tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61658567704544866382024-03-12T03:38:28.032-07:00A Little Shelf of HeavenWelcome to my blog of book reviews, book news and little things about my life. I hope you'll find some new books to read and obsess over with me!kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.comBlogger557125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-46731650174208985002016-09-13T15:08:00.001-07:002016-09-13T15:08:41.354-07:00TransitioningFall is a weird time of year. It's a time of so many new beginnings that it almost feels like there's nothing that stays the same, yet that's exactly what most things do. This fall, however, I've decided to take on a project that has been on my mind for the past two or so years, which is to transition this blog into one that is a bit more... today me. I have loved this blog for so long and have appreciated so much of what it has done for my writing, my confidence, and my overall life. That being said, it is not something I am passionately writing for everyday, or even every week. It is something in the back of my mind, something I'll 'get back to soon enough.' I've been telling myself that for over a year now and I'm sad that I've let something so wonderful fall, but at the same time, I know it's time for something new. I am no longer that shy teenager who lives within her books and dreams of leaving her small town... I've left my small town. I'm shy, but I've learned how to overcome that and I have made amazing friends and have had amazing experiences; experiences that I feel like I would love to write about and yet feel limited through this platform of book blogging, thus I keep quiet. I have grown a lot since I first created this blog, yet I've not had much of a chance to let the blog grow with me. So, here we are, four and half years after A Little Shelf of Heaven's creation, transitioning into something different. I don't have many details yet, nothing big, but all I can say is that I am excited to see what the rest of 2016 has for me and what I can accomplish with letting my creativity flow with no barriers, self-imposed or not. I have so much to say and to share and I cannot wait to get started. <div>
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Talk soon.</div>
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Kristy</div>
kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com169tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-21833472292526796902016-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:002016-06-10T00:00:15.458-07:00Review: I Was Here by Gayle Forman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Author: </b>Gayle Forman</div>
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<b>Publisher: </b>Viking Juvenile</div>
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<b>Page Count: </b> 270 pages, Hardcover</div>
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<b>Date Published: </b>January 27th 2015</div>
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<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18879761-i-was-here" target="_blank">I Was Here</a></div>
<span itemprop="bookFormatType"><b style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">Source: </b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">Borrowed Audiobook from Library</span></span><br />
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Cody and Meg were inseparable.<br />
Two peas in a pod.<br />
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.<br />
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When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.</blockquote>
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I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.I can't sugar coat this review with niceties and introductions or anything like that. I listened to this as an audiobook from my library and it was my companion to and from work, school, everywhere. It was the book that got me through the hour and a half bus journey to a friend's house and the book that got me through my lunch break on a particularly bad day at work. Gayle Forman is a very important writer to me and to many people. I was reluctant to read this book, though, because of a couple different reasons: a) Her last duology was so extremely important to me and I couldn't imagine anything else comparing to her <i>Just One Day</i> story. b) The last time I really read and committed myself to a book about mental illness and suicide, it wasn't good for my own personal mental health, so I was scared, so so scared, to read a book that addressed the same topic, in fear that something would be triggering or even just bothersome. But here's the thing: Gayle Forman did not romanticize mental illness. In fact, she subtly, so subtly, addressed the romanticization of mental illness and how completely and utterly messed up and manipulative that can be. The heroine of <i> I Was Here </i>, Cody, is an extremely interesting character who captivated me with her guilt and her fear of grief. She was a beautiful character and her growth throughout the story was utterly heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The romance in this book, to me, wasn't really that important in terms of the whole story -it was a fine addition, but it wasn't what I was focused on while reading. Instead, I was focused on Cody's grief, on her resolve to find out more about her best friend's death, and about her development as a person after such a tragedy. Gayle Forman wrote a book about suicide, but I didn't come out of it shaking and scared, like I did the last year when I read a book about mental illness. Gayle Forman is a beautiful writer and I am so grateful to be alive in the time when she is writing.<br />
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Happy reading</div>
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~Kristy</div>
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<br />kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-5733870216859921632016-06-09T08:13:00.002-07:002016-06-09T08:13:39.509-07:00I've Missed YouI haven't blogged in a long time. It's been months since the last time I posted anything on here, but in reality, it's been closer to a year since I've really committed myself to this website and worked on posts, truly caring about what I was producing. I was able to give myself excuses like, "you're finishing high school! You're moving to a new city! You have a new job! You're in your first year of university! You're tired! You have homework!" and so many others similar to those, but honestly? No matter how true those excuses may have been, the biggest reason I haven't worked on this blog in so long is because I'm scared. I'm scared to commit to it again. I'm scared to commit myself to this world of book publishing, of writing, of being a part of the world I so love. Because here's the thing: for so many years, I've told myself and many others that I want to be an editor or work in the publishing business or just work with books in some way or another, but then, as I started getting close to high school graduation, as I moved to Ottawa and started my English degree, as I started meeting new people, becoming immersed in the world of politics... I questioned that dream a lot. I am nineteen years old and I have no idea what I want to do with my life and that is perfectly okay. Everyone in my life has always told me that I don't have to know what I want to do with the rest of my life at such a young age... I've been raised to know that questioning my career and my future is so completely normal. I've been raised to know that I can change my mind... but the thing is, I hate that unknowing. I hate the questioning, the fear, the instability. I'm graduating a year earlier than I am technically supposed to because of the fast track program I did in high school, so I have one year less than my peers to figure out what to do with my degree. Yeah, that scares me, but you know what? Even if I did have that extra year, I can't imagine I'd be much more secure in my plans for the future. Also, I do still have that dream of working in the publishing world... I keep telling everyone that I don't know where I'll end up after I graduate from my undergrad, but I know I want to move to Toronto and try to get my career started. I know that and I'm scared of that and that's okay. Maybe I do want to be an editor or maybe I actually do want to be a lawyer (which has been another choice on my mind for years) or maybe I actually want to do something completely different. Whatever it is, I'm done with being so scared of committing to something that I completely abandon this blog that I so love and worked so hard on for so long. The fact that I blog about books does not mean that I have to have a career in publishing.... I feel like I need to repeat that mantra to myself over and over again until I truly believe it. What I do know is that I miss reading and I miss talking about the books I read and I miss this community of nerdy, amazing, bookish people. I've missed out on a year of amazing book talk because of my fears and I'm done with that. So here we go. Kristy, you'd better not bail in two days on this, because that's just unacceptable.<br />
