Top 5: Series - it is Gotten Good Reviews

There are several series I have been dying to read for quite some time, but never actually gotten around to reading. I've compiled a list of the series I want to read though, and these are my top 5.

1. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Set in a boarding school for vampires, Rose Hathaway is the bodyguard of her best friend Lissa, a vampire princess. They've been on the run, but have been forced to return to St. Vladimir's Academy, the place where they are most in danger.

The main reason I want to read this is that I've been wanting to read more vampire fiction, and this has gotten good reviews. I think the series consist of 6 books.

2. Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

What's the fuss about? I want to know.

This story is about Lena, who has a power and a curse hanging over her, and she's trying to keep it hidden from the small town she's living in. There's also a boy named Ethan, who keeps dreaming about this girl he doesn't know, and counting the days until he can leave the town of Gatlin.

I have a slight feeling I might be a little too old for these books, but I think I'll read the first and see what I think.

3. The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan

I've already bought the first book in this series and I'm super excited to read it (I thnk I might start one now). I haven't read anything from Rick Riordan and people tell me he's amazing, so it's time to get cracking.

This is the story about Jason, who remembers nothing before waking up on a bus full of kids on a field trip. They're all students at a boarding school for bad kids. He has no idea how he got there or where he came from.

4. The Grisha by Leigh Bardugo

I feel like I've been seeing this series everywhere lately. It's a trilogy and mix of fantasy and YA. There's some sort of dark power called The Shadow Fold that's slowly eating away at the nation called Ravka. The story is narrated by the orphan Alina, who discovers she has a unique power, and she's thrust into the kingdom's magical elite: The Grisha.

Sounds really exciting and really up my alley.

5. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

As far as I know, this series retells the story of different fairy tale characters. I love fairy tales, so  to me it sounds really interesting. The first book, Cinder, is a retelling of the story of Cinderella - only this time, Cinder is a cyborg. 

It's gotten good reviews too, and people are raving about it all over the interwebs. This is probably one of the books I want to read most.

Top 5: Unread Authors - It's time for another Unread Authors

Top 5: Unread Authors - It's time for another Unread Authors.

Marie Lu

Author of the acclaimed Legend series, this is a writer I'm often recommended, but I have yet to read anything of. This often pops up in places where it's like "oh, if you like this author, try Marie Lu!" She's also recently published "The Young Elites", but I'm a little more keen on reading Legend.

Emily Brontë

I'm a huge fan of Jane Eyre, written by this woman's sister, but I am very curious about reading Wuthering Heights. It's a bit strange I haven't yet, really. It's standing in my bookshelf, waiting patiently... though I must admit, reading it feels a bit daunting, so I keep putting it off. 

Stephanie Perkins

This is an author I feel a little apprehensive about, just because I keep hearing about Anna and the French Kiss series. I can't quite decide if its overhyped or if I should give it a go. I think I might like those kinds of book during the summertime. 

Louis Lowry

Now, this is an author I really, really need to get around to reading. The Giver series seems like books right up my alley.

Brandon Sanderson

This author might be on the very top of my Want-To-Read-Authors. I love fantasy, and I've heard such fantastic things about the Mistborn trilogy. I have seen this box set in bookstores, and I might have to get it very, very soon...

Well, it is a new year, so I'm sure I'll get around to some of these this year!

Bookish Reflections: Goodreads

Bookish Reflections: Goodreads
Today I thought I would share my thoughts and experiences with Goodreads.

What it is:
Now, if you don't know what Goodreads is, it's a free website where you can find all kinds of books, and you can find ratings and review of the books. You can also sign up for your own profile, where you can categorize your books by the ones you've read and the ones you want to read, and maybe the ones you didn't quite finish... You can make as many "shelves" as you'd like.

There are plenty of authors on Goodreads that you can follow (Like I follow Stephen King and Patrick Rothfuss and plenty of others), and you can befriend other users and follow their reviews.

Goodreads can also help you find new books to read, as they recommend books for you based on what you've read or are currently reading. I don't really use this all that much, as I mostly find books by checking out what people I follow are reading.

There are also groups you can join, lists you can vote on and quotes you can like.

I really like rating the books I read, because it keeps track of what I really thought of them. It's easy to forget these things.

I am ahead of schedule! Yay!

Now, you can, of course, catalogue every single book you've ever read, but I haven't done that. I can't remember all the books I've read since the dawn of time, so I've just left it and added the ones I can remember reading fairly recently (like back a couple of years).

I really love having my to-read shelf, where I add all the books I want to read. It's great, because if I ever want to get a new book, I can check out the shelf and see what I've found that I want to read.

Also love the little bar that tells you how many percent you've read in the book you're currently reading.

