Happy Halloween!

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

By the time you have the privilege of reading this, I will have read this book a few weeks ago. But that does not change my adoration for this book.

I went on the hold list at the Library for this book over 3 months ago. It seemed as though this book would never be in my hands. And once it was I was afraid to read it for I knew a lot of people have loved this book and have shared that the book saddened them at the end. But though it did sadden me, it was worth the 3 month wait to read it. And it is one I will be owning in the near future for I feel it will be great to read again.

 If you have not already figured this out, I enjoyed this book from the very first page. Green is an amazing writer and I enjoyed the dialog between the characters, and I love the way he paints a picture without having to completely describe the scene in full detail. You understand with the words he uses and the picture becomes so vivid in your mind you feel as though you are living the story right along with the characters. And we all know how lovely it is when a book comes along where that happens.

This book is a tad depressing. I will not deny you, future reader, that. But it is worth every tear and heart ache. I will not go into any specific details on the happening of this book. What you can know, without any spoilers, is that this story is about Hazel a 16 year old girl who has terminal cancer. She is just going through the motions of living until the universe gives her Augustus Winters and her whole life changes and it seems her life is being rewritten for the better. This story will have you laughing and crying and is worth every page. I pray you pick it up.

Happy Reading!

Side note: I could have sworn I wrote a post about this book in previous months, but apparently that is not the case. So If you have not read this book, and have not heard about it the actual synopsis of this book is here;
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11870085-the-fault-in-our-stars?from_search=true

Deadline and Next Book(s)

Tomorrow is the deadline to finish up those last few pages for The Witches Daughter!! 

Also if you go to the library page on the blog you will notice there are more than 1 book listed for this next month. I want to do a vote and see who wants to read which one. So comment on here or on the Library page to stake a claim for the book you would prefer. If we have an even amount of votes then I am thinking we will all read the desired book and then tell one another why we did or did not enjoy the book and what it was about. What are your thoughts on that? 

Interesting!

 I came across this link and I HAD to share it with you all. It is a list of the most famous books in each state that are about the state (Twilight is clearly the most famous state of Washington Based book) What do you think? How many have you read? Have you read the one affiliated with your state?

Most Famous Book set in every State

Just a little bit...

So apparently I am unable to read my own calendar properly because according to our book club calender we should be finished reading the Witches Daughter...and I know some of you are not quite finished yet. But how about this, lets extend the deadline until Thursday (Halloween) and then we can have the weekend to discuss it before we start our next book. 
(Which we will be voting on in a few days)

Time is up!

Put down that book bookworms! Time is up. What did you think? Head on over to the Book of the Month page and tell me your thoughts on this wonderful book!!

Happy Discussing!
   (see what I did there ;))

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Did you read The Host by Stephenie Meyer? I did and I was not a huge fan to be honest. I did not even see the movie because I was afraid it would make me like the story line. Well let me take that back, I enjoyed the idea of the book, just not the actual book itself. That happens a lot to me I am finding. Same thing happened with The Sookie Stackhouse Series (aka True Blood) And it is possible that it may happen with this book as well. But I wanted to share it because it is a little different from the typical Dystopian Y.A. novels I tend to read and share with you.

I want to check this book out because it sounds fascinating and the story line appeals to me, but I will be honest there are quite a few books that are on my reading list before I will have the opportunity to conquer this one. But here is the synopsis. 

Happy Reading!

                                                                           "I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything."  
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11043618-what-s-left-of-me?from_search=true

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

Every once and a while I enjoy picking up and reading a good romance and giving it my time for a while. It always sets me in a good place when I read about wonderful events and fantastical events that surround beautiful characters. 

Upon reading the synopsis of this book I knew this was that special kind of book that begs to be read. Check it out and then head out to claim this story to read it for yourself!

Happy Reading!



"Whatever time we have," he said, "it will be time enough.'

