Book Blogger Hop #12 and Follow Friday #11

The Book Blogger Hop is sponsored by Jen at Crazy For Books. Just read at her site that this will be the last one of these for a while. So sad! But I understand, it does take a lot of time I'm sure to do all of this, as I know I've not been able to keep up with doing this every week. But this is basically a place to connect with other book bloggers and readers.

This week's question is: What is your favorite Halloween costume? Even if you don't celebrate, what kinds of costumes do you like?

Well, I actually dressed up last Saturday night for a friend's party. On Monday night I'll be at home, with a big bowl of candy, hoping to have some trick or treaters. Last year I didn't have very many, which was disappointing, as that is one part of Halloween I've enjoyed as an adult. My favorite costume is one that I can't fit into anymore, but still have. Even when I lost weight last year, I believe certain parts of my body have either not lost weight, or have settled to a different postion that made me unable to zip the dress all the way up. Probably almost 10 years ago, my mom sewed me the famous pink Marilyn Monroe dress, the same one Madonna wears in her Material Girl video. That is my favorite costume. I wish I could wear it at least one more time. But because it is homemade, and so fitted, there was no way for my mom to "let it out" in the bust area, so I was unable to wear it.

Follow Friday is sponsored by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read.

This week's question is: If you could have dinner with your favorite book character, who would you eat with and what would you serve?

Hmm, that is kind of a hard question. Because I think I'd like to have dinner with Edward from Twilight, and of course, he wouldn't really be eating anything so I wouldn't have to serve anything. Or, I would like to have dinner with Jacob, and we'd go to a nice steak house for dinner. I know, that is probably a cliche answer, but it is what it is. My best answer.

So, do you have a favorite Halloween costume? And who would you choose to have dinner with?

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I actually really liked this book. I think the subject of anorexia is one that is very overlooked sometimes. I liked the irony in a girl who was anorexic being in charge of famine. I liked that the other riders, Death, War, and Pestilence, were portrayed in a somewhat different way than you normally see. I like the choice that Famine was given. This book did speak to me personally, not that I'm anorexic, but that I struggle with weight, and I understand the feeling of looking in the mirror, and what you see is not what others see. There are times I leave my home and I thought what I put on looked good in my mirror. Then I get to school and walk by a window and see my reflection and hate how fat I look. Or I'm somewhere like a party, in an outfit I planned and thought made me look really good, then I see a picture later and think wow, how fat I really am, and why don't I see that in the mirror when I look. And then other people will say how good I look, and I don't think I look like that. For a long time, when I was younger, I never understood how anorexics could look in a mirror and feel fat, when all I saw was barely any person there. But now that I can't trust my own eyes when I look in a mirror, I get it. And I think this book showcases that very well. I like that at the end it isn't just easy for her to begin eating and be normal. She thinks she can, but soon that "thin voice" is back in her head telling her how many calories, or minutes exercising each food will cost her. And making her feel guilty for even thinking of eating one french fry.

I look forward to reading the next one in the series, Rage. This was a quick read, as it is a short book, and I think there could probably have been more detail to flesh the story out and make it last a bit longer if there was anything that wasn't perfect about the book, that's it.



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Waiting on Wednesday - New Style

Okay, what I mean by "New Style" is that I know I'm not doing the exact correct thing here, but I'm so far behind on reading since school started back in August, that I kept thinking about how many new books were out that I'd been waiting on, but hadn't had the time to read them yet. So, hopefully Jill at Breaking the Spine doesn't mind too much if I veer off course this week. Instead of choosing one book that is not published yet that I'm eagerly awaiting, I want to share the books that have recently been published but I haven't had time to read them yet.

