Sunday, March 29, 2015

Sunday Cover Scramble [113]



Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until I'm posting the next one to let you know if you are right, allowing others to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. Let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more if no one guesses it correctly.


I am pulling covers off the Most Popular Page on Goodreads.





Thursday, March 26, 2015

Harry Potter Moment of the Week [59]


This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts.The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/ films/ J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! She is picking a topic within HP for us to focus on each week and then if anyone wants to take part feel free! All she asks is to link back to her blog :). There is now a full list of the topics to come here.

What would your patronus be?




It's so hard to think of this one so I decided to just go with my instincts. My spirit animal is a butterfly which I didn't see as a patronus. I'm drawn to the wings and beautiful colors. My favorite animal is a penguin. Besides their smell, I love everything about them. So it would have to be one of those two.

What would your patronus be?






Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Review: The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead


Published:  February 10, 2015 Razorbill
Genre: Paranormal
Format: Hardback
Source: purchased

WARNING: While I try not to spoiler alert anyone about the events in this book.  However, this being a last book in the series there may be a few spoilers for previous books.
Goodreads Summary

The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.


Buy Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead Today at Amazon


“Sydney,” Adrian interrupted, cupping my face in his hands. “Never, ever think like that. I don’t regret anything we’ve faced. Being with you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, the one perfect decision I’ve made in a lifetime of fumbling and poor judgment. I’d go through it all again to be by your side. Never doubt that. Never doubt how I feel about you.”


Sydney and Adrian are trying to figure out life as a married couple.  Between the alchemist making threats of the alchemist toward Sydney if she ever leaves the protection of the Moroi court, and the taboo nature of their marriage among the Moroi, it hasn't been an easy road.    After receiving a mysterious package, Sydney has to decide whether she wants to risk her life by leaving court or play it safe. Adrian is torn with trying to help others with his spirit and potentially cause harm to himself.  With others lives on the line Adrian and Sydney have to determine if they want to risk their freedom, marriage and possibly lives to save others.

"Maybe it's not Canada," I conceded. "But it's exactly how I always imagined Canada would look. Except I thought there'd be more hockey."

All Good Things Must Come to an End


When Bloodlines was first announced I had mixed emotions.   I was excited to get to know Sydney, but also wasn't sure how such a straight-laced, by-the-book girl would carry a series.  Coming off of the original series where Rose was such a (pardon my French) bad ass, I was slightly skeptical.  I was pleasantly surprised, Sydney carried it very well and turned into a bad ass of her own right.

This was a very good conclusion to a wonderful series.   Something I loved the most is the fact Rose and Dimitri had a bigger role in this book.  This is fitting to me because it draws a bigger conclusion to the whole Vampire Academy world.  Since Bloodlines is a spin off, it is nice that it concluded with some of the characters that made me fall in love with the series.   This book had a lot of emotion and a lot of surprises and twists in it.   I love Sydney and Adrian's against-all-odds relationship and attitude.   They are the perfect mix together.  Despite all their struggles in figuring out the road they are going to take, they are fiercely loyal to those they love.  They don't hesitate to risk everything to go against everyone's order to go help Jill and a few other people in need.  This is why I love both main characters.   They are just good amazing people (even if one is a vampire LOL). The book and the storyline left me feeling satisfied and sad at the same time because I still want more.

"Maybe he only had one outfit, but it was mostly clean, and I was putting his diapers on correctly now"

Nobody's Perfect


I really did enjoy the book, but there were a few things that did bother me.   Like most books in the Bloodlines series, the first few chapters kind of catch you up on what's been going on since the last book.  Well, there was something that stood out to me that didn't really sit to well with me.   We knew that Jill disappeared from the last book.  However, they kind of just casually mentioned during the catch up phase of the book.   And they did have people kind of looking for her, there wasn't just an all out, all hands on deck search for her.  The WHOLE purpose of this series was to protect Jill.  The Moroi have money and all kinds of connections.   Yes once the story gets rolling they do go look for her, however, how that whole scenario was treated was uncharacteristic of the rest of the series.  It seemed odd to me.  That brings me to my second complaint.  She brings in a secondary story line that has a lot of promise.  (In efforts not to spoiler alert I can't give many details).  Something that could change the whole Moroi/dhampir world.   However, since this is the last book I will never know if anything will become of it.