Eva Ward returns to the only place she truly belongs, the old house on the Cornish coast, seeking happiness in memories of childhood summers. There she finds mysterious voices and hidden pathways that sweep her not only into the past, but also into the arms of a man who is not of her time.

But Eva must confront her own ghosts, as well as those of long ago. As she begins to question her place in the present, she comes to realize that she too must decide where she really belongs."

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9792287-the-rose-garden

BookNote

The Quest by Nelson DeMille

Another story line that grabbed me by the first paragraph and demanded my attention! This book is about the famed legend of the location of the holy grail. I still love watching all of the History Channels documentaries on this subject, along with the ark of the covenant. So I am sure it is obvious why this book spoke to me.

Do you like these kinds of story lines as much as I do? Here is the description of the book, hope it intrigues you enough to check it out!

Happy Reading!


                                                                             http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17693783-the-quest


"A sweeping adventure that's equal parts thriller and love story, Nelson DeMille's newest novel takes the reader from the war torn jungles of Ethiopia to the magical city of Rome.

While the Ethiopian Civil War rages, a Catholic priest languishes in prison. Forty years have passed since he last saw daylight. His crime? Claiming to know the true location of Christ's cup from the Last Supper. Then the miraculous happens - a mortar strikes the prison and he is free! 

Old, frail, and injured, he escapes to the jungle, where he encounters two Western journalists and a beautiful freelance photographer taking refuge from the carnage. As they tend to his wounds, he relates his incredible story. 

Motivated by the sensational tale and their desire to find the location of the holiest of relics, the trio agrees to search for the Grail. 

Thus begins an impossible quest that will pit them against murderous tribes, deadly assassins, fanatical monks, and the passions of their own hearts."

Island of the Swans by Ciji Ware

The sound of this book sounds so enticing that I had to share it with you. I enjoy a good romance, especially when it falls in such a romantic time period. Let me know what you think!

Happy Reading!


http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7198883-island-of-the-swans

"In this resplendent love story a dazzling era comes vividly to life as one woman's passionate struggle to follow her heart takes her from the opulent cotillions of Edinburgh to the London court of half-mad King George III . . . from a famed salon teeming with politicians and poets to a picturesque castle on the secluded, lush Island of the Swans. . . .
Best friends in childhood, Jane Maxwell and Thomas Fraser wreaked havoc on the cobbled streets of Edinburgh with their juvenile pranks. But years later, when Jane blossoms into a beautiful woman, her feelings for Thomas push beyond the borders of friendship, and he becomes the only man she wants. When Thomas is reportedly killed in the American colonies, the handsome, charismatic Alexander, Duke of Gordon, appeals to a devastated Jane. Believing Thomas is gone forever, Jane hesitantly responds to the Duke, whose passion ignites her blood, even as she rebels at his fierce desire to claim her.
But Thomas Fraser is not dead, and when he returns to find his beloved Jane betrothed to another, he refuses to accept the heartbreaking turn of events. Soon Jane's marriage is swept into a turbulent dance of tender wooing and clashing wills--as Alex seeks truly to make her his, and his alone."

Blue Bells of Scotland by Laura Vosika

If you know me, you know I am pretty proud of my Celtic heritage...however minuscule it may be...I love the romance and the beauty that Ireland and Scotland hold. And the wonderful fairy tales that encompass the heritage of the Celts. When I stumbled across this book it peaked my interest because of the setting, I wont lie to you, but kept my interest with the story line. I cannot say for sure if this book will be worth the read, but I do know I enjoy the description of the plot. 


"Shawn has a skyrocketing musical career, fans, fame, money, his beautiful girlfriend Amy, and all the women he wants. Everything changes: Amy has enough and leaves him stranded in a Scottish castle tower overnight. He wakes up in medieval Scotland. Mistaken for the castle's future laird, he is forced to make a dangerous cross-country trek with a beautiful woman wielding a knife, pursued by English soldiers and a Scottish traitor, to raise men for the critical battle at Bannockburn.

