to be that sort of person when I was younger and even into my twenties. Reading or watching material that involves a character with similar traits can be awkward at times.

However, after reading the synopsis and thinking about it, I've realized that I'm actually very interested in what your take will be on Charlie's situation.

For one, whenever I seem to come across characters like this, they have boatloads of support and all the opportunity in the world to accept help and treatment, even if they don't always take it. Charlie doesn't sound like she has that. Her support system is not ideal and she's homeless to boot. This gives her great potential to be an interesting and strong character from a literary point of view. Her depth of character is something I want to explore thoroughly when I get finally get a chance to read this book.

I'm curious to hear about the setting, too. I've only read one other book set in Minnesota, so I'm not familiar with what it's like as a setting for a novel. I'm already worried about Charlie because if this book takes place in winter, then how's this going to affect her? It's bitterly cold on the best of days for people simply walking to and from their car, but being homeless? That's frightening. I mean, obviously she goes to Tuscon, but before that.

I like books with a good musical presence and I'm curious to see what sort of person Riley is going to turn out to be. We don't know much about him from the synopsis, but I assume he'll be fairly important. And what's his story? Who is he, what's his music like, why is he washed-up? There are so many questions just about Riley alone!

I have the feeling that this going to be a book full of feels. I can't wait for it to come out so I can experience them all!

Waiting with much anticipation,
Heather aka The Hermit Librarian