"When it came to the strong willed women in my life, I found it easiest to nod and agree with whatever they dictated was best"

Conclusions on The Conclusion of Bloodlines


I loved this whole series and The Ruby Circle did not let me down.   It really was a great ending to a wonderful journey.  I do selfishly hope we get another spinoff series to explore some topics that were opened up in this book.   While in the beginning there was a little bit of hesitation because I am so used to the characters going so hard for everything and everyone, so I was not sure why there was not an all out everyone and every resource search,  it quickly turned back into the series I know and love.  I surely will miss all the characters in this series!   Maybe we will get to see them in some capacity again. (hint hint Richelle Mead)

“I told you before, we’re the center,” she said. “And the center will hold.”


Buy Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead Today at Amazon

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Sunday Cover Scramble [112]



Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until I'm posting the next one to let you know if you are right, allowing others to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. Let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more if no one guesses it correctly.


I am pulling covers off the Most Popular Page on Goodreads.









Thursday, March 19, 2015

Harry Potter Moment of the Week [58]


This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts.The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/ films/ J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! She is picking a topic within HP for us to focus on each week and then if anyone wants to take part feel free! All she asks is to link back to her blog :). There is now a full list of the topics to come here.

What would your amortentia smell like?




Ah amortentia, the most powerful love potion in existence. What's scary is that there's no actual love happening here, it's just an intense obsession that would really freak me out.

What would it smell like to me? My that's a personal question!! It definitely wouldn't smell like Hermione's with freshly mown grass, parchment and spearmint. I love the smell of certain men's cologne, so I'm assuming I would get a whiff of my favorite. Butterscotch would probably be in there somewhere. I'm also addicted to the "Romance" scents from Scentsy with Twilight being my favorite. I burn it at my house all the time so I would choose that one as well.

What would your amortentia smell like?






Tuesday, March 17, 2015

ARC Review: Blondes, Books, and Bourbon: A White Dragon Black Anthology by R.M. Ridley


Published: March 13th 2015 by Xchyler Publishing
Genre: Supernatural, Magic
Format: ebook
Source: provided for honest review
Goodreads Summary

In this collection of short stories, Jonathan Alvey continues to battle the unraveling world of the White Dragon Black.

Interview: A rare sit-down with paranormal private investigator Jonathan Alvey.

The Play’s the Thing: When a blonde woman shows up in Alvey’s office, seeking protection, he uncovers more than a murder attempt.

The Cost of Custody: Alvey helps estranged parents rescue their daughter from a terrible fate.

Sins of the Father: A pawn shop owner risks it all by asking Alvey to recover property that is more than meets the eye.

Legerdelivre: There’s nowhere Richard Tomlin can hide when it comes to the controlling powers of a dusty grimoire, but can Alvey truly help him?

What a Nightmare: Little old ladies do deceive, and secretaries come dear, in Jonathan Alvey’s office.

Do As I Say, Not As I Did: Alvey must air a CEO’s dirty laundry before a company ghost destroys too much.

The Ties That Bind: Can Alvey control a poltergeist and maintain his promise to not fall victim to the Dragon Black?

Bindings and Spines: A first chapter sneak peek of the second White Dragon Black novel.


Buy Blondes, Books, and Bourbon: A White Dragon Black Anthology by R.M. Ridley Today at Amazon

"Uh-huh." She nodded her head, dabbed her eyes. "Or maybe..." Her eyes flicked away. "Or maybe it was cursed."

"Cursed." Cursed milk was a new one for Jonathan. He'd run into cursed books, remains, rooms, and even once a silk tie, but milk -- not so far. "Go on."


The Good


Ok so I want to start out by saying I have a strong dislike for short stories in general. But I really enjoyed the time I spent with each one of these. Alvey is an awesome main protagonist that is easy to get along with and root for. Well, unless your his secretary, but hey it's more the weird shit then Alvey that drives them off. I never felt lost reading these stories, and I was never just wanting to get onto the next one either. I can honestly say I like each and every one of them. Even if you haven't read Tomorrow Wendell you'll have no problem keeping up or getting to know Alvey.