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I've missed you guys.<br />
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Happy reading!!!<br />
~Kristykristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-29185755681135349272015-12-08T09:13:00.003-08:002015-12-08T09:13:54.713-08:00Ottawa.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxdpD339D8iGuhtCdXfpI2IQrsCp1zYpDWOZMEW_8ZDbfmxAdDIoq-VSLa2mvnokB-SXCLA0PbJuyL1JkOQtk_3RqLHE1TWf2nDUjHhSt7ZfT87xYC_ZE3oDbqqWMXIqAZbJ4PE9gj87l/s640/blogger-image-667368648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxdpD339D8iGuhtCdXfpI2IQrsCp1zYpDWOZMEW_8ZDbfmxAdDIoq-VSLa2mvnokB-SXCLA0PbJuyL1JkOQtk_3RqLHE1TWf2nDUjHhSt7ZfT87xYC_ZE3oDbqqWMXIqAZbJ4PE9gj87l/s320/blogger-image-667368648.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo I took back in September of a view<br />that made me realise how beautiful this city is.</td></tr>
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Looking back on the last draft I have saved for this blog, I see that it is about my last day working at the bookstore back in British Columbia. I had written a few paragraphs and stopped mid-sentence, apparently unable to complete my thoughts. Back in August, I had no idea what my next few months would be like... how could I have anticipated all of this? How could I have anticipated falling head-over-heels in love with this city, these people, this life? I was so upset about having to leave the bookstore, so nervous to move across the country on my own, to leave everything I have ever known.<br />
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The month of August was suddenly filled with saying goodbye to everyone and to everything; it was saying farewell to the places I have been familiar with for 18 years, seeing the Pacific Ocean and the mountains for the last time for a few months, hugging my friends and family tightly and realising just how much I love them. August was a month of goodbyes and then on the 29th, I boarded a plane and those goodbyes turned into hellos.<br />
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I've now been in Ottawa for just over three months and in a little over a week I'll be making my way back to BC for Christmas break. First semester has flown by... I feel like 'frosh' was just a few weeks ago, that I was just moving in and getting to know these people only a short while ago. In a way, I guess that is true. Three months is hardly any time and yet these three months have taught me so much. I have had experiences I could never have dreamed of thanks to my incredible job, experiences that I will never forget. I have met people that have become some of my best friends, people that I cannot imagine my life without anymore. I am struggling through school, pushing my way through the challenging classes, but loving it and realising just how much I adore English literature.<br />
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Over these past three months, I've hardly been reading for pleasure, as school, work, and socializing has taken priority. I've missed blogging so much, especially as of late, but I know that it'll go in a wave. I don't read enough anymore and I'm trying to change that, but it's so strange for me to think that these things I used to think identified me so much -reading and blogging- are things I hardly do anymore. I'm going to make an effort to read more over the Christmas break while at home and maybe blog a bit, but maybe not. I just needed to write, get my thoughts out, and say hello. Because I miss this.<br />
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Happy reading and happy holidays.<br />Much love,<br />Kristy<br />
<br />kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-35113868389958510492015-08-15T23:09:00.001-07:002015-08-15T23:09:07.075-07:00Lacking Creativity & Feeling EmptyHi. Long time no chat, huh? God, I swear this is the 50th post I've started off similarly to that... But I've come to the realisation that I'm really the only one that probably has noticed. So, where've I been this time? At home. At work. Mostly in bed, to be honest, sleeping and not really wanting to get up. But let's start from the beginning, shall we? I'm not really sure where I want this post to go, but I'm just going to start writing and hope something comes out of it, because I haven't done this in such a long time.<br />
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I graduated from high school this past June and ever since then, I've felt... Really off. In the beginning of the summer, I was so relieved and so overjoyed that school was over and that I was having fun with my friends that I didn't really notice anything, but then the excitement started to die down. I was all of a sudden hit with the realisation that the absolute insane past few months were over, that my schedule was no longer completely jam packed with stuff to do, and that I had so much time on my hands. Which terrified me. Leading up to the end of the school year, I was busier than I could have ever expected. I was working part time at the bookstore (up until Mid-May, when my manager gave me some time off because of how busy school was getting,) taking university courses in the evenings four nights a week, interning at the school district office, finishing high school courses, as well as battling through the entire course of History 12 within a month online (it's a long story). So, yeah, the last few months before graduation were rough and that's basically why my last post on this blog was in the beginning of April. Reading was not on the top of my priority list, as essays, homework, studying, work, and other stuff like that had taken its place.<br />
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The nice thing about being so busy was that I hardly had time to think. It was like I could almost turn off my brain emotionally and just think more about what I had to do for school, not how I was feeling or anything like that because basically, <i>I had no time</i>. It was so easy to just stop writing, reading, and doing the other things I loved that exercised my mind in an emotional sense, because it was one less thing to do and one less thing to worry about. I was able to kind of shut myself off and just focus on the stress of finishing off high school and everything else. Except, I've learned over the past few years that shutting myself off is not the best thing to do, because that just leads to breakdowns in the middle of the kitchen with my mum wondering what in the hell is going on. And yeah, there were a few of those. But overall, from about April to June, I was hardly thinking about anything substantial or creative and mainly focusing on the issues that had arisen with my university applications, my high school courses getting messed up, my university courses being completely impossible, and whether or not my hair was going to continue falling out in huge clumps. Fun.<br />
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But now, it's all over. Prom was amazing but is over, exams and final projects are long past finished, my yearbook is decorated with different colour paragraphs expressing memories and love, and I am now both waiting eagerly for and slightly dreading the 29th of August, the day I fly to Ottawa and move in to my university residence, start my new job, and wait for classes to start. And I'm terrified that my life will get super crazy busy again and I'll have wasted this summer being in a slump and then my creativity will just disappear completely. I'm starting to get a bit better at making myself read at night instead of watching another episode of <i>Switched at Birth, </i>as well as making collages and sketching instead of napping when I know I don't need to. I'm trying really hard to be creatively healthy, if that makes sense, because I know that once Ottawa comes around and I start up everything again, it's going to be really difficult maintaining a balance of work, school, reading, and art, as well as a social life.<br />
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So why am I telling you all this? Well, mainly because I needed to get it all out into words and vent a little, but also I needed to explain why I had such an extended absence. I also wanted to say that I'm not sure where this blog is going to end up. I don't want to give it up, but I know how difficult it was to keep it up during grade 12, so I can't imagine it is going to be any easier during university. But I'm going to try. So hello again, for now. I'm hoping I'll talk to you soon.<br />