Niall Campbell, Shawn's opposite in everything except looks, is no more happy to find himself caught in Shawn's life, pursued by women, the target of an angry girlfriend, expected to play a sell-out concert, and hearing the account of his own death and Scotland's annihilation at Bannockburn. He vows to figure out what went wrong at the battle, and find a way back to change it."http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6810566-blue-bells-of-scotland

Classic switch-a-roo going on in this story line, but it is always an interesting adventure when someone come from the past to the future, as well as the other way around. It had the tendency to get me thinking, what would I do in that situation? And what do I expect someone from the past to do if they came to 2013? 

I pray this has peaked your interest!

Happy Reading!

The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry

When it comes to historical fiction, reading about the Knights of Templar and all the legends that go along with them is something that always seems to take a hold of my interest and not let go until I have finished the story. I believe that is why I was first taken by the author Dan Brown, something that is part of Americas history, and stems from back in England and is surrounded by such mystery appeals to the inner-Sherlock Holmes in me. When I cam across this book I knew I had to share it with all of you, one for the fact that it sounds very interesting and completely up my book aisle, and two so I remember to order it from the Library or through my nook at barnesandnoble.com. 

Here is the discription from www.goodreads.com

"The ancient order of the Knights Templar possessed untold wealth and absolute power over kings and popes . . . until the Inquisition, when they were wiped from the face of the earth, their hidden riches lost. But now two forces vying for the treasure have learned that it is not at all what they thought it was-and its true nature could change the modern world. 
Cotton Malone, one-time top operative for the U.S. Justice Department, is enjoying his quiet new life as an antiquarian book dealer in Copenhagen when an unexpected call to action reawakens his hair-trigger instincts-and plunges him back into the cloak-and-dagger world he thought he'd left behind. 
It begins with a violent robbery attempt on Cotton's former supervisor, Stephanie Nelle, who's far from home on a mission that has nothing to do with national security. Armed with vital clues to a series of centuries-old puzzles scattered across Europe, she means to crack a mystery that has tantalized scholars and fortune-hunters through the ages by finding the legendary cache of wealth and forbidden knowledge thought to have been lost forever when the order of the Knights Templar was exterminated in the fourteenth century. But she's not alone. Competing for the historic prize-and desperate for the crucial information Stephanie possesses-is Raymond de Roquefort, a shadowy zealot with an army of assassins at his command. 
Welcome or not, Cotton seeks to even the odds in the perilous race. But the more he learns about the ancient conspiracy surrounding the Knights Templar, the more he realizes that even more than lives are at stake. At the end of a lethal game of conquest, rife with intrigue, treachery, and craven lust for power, lies a shattering discovery that could rock the civilized world-and, in the wrong hands, bring it to its knees. 'From the Hardcover edition."

Happy Reading!

What do you want to read?

My goal is to be well rounded when it comes to what I read and what I share with you. I do realize that is not always the case. With that being said, what kinds of books do you like to read? What kinds of books would you like me to share with you? Do you like the direction I am currently going? Would you prefer more diverse course of reviews? Are you finding books you want to read via what I post on here or am I talking to myself? 

Basically I want to be sure I am keeping your interests, so let me know what is and is not working for you! I would like to hear it!

Happy Reading!

Children of the Knight by Michael J. Bowler

While searching for books to share with you I found this one as a sponsored link on good ol' Goodreads.com. As I have shared with you before I enjoy a good historical fiction store. And this one deals with the infamous Camelot and King Arthur. I found the story line to be quite interesting, and if well written it will be worth the read I think.

 This is a Y.A. book, but I think we can all agree that sometimes it is a good get away to read something that transports you away from your Adult mind and into a place where your cares were not as great and your life was less complicated.

 Here is the synopsis from http://www.goodreads.com

"According to legend, King Arthur is supposed to return when Britain needs him most. So why does a man claiming to be the once and future king suddenly appear in Los Angeles?

