The Magician King by Lev Grossman

"Quentin and his friends are now the kings and queens of Fillory, but the days and nights of royal luxury are starting to pall. After a morning hunt takes a sinister turn, Quentin and his old friend Julia charter a magical sailing ship and set out on an errand to the wild outer reaches of their kingdom. Their pleasure cruise becomes an adventure when the two are unceremoniously dumped back into the last place Quentin ever wants to see: his parent's house in Chesterton, Massachusetts. And only the black, twisted magic that Julia learned on the streets can save them." 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10079321-the-magician-king

Since I shared with you last week the beginning of the series I thought I would share with you the 2nd book in line in this series. I am still skeptical, but I will try it. What do you think? Do you feel as I do that this is a weird adult twist of Narnia mixed with Harry Potter? Or am I alone in this thought process?

Happy Reading!

Happy Friday!

The Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki

"A riveting historical novel about Peggy Shippen Arnold, the cunning wife of Benedict Arnold and mastermind behind America’s most infamous act of treason . . . 

Everyone knows Benedict Arnold—the Revolutionary War general who betrayed America and fled to the British—as history’s most notorious turncoat. Many know Arnold’s co-conspirator, Major John André, who was apprehended with Arnold’s documents in his boots and hanged at the orders of General George Washington. But few know of the integral third character in the plot: a charming young woman who not only contributed to the betrayal but orchestrated it. 

Socialite Peggy Shippen is half Benedict Arnold’s age when she seduces the war hero during his stint as military commander of Philadelphia. Blinded by his young bride’s beauty and wit, Arnold does not realize that she harbors a secret: loyalty to the British. Nor does he know that she hides a past romance with the handsome British spy John André. Peggy watches as her husband, crippled from battle wounds and in debt from years of service to the colonies, grows ever more disillusioned with his hero, Washington, and the American cause. Together with her former love and her disaffected husband, Peggy hatches the plot to deliver West Point to the British and, in exchange, win fame and fortune for herself and Arnold. 

Told from the perspective of Peggy’s maid, whose faith in the new nation inspires her to intervene in her mistress’s affairs even when it could cost her everything, The Traitor’s Wife brings these infamous figures to life, illuminating the sordid details and the love triangle that nearly destroyed the American fight for freedom."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143995-the-traitor-s-wife?from_search=true

Thank-you Pinterest for yet again another riveting book suggestion! I love it when I find people on Pinterest who will recommend books on their pages as I do! Makes it for a lot of fun pinning!! Followed by hours of glorious reading! I hope you enjoy the sound of this book as much as I did.

Happy Reading!

(And can I just take a moment to thank the Lord for spell check? You all would think I was an uneducated adult if you could truly see the horrendous way I think things aught to be spelled!)

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

"Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. He's a senior in high school, and a certifiable genius, but he's still secretly obsessed with a series of fantasy novels he read as a kid, about the adventures of five children in a magical land called Fillory. Compared to that, anything in his real life just seems gray and colorless. 

Everything changes when Quentin finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the practice of modern sorcery. He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. But something is still missing. Magic doesn't bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he though it would. 

Then, after graduation, he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6101718-the-magicians

I read this book a few (around 5) years ago. I picked it up from a local bookstore in the mall where I was currently working as a salon manager. This book appealed to me then because of the synopsis in which it was reeling me in by. However, the actual content of this book left me a tad disappointed. I felt like it was a mix between Narnia and Harry Potter. Not a bad combination you may think, I would agree with you had i not read this book already. It was a little TOO close for me to believe it was an original piece of work. 

I will say this though it is clearly for adults, not for teenagers or adolescents as Harry Potter and Narnia are. I would be willing to give this book another go and to see how the now series progresses, when I read this I had NO idea this would be a series. I assumed it was a stand alone book. I should have known better. 

I choose to share the actual synopsis with you instead of my own rendering of the book because I wanted you to see what drew me to the book in the first place. Why I picked up the hard-cover copy and paid for it. I wanted you to see the magic it promises and maybe even pick the book up to see if it delivers for you, like it failed to do for me.

If you have read this book and differ with my views let me know! I would enjoy to hear someone speak of this book who actually enjoyed it. And why. If you have read this book and share my views what was it about this book that made you say "Hmmm...."? 

Happy Reading!

Thought for Friday!

Happy Friday!

Winter's Bone by Daniel Woorell

I am falling even more in love with Goodreads.com the more my friends discover it and we get connected. It opens my eyes to new books that sound interesting, and it allows Goodreads to see what interests me to accurately give me suggestions based on the books I have read and rated and the ones that I want to read. Such a nice tool sometimes when I do not have the time to walk around the Library searching for the books that speak to me. I came across this one and wanted to be sure to take the time to share it with you. If you pick it up, let me know what you thought!