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Happy reading,<br />
Kristykristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-78406611649698647132015-04-06T00:41:00.003-07:002015-04-06T13:26:49.034-07:00Review: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli<div class="tr_bq">
<b>Author: </b>Becky Albertalli</div>
<b>Publisher: </b>Balzer + Bray<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 320 pages, Hardcover<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>April 7th 2015<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19547856-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda" target="_blank">Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Borrowed an ARC from <a href="https://twitter.com/raeleenlemay" target="_blank">Raeleen</a> (thank you!!)<br />
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Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.<br />
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.</blockquote>
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It's been difficult for me to sum up my feelings for this book in words... but basically this GIF of a smiling Jeremy Renner probably gives you a good idea of my face after finishing it: </div>
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I. loved. this. book. Here's why:</div>
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<li>It kept me guessing about who Blue was. The entire time I was reading, my mind kept making scenarios up about the different possibilities of Blue's identity and how Simon would react. </li>
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<li>Simon wasn't a clichéd LGBTQ character that I've seen ten million times before! He was so much more than just the 'gay best friend' or the 'closeted tough-guy jock.' He had a legitimate personality that revolved around things OTHER than his sexuality.</li>
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<li>The friendships were awesome and complex and relatable! This friend group had problems, but they talked them out instead of getting all dramatic about them! Platonic friendship representation is so great in YA and I wish there was more of it!</li>
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<li>The book brought up really important societal issues about sexuality, gender, and race, like this quote (taken from goodreads) : </li>
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<span style="background-color: white;">"<i style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it shouldn't be this big awkward thing whether you're straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I'm just saying.”</i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">YES.</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">SIMON. Probably one of my all time favourite YA characters, he was cynical, funny, a lover of Oreos and Harry Potter, and just all around incredible. I felt like I knew him, like we were friends, which is one of my favourite feelings when I'm reading a book.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">It made me happy! While this book does bring up some super important ideas, it is also just plain sweet!</span></span></li>
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I have so much more to say about this book, but I might have to add onto this review later, because for now I'm tired and need to post this asap! Please, please pick this book up if you get the chance. It's cute, it's funny, and it's important. </div>
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Happy reading!<br />
~Kristykristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-9938579332858139952015-03-09T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-09T00:00:00.414-07:00Review: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead<div class="tr_bq">
<b>Author: </b>Richelle Mead</div>
<b>Publisher: </b>Razorbill<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 348 pages, Hardcover<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>February 10th 2015<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709528-the-ruby-circle" target="_blank">The Ruby Circle</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Purchased<br />
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<blockquote>
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The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...<br />
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Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.<br />
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After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.</blockquote>
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As sad as I was about finishing this series, I must say that this was a wonderfully satisfying finale! Over the three years of having this blog, I have professed my undying love for Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy/Bloodlines world too many times to count. These series are so addictive and incredibly readable and this finale was no different. Mead tied up a lot of loose ends and left little hints so as to not be boring all throughout the book about where the characters were going to end up after the book ended and I was so enthralled the entire time I was reading it. I loved the conflicts Sydney and Adrian had to go through, both physical and mental, and the resolution in the end was incredibly satisfying. It honestly felt like Mead was writing for us, the fans, and did our wishes justice while still keeping it realistic to the plot and characters. I am so sad that this was my last time reading one of Sydney's and Adrian's stories for the first time, as they are one of my favourite couples to read about. Sydney is by far one of the most important characters that I've read in a long time for me personally, because she was so different from Rose, not as physically strong or tough as her, but instead using her mind for whatever came at her. I have said it before and I will say it again: these are not just Vampire books. They are books filled with interesting stories, complicated characters, and exciting plots. I am so devastated that this series has come to a close, but it was a good run and I can't wait to see what Mead comes up with next.</div>
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Happy reading!</div>
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~Kristy</div>
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kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com78tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-4575821266896466862015-03-03T14:23:00.001-08:002015-03-03T14:23:07.128-08:00The Taylor Swift Book Tag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys! I saw this lovely little tag the other day on<a href="http://gonewiththewords.com/2015/02/the-taylor-swift-book-tag.html" target="_blank"> Gone With the Words</a> and I loved it so much! If you didn't know, I'm a huge Taylor Swift <a href="http://alittleshelfofheaven.blogspot.ca/2013/07/tidbit-taylor-swift-concert.html" target="_blank">fan</a>, so this tag looked super fun!<br />
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“<span style="color: #990000;"><b>We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together</b></span>”</div>
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<i>Pick a book (or book series) that you were pretty sure you were in love with, but then wanted to break up with:</i></div>
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I ended up being so sad that I couldn't get through the last book... I might try again, but for now.. *sigh*<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Red</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Pick a book with a RED cover</i><br />
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LOOK AT HOW LOVELY THIS IS<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Best Day</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Pick a book that makes you feel nostalgic</i></div>
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you know what I'm saying.<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Love Story</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Pick a book with forbidden love</i></div>
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Sydney and Adrian, fighting off Alchemists and Moroi in order to<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">I Knew You Were Trouble</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Pick a book with a bad character you couldn't help but love</i></div>
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Kai... need I say more?<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Innocent</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Pick a book that someone ruined the ending for</i><br />