First is The Death Cure by James Dashner. This is the 3rd, and as far as I know at the moment, final book in the Maze Runner series. According to bn.com:
Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

Second is Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick, the 3rd, and I think final in the Hush Hush series. According to bn.com: The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

Third is The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. I enjoy following Maureen Johnson on Twitter, she is so funny. And I've read a few of her others, 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Suite Scarlett, Devilish, to name a few. The 3rd one was the closest to my normal type of book, I mean paranormalish. But this new one sounds really in my area, and I did get it for my birthday, so it will be one of the next ones I read. According to bn.com:
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Fourth is First Kill (The Slayer Chronicles #1) by Heather Brewer. I loved her Vladmir Tod series. I love following her on Twitter, and I was so excited to get to meet her last spring! I was so excited when I heard about this series which will fill in the summers between the Vlad Tod books, but from Joss, the vampire slayer's, point of view. Here is the summary according to bn.com: Joss McMillan’s perfect life crashes down the night he witnesses his sister’s murder — at the hands of a vampire. He then finds out his family’s secret heritage: They are part of the Slayer Society, a group whose mission is to rid the world of vampires. Joss is their new recruit. As Joss trains, bent on seeking revenge for his sister, he discovers powers that could make him the youngest, strongest Slayer in history. But there is a traitor in the Society, one whose identity would shake Joss to the core . . . if the traitor doesn’t kill him first.
With over a million copies already in print, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is still sinking its fangs into new readers every day. Now, bestselling author Heather Brewer brings us the other side of the story, from the perspective of Vlad’s former friend turned mortal enemy: vampire slayer Joss McMillan. This is the first in a series of five books that can be read alongside Vlad Tod or entirely on their own.

The 5th book I came up with, and I know there are many more, is The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore. This is the sequel to I Am Number Four, which I only picked up to read in the first place due to some of the controversy about who the author really was. I'll let you do some research into that on your own if you're interested enough. Here is the storyline according to bn.com:
I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
They caught Number One in Malaysia.Number Two in England.And Number Three in Kenya.They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I'm ready to fight.

So, as I said, I hope that the blog who does this meme isn't upset with me for diverging from the normal way of doing this for this week. I just really wanted to do a blog about this, and it felt kind of like I was "waiting" so I decided it fit perfectly under "Waiting On Wednesday" because instead of waiting for a book to be published, I'm waiting to have the time to read them!

Must Read Monday #1

Just found this meme through someone I follow, and it is sponsored by Fans of Fiction. It is called Must Read Monday, and I love the creativity behind it! You pick a book based on whatever the theme is, and you explain why it is a must read. But you must explain it using an acrostic poem. This week's theme is paranormal, which can include paranormal romance. I just read a really good one I'd like to share, but since the title is so long, I decided not to do it for my first foray into this meme. Instead I'll go with another really good one I read this past spring. I chose Abandon by Meg Cabot.

Ancient stories of the underworld

But who really believes in them anymore.

An accident nearly took Pierce's life

Near death, but she came back

Doing her best to move on with life isn't easy, so she moves to her mother's birthplace

Oh but still he finds her, and still he wants her to come live with him

Now she must decide her own fate.

Wow, now that I do this, it might be easier next time to do a longer title to fit more in. Hope I've given some idea of the book with this poem. It was fun if anything.

Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman by Harlan Ellison

Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman: The Classic Story by Harlan Ellison

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I read this book after hearing about an author challenging the movie In Time that comes out next week starring Justin Timberlake. The movie is about people only living until the age of 25, and for any time after that they work to earn it. Living until 25 though, means that you don't age past that. You pretty much look that age as long as you have time. You get paid in time, you pay for things in time. It looks like a really interesting movie.

I can see how the idea could have come from this short story, but honestly, the movie looks to have gone in a bit different direction. The people in the book are killed if they are late or waste time. It doesn't talk about using time as currency or only living till a certain age. So while I can see the basis of the idea, I don't see the actual whole plot of the movie in this short story.

The story is kind of weird and hard to follow, something many other reviewers on here like about it. And I can understand that. But it wasn't really enjoyable to me to read. I liked the idea behind it, but wish it had made more sense.

Check out the movie trailer and see what you think:

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Tighter by Adele Griffin

Tighter by Adele Griffin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I borrowed this book from my friend Kim, who won it from a contest here on Goodreads. I actually saw this book before then on the shelf at the bookstore where I work, and blogged about it in one of my Hazards of Working at a Bookstore entries. So I was very excited she won it and I got to borrow it.

I'm going to start with what I didn't like. I didn't like the drugs part. I totally understand why the character was taking them, well, I understand based on what the author wrote it as. But I guess I'm just a goody-goody in that I don't like that she couldn't overcome the drugs even when things seemed to be looking up for her.

