TBR February 2015

This year my goal is to try and lessen my TBR list on my goodreads. I have been adding books I've wanted to read for the past few years but not truly denting the numbers. So I will aim for 60 books this year (with a fall back of 55 books like last year). I have made a plan to do 26 books with a template, 10 of those with my friends. Another way of organizing my books was by genre. I would like to have a few books in genres I do not typically read this year (for instance horror is not usually my thing and I don't usually read humor). Other books will be read based on my goodreads group reading list.

My first selection for this month is by a renown Japanese author, Haruki Murikami. Having lived in Japan, I have acquired the taste for this different type of literature. Japanese literature is refreshing because of the completely new type of thinking it presents to Westerners. I have read Murikami's 1Q84 and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles and I absolutely love his writing.

I am a fourth of the way through, and he is just an amazing writer. It is amazing the amount of themes that can transgress over cultural boundaries.

I am a fan of  dystopia as well as YA. Since this book got good ratings as well as became a movie (and has 4 other novels as well as a 5th on the way). I am curious to read the book before seeing the movie.

This book is part of one of the goodreads groups monthly book clubs I'm in that was created by my favorite YouTuber Kristina Horner.
The theme for this month was Ghosts and this book actually falls into my theme of reading at least one book from the genre of horror. Some other genres it falls into are YA, paranormal, mystery, fantasy, and fiction.

The book for my other reading club on goodreads (from Casual Readers) is actually The Mime Order... but I can't exactly read a second book without reading the first.
These books are in the post-apocolitic, dystopian, genres and set in London.


I know next to nothing about four of these books, so we shall see what type of journey's I'm taken on this month.

Click on the images (except for The Mime Order, follow The Bone Season for that one) to read more about what each book is about.

Review: A World Without Heroes (Beyonders #1) by Brandon Mull

Goodreads| Author Website

Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable--until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he's ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail.
In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor, and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes.






Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

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Rating: 5/5

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I jumped into this book because I absolutely love Brandon Mull for his Fablehaven series and The Candy Shop War book (I read this before he had a second one). So I wanted to read more from a favored author to show my support of his work. I have always felt that his novels end better than they start, and with the Fablehaven series, each book ended better than the previous making me want more and more. 

That being said, I became apprehensive when I started this book. It started off a little bit slow for me. Then when it started picking up, it was just so different than Fablehaven, that it caught me off guard. I definitely had to warm up to this book, but once I was able to get over my hangups, I absolutely enjoyed it. 

We are taken on an action packed adventure in a world we learn about as we go. Stakes are set off immediately and our main characters are thrust into a quest. The book ties up nicely at the end fully engaging you as the reader and leaving no doubt that you will head to book two. 

Favorite Lines

page 326: "For each of us destiny is a blend of potential, circumstances, and choices." ~ Jasher.  


I definitely recommend this book!

Review: The Case That Time Forgot (The Sherlock Files #3)

Goodreads| Amazon| Author Website

Xander’s classmate Karim tells him about a famous amulet carved in the shape of Thoth, the Egyptian god of time. It was thought to be so powerful that it could turn back time one day every hundred years. And that day is in a week!

The amulet disappeared from a London museum years ago. Xena and Xander’s celebrated ancestor Sherlock Holmes tried to find it, but had no luck. The twins are on the case—and so are mysterious foes who are trying to thwart and perhaps even harm them! Can Xander and Xena track down what Sherlock Holmes could not?


The Case That Time Forgot is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.






Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

 
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Rating: 3/5 Stars

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I enjoyed this installation of Xena and Xander's life. They are back at home and they encounter a friend who has an ancestor who also knew their ancestor Sherlock for help. This case had been forced closed by HIM (Her Imperial Majesty) because of international issues between England and Egypt. The kids are taken on a thrilling adventure that has not only modern challenges (such as people used to be able to freely walk through Big Ben but now you need Parliaments permission to enter) as well as an unknown shadow figure who is following them and thwarting them at every turn. I think young readers will really enjoy this story!