The Bad


I have no complaints. I'm really looking forward to more Alvey stories.

The Romance


There is one story in which Mary is involved. If you read Tomorrow Wendell, you'll know she is the closest thing he has to a romantic relationship. His magic use, being their biggest obstacle. She hates the toll it takes on him but he refuses to stop helping people.

Conclusion


If you like magic and the supernatural in your stories, then Blondes, Books, and Bourbon: A White Dragon Black Anthology is for you. If you've never really tried out a detective story, then this is the one I would recommend finding out with. Great writing, amazing characters and fun yet creepy new monsters you don't normally run into.





Excerpts

"Say, Ralph, you still got that Hog's Leg behind the counter?" Jonathan said, wiping his hand on his pant leg.
The big man stopped and looked at Jonathan with resigned patience. "You know I do."
"Think maybe Frank will be all right closing up without it?"
Can't you just come out and say, "Hey Ralph, I need you to bring the gun?' I mean, really how hard is that?"
"Well, I don't want to put you in an awkward place, plus I like giving you the opportunity to offer to help. Makes me feel less like I'm coercing you. That way, if you get hurt, I can say, you know, that you volunteered."


"Gail trusted me enough to send you to me, right?"
"yeah."
That's because I have certain skills. Right now, I believe -- hell, I know -- you need those skills. Now sit tight for your daughter's sake."


The zombie, as he expected, was both chauffeur and butler. It was easier to have one well-bespelled servant capable of doing all but incapable of telling anything, than to a mixed staff. The cook would most likely be a living human and under a standard curse contract, nearly guaranteeing that the employee would never speak of what happened in the household.

Buy Blondes, Books, and Bourbon: A White Dragon Black Anthology by R.M. Ridley Today at Amazon

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Sunday Cover Scramble [111]



Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until I'm posting the next one to let you know if you are right, allowing others to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. Let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more if no one guesses it correctly.


I am pulling covers off the Most Popular Page on Goodreads.








Thursday, March 12, 2015

Harry Potter Moment of the Week [57]


This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts.The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/ films/ J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! She is picking a topic within HP for us to focus on each week and then if anyone wants to take part feel free! All she asks is to link back to her blog :). There is now a full list of the topics to come here.

Best Hogwarts Teacher




While I feel that I would love Hagrid as a friend, I'm not really sure I'd appreciate his teaching methods. Lupin would be another close choice, but he's only there for a year.

I decided to go with McGonagall. We all know she's a no-nonsense and strict teacher, but those are exactly the kind that I loved the most through school. She would provide a sense of security for me which is important. Having been there every year, familiar, and also someone that I knew I could count on would be ideal. I love that we get to see her loosen up every now and then too like with the whole Quidditch thing with Harry. Her turning into a cat during the first lesson would also win points with me. I think it's great how much she cares about her students, and I absolutely ADORED her standing up to Umbridge every chance she got and having the spine and talent to back it up.

Which teacher do you choose?






Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Review: Braineater Jones by Stephen Kozeniewski


Published:  October 14, 2013 Red Adept Publishing LLC
Genre: Horror
Format: ebook
Source: gifted by author for honest review
Goodreads Summary

Braineater Jones wakes up face down in a swimming pool with no memory of his former life, how he died, or why he’s now a zombie. With a smart-aleck severed head as a partner, Jones descends into the undead ghetto to solve his own murder.

But Jones’s investigation is complicated by his crippling addiction to human flesh. Like all walking corpses, he discovers that only a stiff drink can soothe his cravings. Unfortunately, finding liquor during Prohibition is costly and dangerous. From his Mason jar, the cantankerous Old Man rules the only speakeasy in the city that caters to the postmortem crowd.

As the booze, blood, and clues coagulate, Jones gets closer to discovering the identity of his killer and the secrets behind the city’s stranglehold on liquid spirits. Death couldn’t stop him, but if the liquor dries up, the entire city will be plunged into an orgy of cannibalism.