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Through a passing comment on goodreads, someone mentioned how this ended and at first I didn't even believe it, but then I heard it again, then I read it... yeah.<br />
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“<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Everything Has Changed</b></span>”</div>
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<i>Pick a character from a book who goes through extensive character development</i><br />
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The way Ana goes from thinking she's unworthy of life in the first book to realizing her potential in the finale gave me chills.<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">You Belong With Me</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Pick your most anticipated book release</i><br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Forever and Always</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Pick your favourite book couple</i><br />
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Literally not even a question, Romione is the ultimate OTP.<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Come Back, Be Here</span></b>”</div>
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<i><strike>Pick the book you would least like to lend out, for fear of missing it too much</strike></i></div>
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<i>Changing this for my current situation to the book series that I lent out a YEAR ago and still haven't gotten back (I'm looking at you, Paula...)</i><br />
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<i>WAIT NO SHE RETURNED THEM RIGHT BEFORE I'M POSTING THIS BUT I'M NEVER LENDING THEM OUT ALL TOGETHER AGAIN AH</i><br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Teardrops on My Guitar</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Pick a book that made you cry a lot</i></div>
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basically I looked like this in the back seat of my grandparent's car while reading this: </div>
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Shake It Off</span></b>” </div>
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<i>Pick a book that you love so much, you just shake off the haters</i></div>
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I feel like this series is super well loved by so many people, but also kind of looked down upon because of a. vampires and b. the movie marketing (<strike>that kind of failed</strike>). but honestly, this series is way way better than any other vampire books I've ever read. Ever. </div>
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Blank Space</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Favourite autographed book</i></div>
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(I don't have a picture at the moment of my copy, but I'll post it asap!)<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Welcome to New York</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Favourite setting</i></div>
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Paris, England, and Amsterdam... travel books are kind of cheating when it comes to favourite locations, but I'm not even sorry. This book made me re-fall in love over and over and over again with travelling, even though I've never really fallen out of love with it.<br />
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“<b><span style="color: #990000;">Today Was A Fairytale</span></b>”</div>
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<i>Favourite retelling</i></div>
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I absolutely adore the myth of Hades and Persephone, so this series was great, or at least the first book! It fell flat for me with the third book, but <i>The Goddess Test</i> was awesome!<br />
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kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-28409528306839955362015-02-17T11:56:00.002-08:002015-02-17T11:56:08.476-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Problems I Have<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>.This week's topic is:<b> </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Bookish Problems I Have. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">1. I get distracted easily, which makes getting into a book that might be a bit more challenging SO hard, as I end up getting distracted by shiny objects (literally and figuratively)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">2. I work at a bookstore, which is awesome, but that also means I get a discount, which means I have a hard time restraining myself from spending my paycheck on ALL the books.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">3. Speaking of buying too many books, have I mentioned how many books I have sitting on my shelf that I haven't read yet? It's humiliating. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">4. I'm super tired lately 'cause school is busy, so it's hard for me to stay awake sometimes if I'm reading before bed. I have to fight to keep my eyes open and need to seriously evaluate the question of "sleep or read?"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">5. I want to read EVERYTHING, but I feel like with this blog, I have to keep up with my YA and more modern fiction, because that's what I'm reviewing. But I also want to read the classics, and I just don't know if anyone would be interested in reading reviews on timeless books, or whether or not I could get over the intimidation that comes with reviewing them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">6. My back is beginning to hurt more and more from all of the books -school related and not- that I have in my backpack. Ow.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">7. I forget about ebooks! I have egalleys on my phone and computer, but if I don't read them right away, eventually I'll forget about them and then they'll expire!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">8. Speaking of forgetting, when I read the first book in a series and it takes a year or longer for the next one to be released, it's really easy for me to lose track of what happened.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">9. I'd love to reread more books, but then that stresses me out a bit because I also want to read NEW books and I just can't make a decision. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">10. Reading is the ultimate form of procrastination for me, as I can justify it to myself by saying that even though I'm not doing my homework, I'm still being productive and feeding my mind, even when I'm supposed to be writing an essay.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">So those are some bookish problems that I have and am trying to work on! Let me know if we have any in common or if you have any you'd like to share!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">Happy reading!<br />~Kristy</span></span></div>
kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-73807962890022248192015-02-16T09:34:00.003-08:002015-02-16T09:34:44.327-08:00Review: Talon by Julie Kagawa<div class="tr_bq">
<b>Author: </b>Julie Kagawa</div>
<b>Publisher: </b>Harlequin Teen<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 449Hardcover<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>October 24th 2014<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17331828-talon" target="_blank">Talon</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Purchased<br />
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Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.<br />
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Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.<br />
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Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.</blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Kind of disappointing honestly... I liked it enough, but it was definitely not what I was hoping. But I also don't really know what I was hoping it would be. All I knew was that it was about dragons and I. love. dragons. But this book ended up being more a contemporary summer read with little bits of dragon/action scenes in between. The result? </span><br />
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I just found it kind of predictable and it was another case of me not really caring about what was happening or what the characters were doing. I really didn't like Ember's voice; I found it whiny and annoying and juvenile, which made me so sad because she had so much potential. I didn't mind Garret's, but Riley's I couldn't have cared less about. There wasn't much that happened that made me really really excited about this book until the last few chapters, as the battle scene was pretty cool and well written. But then the book ended and even with the cliff-hanger, I just didn't have too much desire to find out what happened next. </div>