We meet some new characters in this story, and one in particular that has a connection to the siblings that we find out later on. One thing that seemed to be a little flat was the lack of character development. This story is high paced and soli driven by solving the case. 

Now coming into this as an avid Sherlock fan, there are a few things that bothered me. Yet, I feel that this may be a personal issue. I remember Sherlock having almost an entire alphabetized bookshelf of case notes. It's been about a year since I read those, but I feel like the unsolved case book the kids came in contact in would have more. However, I understand it needs to be simple and relavent for this novel so no biggie. 

This grip seems a little bit more important. Several months before this book is when they figure out that their namesake is in fake due to the famous Sherlock Holmes. This fact to me would seem to have pushed me to read all of the things I could about my ancestor. Yet when they hear a direct quote, they seem to have never heard anything before. I think by now they should have read things... and Xander having a photographic memory would solidify his knowledge. This seemed odd to me. 

The ending also seems to happen and then the book is over. The abruptness is a bit discouraging. 

Overall a fun book for kids.

Review: The Beast of Blackslope (The Sherlock Files #2)

Goodreads| Amazon| Author Website

Xena and Xander have been looking forward to their vacation in the peaceful country village of Blackslope. But when a huge monster begins to terrorize the town, the young detectives are faced with a mystery that seems impossible to solve.

Sherlock Holmes, Xena and Xander’s famous ancestor, investigated the case of a horrible beast in Blackslope, but that was nearly a hundred years ago. It couldn’t be the same creature after all this time—could it?







Excerpt taken from Goodreads.
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Rating: 4/5 Stars

 

  


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This story is the second in a series about a brother and sister who are the descendents of Sherlock Holmes. They have inherited their predecessor's notebook of unsolved mysteries and each book has them on an adventure solving one case at a time. The kids are on a week vacation out in the country away from London and they hear a monster howl. Superstition from the town makes them realize this was a sight Sherlock visited himself and did not solve the case of the Beast of Blackslope. 

Sherlock had been called in because he had solved the case of The Hound of the Baskervilles but was said to not have solved this one. If you are a fan of Sherlock, you know that he only gave us (or rather Watson) those cases he was successful in solving and there had been plenty he had not solved. For me, I think some of them were unsolved because he was a busy man and I wish that had been stated, more for the ending of this book because it seemed like something he could have figured out. 

That being said, this book put a modern twist on an old case and it worked out really well. I do get a bit lost when reading this book because it is so fast pace and the POV switches quickly from Xander to Xena, and sometimes I think it's because of their names both starting with an X, but other times I wonder if it's because their voices aren't distinct enough. That's the for the 4 stars... and the ending on how they solve so simply a hundred year old case so simply. That felt a bit tacked on but worked well.

I will be reading the next one now and believe this book is perfect for middle age kids who love reading detective/ mystery stories. It's a fast pace book and there are a lot of clues and potential suspects. The plot twists keep everyone engaged nicely. 

Now some people have given this one a poor rating and have commented that this feels like a plot from Scooby-Doo. I believe the premise of this story was to more closely be related to The Hound of the Baskervilles and I think this worked well. 

Review: The Infinite Sea

Goodreads| Amazon| Website

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

(excerpt taken from goodreads.com)





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Rating: 5/5 Stars

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I have been seeing some unfavorable reviews for this book which makes me sad. I loved this book! The world is awesome and the characters developed well. One reservation I have is that many of the trilogies that I have read have started out strong and ended weak. I am hoping that this series is different though.

Starting the novel, I would have liked a little more clarification on who the speaker was... Like when Ringer was the voice, I thought it was Cassie because that's who the main character was last book. I think I would have benefited from a quick summary or such to remind me where we were picking up since it had been a while since I read the last book (like 9 months).

I think this book is misunderstood a bit because it is meant to signify how 'the enemy' is trying to divide and conquer and it kind of goes through various scenarios showing this, whether a person is by themselves or the group is thinking of splitting up. Another tactic used by 'the enemy' is sending children as suicide bombers. My guess is who we really think the enemy will change come the next book based on the ending.