Overall, I really enjoy using Goodreads, and it's made me read as much as I want to, but never used to do.

Book Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Book Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

This book can be found on The Book Depository, with a different cover.

Summary:
The people of Earth has found a planet they believe to habitable to humans, so they send off a spaceship to go live there. The voyage will take 300 years.

Amy is a seventeen-year-old girl, and both her parents have signed up to be cryogenically frozen. She decides to join them, and when she finally wakes up, she realizes she's been woken up 50 years too early.

We follow her as she discovers life and society aboard Godspeed and as she tries to find out who woke her up and why.

You know it's going to be an interesting book when it has a map of a spaceship in the front, just saying.

Review:
I haven't read a lot of fiction set in space, but I think this was a really good way into it. I found this story to be very fascinating, and I love how we get to see this messed up society that's become of this ship. I could really imagine it evolving into this, after generations and generations. I also really like how it gets into some important and dark questions like controlling peoples lives and thoughts, corrupt power and keeping secrets.

Amy and Elder are the main characters of this book, and I like how you get to read both viewpoints. It took me a while to really connect to them though, but once I got there, it was great. I also like how there aren't too many characters to deal with; you get a good sense of those you meet.

The language is good, although I sometimes wish it was a little more... I can't think of a better word than lush. I did like how sometimes the sentences are spread across a page in a different way though, as to enhance what the author wants to say.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys science fiction and dystopian fiction, and someone who wants an easy but exciting read.

Book Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Published: 2011
Language: English
Pages: 416
Rating: 5/5

Bookshelf Tour: Red and Orange

Bookshelf Tour: Red and Orange
These are some of my red and orange books. Always a little hesitant about wether I really like red or not, but these certainly make a statement.

I think with red covers, when it's done right, it's quite appealing. Feels like an exciting color.

For Your Eyes Only - Ian Fleming

Blood and Beauty - Sarah Dunant

Allegiant - Veronica Roth

Manuskriptet fra Accra (Manuscript Found in Accra) - Paulo Coehlo

Aesop's Fables

Top 5: Favorite Poems

Top 5: Favorite Poems
I quite enjoy poetry, even though I don't read as much of it as I probably should. Either way, I thought I would share five of my favorite poems.

Some of them are a little long, so I'll leave a link if you want to read the whole thing.

1. All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter by J. R. R. Tolkien

(Written as a part of The Lord of The Rings)

All that is gold does not glitter

Not all those who wander are lost

The old that is strong does not wither

Deep roots are not reached by the frost

From the ashes a fire shall be woken

A light from the shadows shall spring

Renewed shall be blade that was broken

The crownless again shall be king

2. Lazy Jane by Shel Silverstein

3. Untitled by Stephen Chbosky

(Written as a part of The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

Once on a yellow piece of paper with green lines

he wrote a poem

And he called it "Chops"

because that was the name of his dog

And that's what it was all about

And his teacher gave him an A

and a gold star

And his mother hung it on the kitchen door

and read it to his aunts

That was the year Father Tracy
took all the kids to the zoo

And he let them sing on the bus

And his little sister was born

with tiny toenails and no hair

And his mother and father kissed a lot

And the girl around the corner sent him a

Valentine signed with a row of X's

and he had to ask his father what the X's meant

And his father always tucked him in bed at night

And was always there to do it

Read the rest here

4. Alone by Edgar Allan Poe

From childhood's hour I have not been

As other were - I have not seen

As others saw - I could not bring

My passions from a common spring - 

From the same source I have not taken

My sorrow - I could not awaken

My heart to joy at the same tone - 

And all I lov'd - I lov'd alone

Read the rest here

5. Fire and Ice by Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire

Some say in ice

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire

But if it had to perish twice

I think I know enough of hate

To know that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice

Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Summary:
This is the story of Jay Gatsby, a man who lives his life around one obsessive desire: to be worthy of and reclaim the woman he loves.

Review:
This is a beautifully written book with really fascinating characters. I loved how Jay Gatsby was this mystery that slowly unravelled, and how he completely lives in the past. He has all these things, and yet everything in his life evolves around Daisy; a character I found to be selfish and annoying, but I don't know if I can blame her or not.

I really loved that this book was quite short, and that there was were little superfluous. I found the ending to be very real and quite emotional.

Absolutely loved the writing style, so I'll definitely be reading more from Fitzgerald.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes stories set in the 1920's, and anyone who wants a substantial but easy read.

Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Published: 1925
Language: English
Pages: 198
Rating: 5/5

Book Haul: June

Book Haul: June
I got some new books this month, and I thought I'd show you!

I haven't gotten any new books in quite some time before buying these, mostly because I've been busy graduating. But I'm finally done, and ready to have a summer full of fantastic reads.