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Overall, it wasn't terrible, but I did not enjoy it as much as I had hoped and I was pretty disappointed in it all. This was a story that had so much potential but it kind of felt short in my mind. I liked it enough, but it took me a while to keep going and actually finish. </div>
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Happy reading!</div>
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~Kristy</div>
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kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-38645049504024154442015-02-11T11:59:00.002-08:002015-02-11T11:59:19.908-08:00Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart<div class="tr_bq">
<b>Author: </b>E. Lockhart</div>
<b>Publisher: </b>Delacorte Press<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 528 Hardcover<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>May 13th 2014<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18666181-we-were-liars" target="_blank">We Were Liars</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Library<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">A beautiful and distinguished family.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">A private island.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">A revolution. An accident. A secret.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Lies upon lies.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">True love.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The truth.</span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">We Were Liars</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">New York Times</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Read it.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.</span></blockquote>
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Huh. Well, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting... I can't even say too much about this because it's obviously a mystery and that's the whole thing with this book: no one knows much about it until they start reading. However, I will say this: E. Lockhart's prose is beautiful. She has a gorgeous style that made me love reading her work and it was honestly half the reason why I enjoyed the book and kept reading. The story was interesting, but I also felt kind of disconnected from the characters, and I'm not sure if that was an intentional part of the book or not, but it kind of made me not care too much. I did think the whole mystery was interesting enough, but the book still wasn't as WOW as I was expecting it to be. </div>
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Happy reading!</div>
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~Kristy</div>
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kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-37962582334560843002015-02-09T20:19:00.002-08:002015-02-09T20:19:58.893-08:00Reading Challenges??Other than the Goodreads Reading Challenge, I have never participated in any sort of bookish challenge. It wasn't that I wasn't interested, it was just that I had never really paid much attention to them, but this year, as I am trying to break out of my reading habits and try new things, I have decided to participate in some! Or at least try! I totally forgot about the <a href="http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-Challenge-2015-36071458" target="_blank">popsugar</a> one, so I'm officially declaring myself as a late participant of it, and as the year goes by, I will be trying to participate in at least one more, maybe two if I'm lucky. Who knows, maybe I'll fail, but at least I can remind myself that the only true failure is not trying, or whatever that quote is.<br />
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Anyways, that's all I really have to say about that, so onward with this month of February and newly joined reading challenges!<br />
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Happy reading!<br />~Kristykristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-61695814597597467302015-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-27T00:00:07.677-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'd Read If I Had A Book Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>.This week's topic is:<b> </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Books I Would Read If I Had a Book Club. </b>I've always wanted to join a book club, but I have yet to find a group of people that can commit to it, however it's nice to dream, so here are ten books I think would be great to read together with a group so that we can discuss it!</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">happy reading!<br />~Kristy</span></span>kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-12865609088845609302015-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-26T00:00:07.599-08:00Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon<div class="tr_bq">
<b>Author: </b>Diana Gabaldon</div>
<b>Publisher: </b>Bantam Dell<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 850 pages, Mass Market Paperback<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>First published 1991<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10964.Outlander?from_search=true" target="_blank">Outlander</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Was given as a gift<br />
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The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.<br />
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Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. </blockquote>
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Whatever is was that I was expecting, it wasn't <i>that</i>. This was recommended and gifted to me by an exchange student that my family hosted from Germany a few years ago. She was a huge fan of epic fantasy, so when I picked this up, that's what I was most expecting.... Boy was I surprised.<br />
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<b><u><i><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">*possible minor spoilers ahead if you haven't read this?*</span></i></u></b></div>
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Epic fantasy, this was not. I knew <i>Outlander</i> was a time travel novel, yet I didn't really realize that was only a simple part of the plot, that the story was more about the history of Scotland and the <u>romance</u> between Claire and Jamie. Then, as I was getting used to the historical overload, Jamie and Claire have their wedding night.<br />
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Now, I know this is probably tame compared to other books people read, but having not expected any sort of explicitness, I was reading this in my French class and well, my cheeks went a little red.<br />
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Speaking of their marriage, I'm unclear on my opinion of whether or not Claire was committing adultery by marrying Jamie while being in a different time than her husband, Frank. Plus, the brutality of her punishment from Jamie made me sick to my stomach. I understand that it was part of the times, however it still made me uncomfortable, as well as the talk of him possibly forcing himself upon her.... it all just made me a bit squeamish, considering those actions are now rightly considered unacceptable.<br />
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What I did appreciate was the vivid historical detail and how much obvious research Gabaldon did for this novel. It made the story feel all the more real while in a setting so foreign to me. There were times where it felt almost as if there was too much detail, too much information, and the plot was overloaded with descriptors. The first 100 pages were honestly really dull, and I skimmed through much of it, hardly paying attention. The middle felt mostly like world building and a bit of plot, but kind of jumped around. Then the third quarter was filled with action, albeit was a bit odd, but I was hooked. Then the last quarter dragged on for a while longer, ending in a scene that I was glad I wasn't near anyone for, because my cheeks were redder than a tomato.<br />
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I don't know if I will be reading the rest of this series, but this was surely an enjoyable book, if not a bit dragged out. This is purely escape fiction, which is not what I was expecting, but once I got into it, I didn't really mind. It was a nice break for my tired brain.<br />
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Happy reading!<br />