There were two deaths in this book, I mean who likes characters dying... and I'm not sure if I like them, but I think I understand the need for them.

I was excited to learn more about Evan and Ringer's background as well as a few other characters. There was a constant edge-of-your-seat anticipation in this book which kept me 100% engaged. I like the idea that no man gets left behind and that friendships are meant to last... even when Cassie's little brother's friend tests this theory... something that becomes a theory of humanity. Hopelessness and despair seem to want to thrive, yet hope is what drives our characters.

Now, going off of my previous fear from past endings in books, the ending will either make or break this book for me. This is the second book which is a continuation of the plots and gives us more depth to the world and I am hoping that Mr. Yancey will give us a great ending! (Possibly one worthy of the movies!!!)

I would definitely recommend this book, but I think that recommending the first one makes people want to read it anyway. Forgive the lack of depth, first I don't want to give too much away, but second, I read this a month ago. 

Favorite Lines:

~ I am more than the sum of my fear.
~The temperature of true rage is absolute zero.
 

Upcoming Releases October 2014/ TBR

I wish I could read all the books I like faster. I have not completely gotten through my TBR from September but I am happy that I have read 2 of the 6 that were released. One of them is actually on my night stand so that is a step closer. Here are the books coming out this month that sound really interesting.
(There are a few October releases that are on my previous posts, like Angie Sage's first book in a new series PathFinder out on October 14, Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic to the Stars out on October 21 and George R. R. Martin's The World of Ice and Fire out on October 28th.)

October 7, 2014

October 14, 2014

The Young Elites is by the author of the Legend Series, Marie Lu and is a new series I believe. The main character is a young survivor of a plague, but also received some mysterious powers. This book's plot sounds very exciting!

Snow Like Ashes is by Sara Raasch and it is her premiere novel in a trilogy. The setting is a kingdom that was conquered and the main character is a female that I believe is one of the refugess who was not captured but training retake her city. She sets out on a mission to retrieve the magic of her city in order to try and regain her kingdom and that is where the journey takes off.

October 14, 2014

October 14, 2014

leave time is the latest book coming out by Jodi Picoult. She is a very popular author that I have never read before. This story is about a a daughter who is trying to find her mother after a mysterious disappearance. She pairs up with a psychic and a private detective and starts to find more questions than answers. If I like this book, I may her other books.

The Cure for Dreaming is the second book by Car Winters who debuted with In the Shadow of Blackbirds which won 3 awards last years. This story is set in 1900 Oregon. The main character in an attempt by her father to purge her of her rebellion takes her to a hypnotist. Instead of getting rid of her rebellion she is just not able to speak it as well as obtaining a terrible gift of seeing people's true nature.

October 21, 2014

October 28, 2014

Beautiful You is by Chuck Palahniuk, the author of Fight Club.  Now I am not sure if this book has already been published, but it will be published definitely on the 21st. This book would be a guilty pleasure read. A mega-billionaire takes the main character to Paris to experiment in the bedroom with erotic toys to try and finalize a product to keep women from wanted men in their bedrooms.

Compulsion Heirs of Watson Island is by Martina Boone and is her second book. The idea behind this novel is a newly freed woman (from her mother) goes to her aunt's in hope of a new life. What she finds is generations old feuds and haunts that prowl the island. This book sounds great!

October 28, 2014

Talon by Julie Kagawa who is starting her fifth series. This is book one of five. And it's got dragons in hiding as humans. I am a HUGE dragon fan, so this book is a no brainer. Dragons were hunted long ago into what was thought to be extinction. Will the dragons make a come back? Will the modern order maintain it's stance? This books may get me into a new author :) Click on the images if you want to link to their goodreads page.

Coming Soon- Book to Movie- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 1

Release Date: November 21, 2014

I am such a fan of The Hunger Games and the movies have been done so well. Looking forward to this next movie in the series and I'm glad it is split in two because a lot happened in this book. This one will be a challenge to see as it is in November right in the middle of NaNoWriMo... but we shall do it all :D