Cracking this case is a tall order. Braineater Jones won’t get out alive, but if he plays his cards right, he might manage to salvage the last scraps of his humanity.


Buy Braineater Jones by Stephen Kozeniewski Today at Amazon


"You ever have one of those days? One of those days where you wake up & you're already out of cigarettes, but it doesn't matter because it's raining & your umbrella has a hole in it? Then by the end of the day, sometime between when your boss handed you the pink slip & your old lady left you for your brother, nothing fazes you anymore because your so numb."


Braineater Jones wakes up dead.   And to make matters worse he has no idea who he is or why he is dead.   In his quest to find out answers about his own life, he meets a charismatic character who teaches him all about zombie life and how to survive.   Part of this survival is alcohol...and lots of it. During prohibition it is not easy staying in the liquor.  Especially if, well, you are a zombie.  Can Braineater piece all the clues together about his mysterious life and death before losing the last bit of humanity he has?  And who can you trust when everyone you know has a secret they are hiding?  Braineater Jones must rely on his quick wits and his one and only ally (who happens to be just a head) to crack this case wide open if he plans to reveal all the keys to his past and present.

 "The two who hadn't seemed fit for the looney bin had called me braineater though.  It's a funny term for whatever I am, and I don't know if I like it......"

Warm Bodies Adult Style


I must say I really adored Braineater Jones.   A general rule of mine before starting a new book, I try to know very little about it so I don't go in with a bunch of expectations.  That is usually when I am let down.  I received this request for a honest review.  I scanned the summary enough to know I would like to give the book a try but not enough to know much about the actual story.  That being said, I didn't know what to expect.   Well ladies and gents, we have a winner.   The book is told from Braineater Jones' point of view via a written journal.   From the first page, I was in love with Mr.  Jones.   He was very funny...I found myself laughing out loud a lot.  And since it's told from the main character's "journal", it is written how the main character talks.   I think this gives the story so much more character.  The way he describes things and even spells some things gives it a uniqueness.   The story itself is entertaining.   It is at it's core a who-done-it story.    The genre is listed as horror because most of the starring roles in this book are zombies, BUT in my opinion it would easily fit in a mystery/thriller and comedy genres as well.    While working his own case, he does take up office in what is known as the Welcome Mat as a PI. After working one of his cases, he befriends a zombie who only has his head left.  His partner in investigating the seedy underbelly of the undead world has no arms, no legs, no torso, he's just a head. Like one of those sculptures.  Its so absurd it's amazing!  There are several smaller investigations inside the bigger investigation.   All these different "mysteries" do end up intertwining beautifully.    Alcoholic detective zombies...what is not to love about that!!!

"The bartender stuck his finger in my hole.  Is that a violation? I wish he would have bought me dinner and flowers first.  Maybe it's pretty normal in our world.  What do I know?"

Dying Once Sucks But Not as Bad as Double Dog Dead


There is not a lot bad in this book.  So this section will be short and sweet.  It being placed in the 30s threw me some because of the slang (there is a handy dandy glossary in the back though).    There was a lot going on in this book and sometimes I would get lost in one of the plots and when the story jumped back to the other plot this short term memory girl had to do a lot of remembering who was who and who did what etc.  Some of that could have been on purpose since it was a journal.   I happen to write like I talk as well and if I get writing or talking too long I do tend to jump back and forth with my train of thought.

"Maybe I don't talk all the jive lingo, but hey, who makes up jive lingo anyway?  We do, that's who.  So maybe my words'll catch on, and then everybody else will look stupid instead of me."

ALCOHOLIC ZOMBIES AND BRAINEATERS...SOUNDS LIKE AN AMAZING PARTY TO ME


Overall, I would say don't let the genre of "horror" scare you off from this amazing little jewel.   Braineater is one of the funniest, most entertaining relatable people (errrr um zombies?) I have read about in a while.  This book doesn't take itself too seriously (captain obvious with a title and book cover like that) but it is wonderfully written.   The subplots intertwined with the main plot of finding out who killed Braineater blended masterfully.   It has a lot of absurdness, but that's kinda part of the greatness in this book.  The slang takes a little bit to get used to.  Sometimes I had to reread to try to make sure I had my head on straight.  But I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wanted a good solid story with a little bit of goofiness mixed in.