"The sheriff's deputy at the front door brings hard news to Ree Dolly. Her father has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth lab, and the Dollys will lose their house if he doesn't show up for his next court date. Ree's father has disappeared before. The Dolly clan has worked the shadowy side of the law for generations, and arrests (and attempts to avoid them) are part of life in Rathlin Valley. With two young brothers depending on her and a mother who's entered a kind of second childhood, sixteen-year-old Ree knows she has to bring her father back, dead or alive. She has grown up in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks and learns quickly that asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. But along the way to a shocking revelation, Ree discovers unforeseen depths in herself and in a family network that protects its own at any cost."

Here is the link so you can check this book out and see what you think!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112525.Winter_s_Bone

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (Review by Rachel)

Well Rachel has done it again for us! She has read and reviewed another interesting book for us to check out, so here is what she has to say about The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

"I just finished The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I don't read a lot of straight fiction (without it being a mystery or fantasy or a classic), but my mom recommended this, and I have been telling her for a while that I would read it. I will probably take her recommendations a tad more seriously in the future. This ended up being a very engrossing book. It starts with a little bit of a mystery. Four year old Nell arrives at the docks of a port in Australia with no one to pick her up. The dock master takes her home, and with no clue to her family, end up raising her as their own. When her father reveals the secret on her 21st bday, Nell's world shatters. From there, we follow the timelines of Nell, her granddaughter, and the family she didn't know she had. Ranging from the early 1900s to 2005, the stories intertwine easily and leave you in a state of constant anticipation at learning the next clue to Nell's past. It was a longish book, but it read very quickly, and I had a hard time putting it down at night." -Rachel

Here is the link to the book on goodreads if you want to read the synopsis or even if you want to buy it and read it for yourself. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3407877-the-forgotten-garden?ac=1

Happy Reading!

Me right now...

I am currently reading the final book in the Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi and I am TRYING to take it slow but it is SO hard.

Savages by Don Winslow

A friend that is linked to my goodreads account posted that they wanted to read this book. Upon reading the synopsis I decided I was interested in this book as well. It seems like a movie I would go and watch, so why not a book to read. Plus with staying true to my goal of being more diverse in my sharing of stories this seemed like a good one to share. Let me know what you think!

Happy Reading!

"A breakthrough novel that pits young kingpins against a Mexican drug cartel, Savages is a provocative, sexy, and sharply funny thrill ride through the dark side of the war on drugs and beyond.

Part-time environmentalist and philanthropist Ben and his ex-mercenary buddy Chon run a Laguna Beach–based marijuana operation, reaping significant profits from their loyal clientele. In the past when their turf was challenged, Chon took care of eliminating the threat. But now they may have come up against something that they can’t handle—the Mexican Baja Cartel wants in, and sends them the message that a "no" is unacceptable. When they refuse to back down, the cartel escalates its threat, kidnapping Ophelia, the boys’ playmate and confidante. O’s abduction sets off a dizzying array of ingenious negotiations and gripping plot twists that will captivate readers eager to learn the costs of freedom and the price of one amazing high."

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8008928-savages

Trust me, you will giggle

Browsing the internet one evening I came across this link, Funny Book Title Covers, and it made me laugh and giggle at some of the book covers, that are actual books. It makes me wonder if they did it on purpose or just looked back and thought "well that was stupid of me." So I thought I would share this with you and hopefully bring you some laughs to get you through the last day of this work week! Happy Friday!

Happy Reading!

The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

I love the recommended books section on Goodreads. Along with the wall that posts what all of my connections are currently reading or want to read, it assists in my search for new books.

This book came up in my recommended page because I read the book The Fault in Our Stars. So that caught my attention because I adored that book. This one has captured my attention because of the story line. I like it when someone sees something extraordinary in someone who is typically viewed as the exact opposite. Maybe that is because I always try to see the good in people no matter what the circumstance. 

Here is the synopsis, take a look then tell me what you think!

"Anna and Abel couldn't be more different. They are both seventeen and in their last year of school, but while Anna lives in a nice old town house and comes from a well-to-do family, Abel, the school drug dealer, lives in a big, prison-like tower block at the edge of town. Anna is afraid of him until she realizes that he is caring for his six-year-old sister on his own. Fascinated, Anna follows the two and listens as Abel tells little Micha the story of a tiny queen assailed by dark forces. It’s a beautiful fairy tale that Anna comes to see has a basis in reality. Abel is in real danger of losing Micha to their abusive father and to his own inability to make ends meet. Anna gradually falls in love with Abel, but when his “enemies” begin to turn up dead, she fears she has fallen for a murderer. Has she?" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11284898-the-storyteller

Happy Reading!