~Kristy</div>
kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-68852469008709301532015-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-22T00:00:03.870-08:00Under the Cover (2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hey guys! One of my favourite things about hardcovers has always been taking off the dust jacket and seeing what details they put on the cover underneath and lately I've been noticing some really great ones! So I thought I'd start this little feature to highlight some of my favourite hardcovers that have hidden little gems under their covers! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This week I'm featuring Cruel Beauty's incredibly beautiful cover!</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I absolutely adore this cover, so after I borrowed this from a friend and took of the dust jacket to see this...</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />...I was head over heels in love. Beauty and the Beast is one of my all time favourite fairy tales and variations of it always excite me, so this book is one I'm way way stoked to read! And that gorgeous cover, with the jacket and without, is a definite added bonus!<br /><br />Happy reading!<br />~Kristy</span></div>
kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-31290465116395481032015-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-20T22:18:28.728-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Covers of 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>.This week's topic is:<b> </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Favourite Covers of 2015.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've definitely fallen out of the loop for Top Ten Tuesdays, but I thought I'd try to get back into it and today was a freebie! So I thought I'd feature some of my favourite covers for upcoming releases of 2015!</span></span><br />
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Look at all of those gorgeous covers! I know they're not super important to the story, but I definitely still appreciate them! (Can you tell I love graphics and typography?) </div>
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Hope you're having a good Tuesday! Let me know if you posted a Top Ten list today :)</div>
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Happy reading!</div>
~Kristy<br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-90033649924023025592015-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-19T00:00:06.676-08:00Review: Infinite by Jodi Meadows<div class="tr_bq">
<b>Author: </b>Jodi Meadows</div>
<b>Publisher: </b>Katherine Tegen Books<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 418 Hardcover<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>January 28th 2014<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13085374-infinite?from_search=true" target="_blank">Brazen</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Purchased<br />
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<blockquote>
DESTRUCTION<br />
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.<br />
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FLIGHT<br />
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.<br />
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CHOICE<br />
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.<br />
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With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions. </blockquote>
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It generally takes me a while to finish these books, but once I do, the time is always worth it. I'm so impressed with where Jodi Meadows took this series... I mean, DRAGONS. I. Love. Dragons. Stories that incorporate them are almost always incredible and I loved where <i>Infinite</i> took them, with the lore and mystery surrounding these majestic creatures. I won't go into too much detail as this is the final book and I'd hate to spoil anything, however I will note this: Ana's character development brought tears to my eyes, giving me hope for all those other heroines of YA fantasies. What I thought was super cool was that this series melded from what was originally a utopian society, to more of a dystopian-like fantasy epic that kept firing bullets and my heart took them all.<br />
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All throughout the series, there was this huge question as to whether or not Ana would reincarnate when she inevitably died. I absolutely loved where the ending ultimately went. It was both happy and sad and it made sense as much as it could in this context. Overall, this entire finale was simply fantastic... I will always recommend this series as one of my favourites to anyone who hasn't read it.<br />
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Plus, to convince you of the awesomeness that is this series, here is a really cool GIF of a phoenix.<br />
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Happy reading!<br />
~Kristy</div>
kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-42646353328154704542015-01-15T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-15T00:00:05.465-08:00Under the Cover (1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys! One of my favourite things about hardcovers has always been taking off the dust jacket and seeing what details they put on the cover underneath and lately I've been noticing some really great ones! So I thought I'd start this little feature to highlight some of my favourite hardcovers that have hidden little gems under their covers! I thought I'd start off with one that is absolutely stunning: <i>Talon</i> by Julie Kagawa!<br />
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Pretty great cover right? BUT WAIT IT GETS BETTER...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJOhmili8tVU3dldHPv31AZ-_y6BJSjaX9wn6yR_wUinb2OwHgeRoj-zu4nx_CIjqHgVUaczEiYqFwhOqZjibkSM_Lvk7zy-2bSmJSzE9A0Ym-yPCAqa0aEaMXd7Iabk-0UBKxCKaoM6p/s1600/Talon+Standing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJOhmili8tVU3dldHPv31AZ-_y6BJSjaX9wn6yR_wUinb2OwHgeRoj-zu4nx_CIjqHgVUaczEiYqFwhOqZjibkSM_Lvk7zy-2bSmJSzE9A0Ym-yPCAqa0aEaMXd7Iabk-0UBKxCKaoM6p/s1600/Talon+Standing.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayXQGam6_heSMWlbaYJc49kONq17N6byCZZMnKupDdoIXCKm5XSqGCnUkm5D8zqqo3Qo1yUXtiYlkqE3KAX6RH6QDPjU7eNbLOAUfff2nBa0ui9RvBP6LcEp_nEZULHPHG2Vr3BWtVz8e/s1600/Talon+Spine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayXQGam6_heSMWlbaYJc49kONq17N6byCZZMnKupDdoIXCKm5XSqGCnUkm5D8zqqo3Qo1yUXtiYlkqE3KAX6RH6QDPjU7eNbLOAUfff2nBa0ui9RvBP6LcEp_nEZULHPHG2Vr3BWtVz8e/s1600/Talon+Spine.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
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BUT THEN...</div>
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I know we're not supposed to judge the book by its cover, but call me vain, 'cause a pretty cover sure is nice. It was definitely a pleasant surprise when I purchased this and saw all the pretty gold and amazing DRAGONS all over it! So. Gorgeous.<br />
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Happy reading!<br />
~Kristykristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-65377925589812681082015-01-14T00:05:00.003-08:002015-01-14T00:08:35.687-08:003rd BLOGOVERSARY – WHAT?! (Giveaway)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Guess what!!?? Today, A Little Shelf of Heaven turns 3!!! Say goodbye to the terrible twos! (Aka the year I wasn't able to post much of anything because life got in the way) I'm hoping for some changes with the blog this year, such as actually being able to post more reviews and discussions and oh, I don't know, actually being able to READ! I'm super excited about what this year is going to bring, for both this blog and for real life, so to celebrate.... it's giveaway time! I haven't been able to do a giveaway in a long time and I'm so so excited that I can do one for this blogoversary! </div>
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SO, what can you win?<br />
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WEEELLLL, I recently received an ARC of All the Bright Places and since I already have a copy that I've read and since it's definitely a new favourite of mine, I thought why not share the amazing book with you lovely people? Therefore, you will be getting a brand-new, unread ARC of All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and maybe a couple other extra little goodies with it as well, if I can swing it. ;)<br />
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Rules:<br />
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<ul>
<li>The winner will win an unread ARC of All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven</li>
<li>Fill in the Rafflecopter below (PLEASE do not leave personal info in the comments!)</li>
<li>The giveaway is INTERNATIONAL</li>