This charismatic young Arthur creates a new Camelot within the City of Angels to lead a crusade of unwanted kids against an adult society that discards and ignores them. Under his banner of equality, every needy child is welcome, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or gang affiliation.

With the help of his amazing First Knight, homeless fourteen-year-old Lance, Arthur transforms this ragtag band of rejected children and teens into a well-trained army—the Children of the Knight. Through his intervention, they win the hearts and minds of the populace at large, and gain a truer understanding of themselves and their worth to society. But seeking more rights for kids pits Arthur and the children squarely against the rich, the influential, and the self-satisfied politicians who want nothing more than to maintain the status quo.

Can right truly overcome might? Arthur’s hopeful young knights are about to find out, and the City of Angels will never be the same."

Happy Reading!!

If You Were Here by Alafair Burke

So it has come to this...is what I was thinking when I found this book in my library book stash and I have no idea when I picked it up. Apparently I have such an addiction that I block out feeding said addiction. 

That being said I re-read the inside cover of the book and decided that I did a good thing by picking it up because it sounds very interesting, and AS FAR AS I AM CURRENTLY AWARE this is NOT the start of a series! 

Here is the synopsis according to www.goodreads.com

Magazine journalist McKenna Wright is chasing the latest urban folktale-the story of an unidentified woman who heroically pulled a teenaged boy from the subway tracks, seconds before an oncoming train. When McKenna locates a short video snippet that purportedly captures part of the incident, she thinks she has an edge on the competition scrambling to identify the mystery heroine.

She is shocked to discover that the woman in the video bears a strong resemblance to Susan Hauptmann, a close friend who disappeared without a trace a decade earlier. Investigating her disappearance, the NYPD concluded that the nomadic Susan-forced by her father into an early military life, floundering as an adult for a fixed identity-simply left town to start over again somewhere else.

But McKenna has always believed the truth went deeper than the police investigation ever reached, and sees Susan's resurfacing as a sign that she wants to be found. Yet when she shares the image with her husband, Patrick, who was Susan's classmate at West Point, he isn't convinced.

What would have been a short-lived metro story sends McKenna on a dangerous search for the missing woman, a twisting journey through New York City that will force her to unearth long-buried truths much closer to home-to her own husband, who seems to know much more about Susan than McKenna could have ever imagined.

If you happen to check this out, let me know what you thought of it! And I will let you know my thoughts in the next few weeks once I finish reading it!

Happy Reading!

HAPPY NEW BOOK SUNDAY!!

Happy Sunday! 

Thank you to all who participated in the discussion of The Paris Wife on here and on Facebook. But now it is time to set that book aside and pick up The Witches Daughter.

Are you as excited as I am to FINALLY start this book?! It has been KILLING me not to crack this open until today! I KNOW this will be a book that I will have finished in only a few days time. If I was still childless and only worked then I know this book would be finished today. But because I am now an adult with responsibilities I will have to make a point to set this book down and take part in the life of my wonderful family. So let's get reading!!

Happy Reading!

Would-Be Witch by Kimberly Frost

Ms. Rachel has done it again and has graciously provided us with another smashing review Check out what she has to say about this new book series and then head to your local Library to check it out! Happy Reading!

 Would-Be Witch by Kimberly Frost

If you are a fan of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series (and you should be), you’ll like this rom com of a book. Tammy Jo has never felt magical, though she knows it runs in the family. Trying her hand at the inheritance often ends in disaster. She does get visits from annoying family ghost Edie, though, who is tied to a locket Tammy has had for years. When the locket is stolen, losing the family ghost could mean disaster for Tammy and her line. Turning to local cop Zach, she must find the locket and save the town from her own magic gone wild. Meanwhile, complications arrive with a dark, handsome wizard who knows more about Tammy’s past than she does. This is a fun, light-hearted mystery with some magic thrown in. Three book exist in the series, but each is its own story. Two more are in the works (one coming out in May).

BookNote