Okay, on to the good stuff. The main character is Jamie, and she is spending the summer as an au pair on this little island. She gets to go live in this huge house and take care of the little girl. She doesn't learn till she gets there that the au pair from the year before died tragically. She also doesn't know that the little girl's big brother will end up hanging out with them all summer. Weird things start to happen. Jamie also finds out that she looks eerily similar to the au pair from the year before, and as has become something that haunts her at home, she is seeing the girl's ghost, along with the boy that she died with. The story was really good, one I didn't want to put down while I was reading, and the twist at the end was so good, I needed to go back in the book and try to see why I hadn't figured it out earlier. Not a spooky ghost story to me, but an intriguing one.



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The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed the first book I read by this author, The Replacement. So I knew I would enjoy this one right away, and was so excited when I won an ARC from Goodreads.com. I was a little disappointed at first that it wouldn't be a sequel to the first book, as I feel that one left open for a sequel. But the premise to this story was really good as well. I was fortunate in that I picked this book up at a time when I actually had some time to read, and I got it all read within about 3 days time, the majority of it yesterday. Once I picked it up and started reading, I was just sucked in and had to know where it was going. What I love about this author's books is that she is so descriptive, and the storyline, background, history of the world, etc., they are all so involved. Even with all the fallen angel stories that are out, and even some now about demons as not so bad of people, this has it's own originality.

The main character is Daphne. She lives in Pandemonium, which is a city in Hell. The interesting thing about this city is that when they open the furnaces of hell, everything burns. They must close doors and windows and cabinets to protect things that are not from that city. Daphne is the daugher of Lillith, a demon, and Lucifer, the devil. She has many half brothers and sisters, most are demons like her mohter, but one is her brother Obie. Obie has gone to earth, but he chooses to save lost souls, whereas her sisters choose to take from the men.

We begin with a boy showing up in Pandemonimum bleeding and lost. Obie helps to save him, and then afterwards, Obie chooses to go live on Earth to stay, as he has fallen in love. When Daphne's mother sees that Obie disappears, she sends Daphne to earth to find him, as Lillith cannot go herself. Daphne still feels a connection to the boy who her brother saved, his name is Truman. And she feels that he may have an idea to where her brother might have disappeared. So she goes to Truman (I love that this is the character's name), for help. But it is not safe for Daphne on earth, there is the archangel Azriel who wants to kill and destroy all demons who come to earth, in order to save the humans. Together they must pass through several obstacles and dangers to find Obie, and it is possible that they may not all survive. But who will give their life for love?



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Gateway 2012-2013 Nominee 4: The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork

The Last Summer Of The Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is one of the books I read to help with selecting next year's Gateway Award nominees. I did really enjoy it. Didn't think I would, again, like many of the titles on the list this year, it is not my normal type of book. But I really liked the story, and got involved with the characters. At first I was irritated with the main character, Pancho, as he just didn't want to connect with anyone. Just pushed everyone away in his search for vengeance for his sister's death. I totally understood though, his need for vengeance. I can feel in the same situation that I would probably think the same way. I liked the D.Q. character, and again, I can see feeling the same way he did about his sickness and how he wanted to deal with it. I did feel it was a bit predictable with how the whole relationship with Marisol turned out. Obviously it wasn't a Nicholas Sparks type of book where she would fall in love with the terminally ill patient. But once it said something about how she would feel about Pancho, I knew at some point she would tell D.Q., and he would be upset, which he was. But I do like how he realized that was wrong, and how he came around to understand it. Overall, I think it would be a good read for kids on all sides. Even the way the vengeance portion turns out was a good, realistic seeming way, with a bit of a lesson in it.



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The Hazards of Working at a Bookstore Vol. 4.1

Wow, I can't believe how long it has been since I blogged! School is so busy, 3 jobs are crazy! I also am thinking I may not be able to read the nominees for next year's Gateway. I am going to get a friend, and maybe some students to help me. But I'm getting an opportunity to help someone who is opening a new publishing company, and that is really something that I think will be a help to me in the future, something to put on a resume, and something I really want to do. I've got a ton of books written for my hazards posts since I haven't done one since August. So, again, I'm going to divide them into different categories. Today's category is Teen and Young Adult, 3 books I'm going to share.
First is Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci. I read the first one a year or two ago, and really enjoyed it. I didn't know there was going to be a sequel until I saw it on the shelf at the store. In this story a body was found in Steepleton and the main character Torey posts it on his blog. A college reporter hops a plane to get there and try to get the story to launch his career, while Christopher's younger brother just wants to find some answers.