<li>You must be 13 or older to enter. If you are under 13, please ask your parent/guardian for permission first.</li>
<li>I am not responsible for the book being lost or damaged once shipped.</li>
<li>The giveaway will end on February 4th 2015, at 12am EST. </li>
<li>The winner will be contacted by email and must reply within 48 hours, otherwise an alternate winner will be chosen.</li>
</ul>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="849e4b5816" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/849e4b5816/" id="rcwidget_1xjazcgb" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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Good luck all!<br />
Happy reading and here's to a good third year!<br />
~Kristy<br />
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-9506679150791234932015-01-12T00:45:00.002-08:002015-01-12T00:46:01.756-08:00Review: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani<div class="tr_bq"><b>Author: </b>Soman Chainani</div><b>Publisher: </b>HarperCollins<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 488 Hardcover<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>May 14th 2013<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16248113-the-school-for-good-and-evil?from_search=true" target="_blank">Brazen</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Purchased<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369559695l/16248113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369559695l/16248113.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div><div class="row"><blockquote><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.</span></span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil.</span></span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed—Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School For Good, thrust amongst handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are…?</span></span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The School for Good & Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one. </span></span></blockquote><br />
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I haven't read a full MG novel for a while, so this was a good welcome back into the genre. Intriguing concept, clear main message with other muddled, smaller messages interweaved, and characters easy to get attached to, The School for Good and Evil was a wonderful fairytale escape, however I had some issues with it. Let's talk about the good first:<br />
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The world-building was phenomenal. The descriptions were clear, the history not too confusing, and there was always a sense of intrigue and mystery. I loved how familiar fairy tale characters were integrated but not the full focus and how it was all controlled by the Storian and the ever-mysterious School Master. Agatha and Sophie were wonderful, well fleshed out characters and Agatha's development was incredible to 'watch' as she began to see who she truly was.<br />
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However, ultimately, I feel like a lot of the themes in this were a bit heavy for MG kids, and if not heavy, at least a bit confusing. There are a few scenes in the book that sexualize Sophie and talk about her 'lean, long legs' and I mean... she's like, 12. At the most, 14. There was also a lot of sexism thrown at us, which I really hope the author is actually bashing and will come up with a way to make all the "princesses are weak and princes must save them" messages into ones that empower girls and make them feel equal, as the way it was written felt like he was ridiculing these sexist ideals. But at the same time, ten year olds may not be able to differentiate between what the author was saying and what he was meaning. Or maybe I'm not giving the kids enough credit. Either way, I hope the second book clears out the foggy messages. Over all, this was a great story, but it was definitely one that I'm going to need to question a bit and see how my rating changes. But for now, 4!<br />
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~Kristy</div>kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-58474038754724708042014-12-18T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-18T00:00:04.294-08:00When Customers Ask Me For RecommendationsHey guys! I don't know if I've mentioned, but I recently got a job at a book store, which I'm loving so far! We're allowed to sticker books as staff books, ones we guarantee as good reads that we love and would recommend, which I LOVE, as someone who runs a blog basically to recommend books. I thought I'd share with you guys which books I staff-picked or mention quite often when I'm asked for recommendations!<br />
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1. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – This is always the one I recommend when customers ask me for recommendations for teen or fantasy novels! As you may know, I absolutely adore this series and wish everyone would read it!<br />
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356993940l/13262783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356993940l/13262783.jpg" width="131" /></a>2. Graceling by Kristin Cashore – Another fantasy I'm constantly recommending, I love love love it.<br />
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3. I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson – For those looking for a contemporary that will break their heart a bit and make them think.<br />
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4. Everyday by David Levithan – When people ask for something a bit different, for something for people who like John Green but also want something a bit more than contemporary...<br />
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5. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi – For those "I love Hunger Games and Divergent" people who don't want to stray from dystopians<br />
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Those are just a few of the books I feel like I'm always recommending, but as I continue on in the job, I'll perhaps post a few more!<br />
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Happy reading!<br />~Kristy<br />
<br />kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-55456629384207947812014-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-05T00:00:04.517-08:00Guest Post: Take Your Child To A Bookstore Day<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<b>Take Your Child to
a Bookstore Day<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>A.K.A<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>How to Build
Literacy, Support Community, & Make Magic Happen <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>All in One Day<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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In 2010 I had two young children whom I was bringing to
story hour at our local bookstore almost every week. After all, what better activity
to do with kids? It was enriching, fun, even relaxing. I didn’t have to feel
guilty when I drank that 700 calorie butterscotch latte from the coffee bar. I
was running back and forth between adult fiction and the flower-flocked
children’s section—working off the calories for sure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My kids probably didn’t realize it was as much of a treat
for me as for them. Which started me thinking—were other parents in on this
secret? How many children knew the pleasure of spending time in a bookstore?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I frequent the mystery listserv, DorothyL, and a more avid
group of readers you couldn’t hope to find. When I floated the idea for Take
Your Child to a Bookstore Day, bloggers on the listserv spread the word. My
husband designed a poster, a website, and bookmarks, and we designated the
first Saturday in December as Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day. This would
coincide with holiday gift giving, hopefully giving people the idea that books
make great presents. Just two weeks later, 80 bookstores were celebrating.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That summer my husband and I loaded the kids into the car
and drove cross-country, visiting more than fifty bookstores. (You can tell
he’s a supportive guy). In 2011, the second annual Take Your Child to a
Bookstore Day found over 350 bookstores celebrating in all 50 states. Some
planned special celebrations—children’s book authors, puppet makers, singers,
even a baker who led kids in a gingerbread cookie decorating activity—while
others simply hung a poster in the window. When 2013 came around, and the number
had risen to over 600 independent bookstores, and one major chain, we knew that