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

This Side of Paradise - F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Beautiful and Damned - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Across the Universe - Beth Revis

A Million Suns - Beth Revis

Shades of Earth - Bet Revis

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan

We Were Liars - E. Lockhart

I've already started reading The Great Gatsby, and I'm super excited for Across the Universe, since I've heard so many great things about it. Also, excited to read We Were Liars and figure out what all the fuss is about...

Top 5: Graphic Novels I Want To Read

Top 5: Graphic Novels I Want To Read
I've always read a lot, ever since I was a child, but I've never really read any graphic novels. I have read some Spider-Man comic books, but that's as close as I get.

So, I feel like there's this whole word I haven't discovered yet, so I found 5 graphic novels I really want to read. I don't own any of these... yet.

1. Alice in Wonderland by Camille Rose Garcia

I don't really know if this is the actual story with new illustrations, or if the story has been changed, but this art makes me sigh. I've been wanting to reread Alice in Wonderland anyway, so if it's the same, then that's great. If not, it'll be a surprise.

There's also a Snow White graphic novel by the same artist, but I can't find anywhere to buy it, and it's sold out from Garcias website. But maybe if I like this one, I'll get that one too.

2. Blankets by Craig Thompson

Found this on Goodreads, and it has gotten pretty good reviews. I really like the cover, and I think the plot sounds interesting. I think it's about sibling rivalry and love.

Northanger Abbey by Nancy Butler (text), Janet Lee (illustration)

I read this novel by Jane Austen quite some time ago, and it's the only one I've read of her six novels, so I'd like to read this and see if I can remember the story, or get some new perspective on it.

4. The Strange Tale of Panorama Island by Suehiro Maruo

What drew me in about this one is the art on the cover. It looks gorgeous! The artist is Japanese and I think the original version was in japanese also. I like asian art, so this looks really compelling.

Not sure what it's about, but it's gotten good reviews. I think it's an adaptation from a novel, but I'm not sure. Either way, would love to read this one.

5. Three Shadows by Cyril Pedrosa

Last but not least, this sounds like a really interesting. It's about a family; one day three shadows show up at their door, and they know there is no way to escape them. But they can't let go, so they try to run away anyway.

Love the cover, looks sort of creepy and cool.

So, whenever I get around to actually buying some of these, I'll be sure to write reviews. I'm really excited! I think I'll start with the first and the fifth, because they're the ones I find I'm most drawn to.

Book vs Movie: The Virgin Suicides

Book vs Movie: The Virgin Suicides
"The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides earlier this year, and I absolutely loved it.

A couple of weeks ago, I watched the movie.

Plot Summary:
Told from the perspective of a group of men, looking back to the days where they lived in the same neighborhood of the five Lisbon sisters. The boys are obsessed with these girls, and they tell the story of the year leading up to the day they commit suicide, trying to solve the mystery.

The Book:
Actually, I was lying before. I didn't love it at first, but I really liked it. Now however, it's sort of grown on me. It just kept buzzing in the back of my head, and I kept thinking about it afterwards.

That's how I know a book has really made an impression.

The writing is absolutely beautiful, and I like how it feels very poetic and very smooth. I also, when I think about it now, realize it's actually a sort of creepy book too.

I also thought it was cool how you almost feel like all the girls move as one organism, just floating around, and how they boys so desperately want to just be near them and touch them and touch the things they've touched. Also very creepy when you think about it.

I really loved how the girls felt like this mystery that I couldn't quite unravel, which is how it feels like for the boys who watch them; the Lisbon sisters are a mystery they will never solve. I really felt a connection to the boys who watch them, I realized how young they were and I really felt their desperation to figure it all out.

5/5

Trailer

The Movie:
I always feel like you can't get the same enjoyment out of a movie if you've read the book first, because you know everything that's going to happen. It's the same if you watch the movie first, you just sit there waiting for the things that happened in the movie to happen in the book. With this, however, it's a little bit different.

The thing about this story is that everyone knows what's going to happen just by reading the title of the book/movie. They are going to kill themselves, that's inevitable. And the book is told very much like this; we all know it's coming, let's just see how we get there. Because of this, I felt like I enjoyed the movie more than I normally would.

I felt like the movie captured the mood of the book, and I thought it was directed beautifully. I didn't quite feel like the girls had the same air of mystery, but I think that's inevitable when you see something on screen. I really liked they boys though, that they looked so young and acted the way they did, it felt very much like it did in the book.

One of the things I really enjoyed was the Lisbon sisters mother and father. They're quite the characters in the book, and I thought it was translated beautifully to screen.

4/5
Overall, the book made much more of an impression than the movie, but I thought it was a good adaptation, and definitely worth watching.

I do, as usual, prefer the book.