The 2nd book is The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch. This is kind of a futuristic/dystopian/science fiction story. There's been war after war in America. People not wiped out by that are dying from illnesses such as strains of the flu. The main character is 15 year old Stephen. He's traveling across America with his dad and ex-marine grandfather. His grandfather dies, and his father is in an accident and so he must find somewhere to go and he ends up in a town called Settler's Landing, a town that seems so perfect for this afterworld. He falls in love with the town outcast, and it turns out the "elders" of the town want to remake their town back to the way things were before the collapse.

Third is a book I've seen on the shelves for awhile, but haven't really picked it up until recently. And it sounds interesting. It's called Reckless by Cornelia Funke. The main character's name is Jacob Reckless. He is able to go to a hidden world through a portal in his father's study and has gone for years, finding lost items and solving quests. One day his younger brother follows him through the portal, and he is attacked and infected. When he comes back Jacob must figure out a way to save him before he becomes a monster from the other world.

October RAK

So, I haven't done this since this summer, too busy really. But when I heard that you could now buy a specific book for someone's Nook, and I have a Nook, I thought I'd sign up again and try it out. Plus, it is my birthday month, just like it is the Book Nympho's, (mine is October 22nd) so it might be fun if I get anything this month.

My List

COMPLETE RULES RE-CAP:
Please read carefully & follow all rules!
Please sign-up each month that you can participate (and by participate, we mean give as well as receive).
Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button (code is in the sidebar).
Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger directly for their information.
Once you receive a RAK, send us an email to [rakbybooksoulmates @ gmail . com] so that we can update the Google Doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEND EMAILS TO THIS ADDRESS!
E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble as well.
At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K by making a "RAK Wrap-Up" post. This post should include who you SENT gifts to as well who you RECEIVED gifts from :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE including all our International brethren!
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!
Easy peezy!!
Links you will need:
Sign up for October [HERE]
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Good luck to all the giveaway participants and thanks for joining and passing on the kindness!
You guys ROCK!!

Gateway 2012-2013 Nominee 3: Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I had been wanting to read this book for a long time. The whole zombie book trend has really hooked me I think. And this book did not disappoint. In fact, you'll notice I gave it 5 stars, and lately, even books that have been really good have only gotten a 4 from me. But I felt this was really different, had something new. Not sure exactly what I'd say was "new", but I did really enjoy this.



I didn't start out with the description of the book thinking that it would be this good though. This is a boy main character, and in this future world, when you reach a certain age, you must get a job or you don't get as many rations. In a way, the ration part, reminds me a bit of The Dead-Tossed Waves. Because one of the characters in that lost his sister because he was looking to get her money to live on by joining an army. And it was a zombie book. But going on, Rot & Ruin started out with the main character hitting the age and going to look for a job. The different jobs that were available were pretty interesting. Looking at pictures of lost loved ones and trying to predict how they would now look as a zombie. Checking the fences around the town to make sure they were strong enough to keep the zombies out. Working in a factory to squeeze the "juice" out of the dead zombies to make "cadaverine", a scent used for those who went out to hunt the zombies. Staying in the lookout towers to keep an eye on the zombies, the job his friend Chong gets. And finally, the job his brother has, zombie hunter. After either not being qualified for some of the jobs, or not wanting the others, Benny ends up working with his brother Tom.

Benny does not respect his brother. His first memory is of his mother handing him to his brother, and telling him to run as his father was attacking them as a zombie. And Benny cannot believe his brother left his mother to die. So now Benny cannot believe the big tough reputation his brother has as a zombie killer.

I thought this would be just a book about a boy learning how to hunt zombies and coming to respect his brother through that. But it was more. Learning to realize that the zombies weren't evil, they were just a disease that had taken over the bodies. The main story being that just normal people were really the ones that could be evil. The family stories, the "First Night" stories, I just felt all of it was really good. I can't wait to read the 2nd book in the series. Of course it will have to wait till I finish reading the books for Gateway nominee list, but it will be probably in December.



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