word was getting out. Kids + bookstores = magic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And maybe something even more than that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s a cultural wave behind Take Your Child to a
Bookstore Day. The word <i>locavore</i> isn’t just for a Dr. Seuss story
anymore. Supporting your local community and the resurgence of Main Street are
goals that more and more people recognize as important to build strong citizens
as well as strong readers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBvkJqJ59r5aDXiAUIUuz3TM118GYUfZ-MFp8xIzQMLN945EhSLkdVmB3iiMriENhzGZdNVpdQ9RwQbRkvAb5IF29KbYItHzOgUSWCekANJdD3Kt0qC21MJUjxKI88SpKODFvfLeUmmTx/s1600/PIC-2014-07-23-19-00-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBvkJqJ59r5aDXiAUIUuz3TM118GYUfZ-MFp8xIzQMLN945EhSLkdVmB3iiMriENhzGZdNVpdQ9RwQbRkvAb5IF29KbYItHzOgUSWCekANJdD3Kt0qC21MJUjxKI88SpKODFvfLeUmmTx/s1600/PIC-2014-07-23-19-00-18.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a>You know that old ad campaign, “Orange juice isn’t just for
breakfast anymore”? I hear that now as, “Bookstores aren’t just for reading
anymore.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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And by that I mean more than the fact that you can also buy
toys, cards, gifts, or have your butterscotch latte at a bookstore. Bookstores are
places where people come together over ideas and engage in a cultural
conversation. That concept is so important I have to say it again. They are
places <i>where people come together</i>. And booksellers are a group who know
how to zig while others are zagging, so impassioned are they by their life’s
pursuit. Their stores are places of physical interaction in an increasingly
virtual world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When you take a child to a bookstore, you stimulate his mind
and all five senses. (If taste seems a stretch, just let her have the whipped
cream on your latte). There’s a tactile dimension to the experience that seems
rare these days. You also make that child a crucial part of the place where he
lives, supporting it and helping it grow.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6YzG2pWXswaGtycu7x08w5WuIyQ50RRqn8dONhLPueANwOxv6qImRMFF-LjlhPRCg_x8dSdqbZnHS_DuCyDIiD-J5F3PGZlatGgfjCV5pTRORUyhn-abLIPvY0Vdgtitz475SudvtdhS/s1600/PIC-2014-08-06-19-13-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6YzG2pWXswaGtycu7x08w5WuIyQ50RRqn8dONhLPueANwOxv6qImRMFF-LjlhPRCg_x8dSdqbZnHS_DuCyDIiD-J5F3PGZlatGgfjCV5pTRORUyhn-abLIPvY0Vdgtitz475SudvtdhS/s1600/PIC-2014-08-06-19-13-41.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a>Best of all, these things happen in a guise that to the
child is sheer magic. On the shelves of a bookstore sit gateways into whole new
worlds. Children go into bookstores—but they come back out having journeyed
somewhere else entirely.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This Saturday, December 6, 2014 is the fifth annual Take
Your Child to a Bookstore Day. Whether you take your own child, a child you
know, or the child inside yourself to a bookstore, together let’s build
literacy, support community, and make magic happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Jenny Milchman is a suspense novelist and mom from the
Hudson River Valley who once drove past Disney with her children en route to
the nearest bookstore.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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NOTE FROM ME: As someone who works in a book store, seeing kids come in with their parents, excited to be there and just so in love with books is one of the best things I can see in day. </div>
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Happy reading!<br />~Kristy</div>
kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-63688360793136012992014-12-04T08:43:00.001-08:002014-12-04T08:43:48.870-08:00Review: The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin<div class="tr_bq">
<b>Author: </b>Michelle Hodkin</div>
<b>Publisher: </b>Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 470 pages, Hardcover<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>November 4th 2011<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15768409-the-retribution-of-mara-dyer?ac=1" target="_blank">The Retribution of Mara Dyer</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Purchased<br />
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Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.<br />
There is.<br />
She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.<br />
She should.<br />
She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.<br />
She will now.<br />
Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.<br />
Retribution has arrived.</blockquote>
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The conclusion to this series was a long-awaited one, but thankfully it was worth the wait. The <i>Mara Dyer </i>series is completely twisted and mind-bending and I love it so much. While the beginning of this book was a bit slow, I knew that as soon as I got to the last third, I would be instantly hooked once again and wouldn't be able to put it down, which is exactly what happened. I don't want to spoil <i>ANYTHING </i>from the other books in case some of you haven't read them, but I will say that this conclusion, while a bit slow in the beginning, was incredible once it picked up. There were so many loose ends from the last book that were thankfully addressed and all the twists and turns made it still feel familiar to the original first novel. The ending was a bit bitter-sweet, but I was glad about how it turned out and am looking forward to rereading this entire series to get the full effect of the twisted and romantic trilogy that is Mara Dyer. </div>
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Happy reading!</div>
~Kristy<br />
<br />kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-22768068854450966752014-11-26T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-26T00:00:12.778-08:00Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman<div class="tr_bq">
<b>Author: </b>Gayle Forman</div>
<b>Publisher: </b>Dutton Juvenile<br />
<b>Page Count: </b> 264 pages, Hardcover<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>April 5th 2011<br />
<b>Find it on Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492825-where-she-went" target="_blank">Where She Went</a><br />
<b>Source: </b>Purchased<br />
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It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.<br />
Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.<br />
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.</blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">I actually don't know how to rate this based on anything other than my feelings and emotions that revolve around this book and these characters. How on earth had I not read this series before now? I'm so in love with Mia's and Adam's story and Gayle Forman's writing. This book just filled me with warm feelings but also pulled at my heart as Mia and Adam come together once again after such a tragedy, both different people than we had seen in the first book, yet still familiar. I really enjoyed reading from Adam's perspective, it gave him a bit more depth than the mysterious and gorgeous love interest that I had seen him as in <i>If I Stay</i>. It was really interesting to me to see how the aftermath of the accident has affected him as well as Mia, and where his music had taken him. I definitely loved the look into their lives once more and this whole book just played with my heart like crazy. </span></div>
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Happy reading!<br />
~Kristy<br />
<br />kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6165856770454486638.post-44056780673483301442014-11-25T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-25T10:49:14.878-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: Winter TBR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGa22CU9llDIz1wQo1zcaGAglUAWWzrwSjZJSUK9rx1pvd7EQrzZrx3UNkBMkvxuPP8TBY7Yb-o-DLaxqnX7Z3UAJyPuinRgohj20-Ecdf-UD7tpGgK7-FCEs1Y9pdhgAt5N3B4Ev6p2q/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGa22CU9llDIz1wQo1zcaGAglUAWWzrwSjZJSUK9rx1pvd7EQrzZrx3UNkBMkvxuPP8TBY7Yb-o-DLaxqnX7Z3UAJyPuinRgohj20-Ecdf-UD7tpGgK7-FCEs1Y9pdhgAt5N3B4Ev6p2q/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a>.This week's topic is:<b> </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.796875px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Winter TBR.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.796875px;">That's my list for the week! Let me know if you posted a list this week and I'll check it out!<br />Happy reading!<br />~Kristy</span></span></div>
kristy1504http://www.blogger.com/profile/05305904889606598960noreply@blogger.com1