""Fine," I said.  "So our girl the hero of our story......."
"Heroine," he said.
"No, I haven't got any," I said.


Buy Braineater Jones by Stephen Kozeniewski Today at Amazon

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Sunday Cover Scramble [110]



Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until I'm posting the next one to let you know if you are right, allowing others to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. Let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more if no one guesses it correctly.


I am pulling covers off the Most Popular Page on Goodreads.








Saturday, March 7, 2015

Sidekick Showcase [94] - Favorite Warrior


Sidekick Showcase is a monthly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! I will post my Sidekicks on the first Saturday of the month, then whichever day during the month that you would like to post yours, you can put your link in on my page. Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in the month's topic
• Share a picture (if you can) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• The day of your post, click the 'Sidekicks' link in my header and enter the link for your post. Here, you can also see anyone else that posted during the month to visit their Sidekick Showcase's as well.

Topic ideas for March are: a character from a 3rd book in a series, the Roman god of war, favorite warrior type, biggest care bear or mother hen type



I decided to go with a warrior character. In this case my pick is even related to Mars.
So a March bonus if you will. My Pick is -

My choice is Frank Zhang
from The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordin

What’s so special About Frank you ask! I mean he does lack confidence and is a bit clumsy for a warrior. Add in that he prefers ranged fighting to melee and you begin to wonder if he really is a son of Mars. But as you get to know him he shows loyalty, courage and leadership skills. His love for his friends and willingness to fight for peace instead of glory separate him for the kids of Ares and Camp Halfblood.

Despite always being down on himself, he has a great sense of humor which really drew me toward him in the story. Some of my favorite scenes involved Zhang’s transformations under pressure.

This quote sums him up perfectly:

“Frank had decided that whatever his fate was, he wouldn’t worry about it. He would just do the best he could to help his friends.”


Quotes:


“Sometimes wisdom came from strange places, even from giant teenaged goldfish.”


“The whole crew sat on the deck, without a storm or a monster attack to worry about for the first time in days, and ate ice cream. Well, except for Frank, who was lactose intolerant. He got an apple.”



Frank couldn't breathe underwater.
But where was he?
Percy turned in a full circle. Nothing. Then he glanced up. Hovering above him was a giant goldfish. Frank had turned -clothes, backpack, and all- into a koi the size of a teen-aged boy.
"Dude." Percy sent his thoughts through the water, the way he spoke to other sea creatures. "A goldfish?"
Frank's voice came back to him: "I freaked. We were talking about goldfish, so it was on my mind. Sue me.”



“Save yourselves!" Percy warned. "It is too late for us!" Then he gasped and pointed to the spot where Frank was hiding. "Oh no! Frank is turning into a crazy dolphin!" Nothing happened. "I said," Percy repeated, "Frank is turning into a crazy dolphin." Frank stumbled out of nowhere, making a big show of grabbing his throat. "Oh no," he said, like he was reading from a teleprompter, "I am turning into a crazy dolphin.”



Friday, March 6, 2015

ARC Review: Dragon of the Stars by Alex J. Cavanaugh


Published: April 7th 2015 by Dancing Lemur Press L.L.C.
Genre: Sci-Fi, Space opera, Military
Format: Paperback
Source: provided for honest review
Goodreads Summary

From the Amazon Best-selling author!

The ship of legends…
The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. He’s poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter. He’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?
One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?
www.whatarethekargrandes.com 

Buy Dragon of the Stars by Alex J. Cavanaugh Today at Amazon

Hyrath's strongest ship, now missing for twenty years, entered his mind. The weapons she possessed, unique and unreplicated in any ship since, were legendary.

Shame the real Dragon never had a chance to earn her colors, he thought.


The Good


I took my time and with Dragon of the Stars as I didn't want to miss too much on the first read through. The universe was really well done for what was there. I loved Aden as the hero of the story. He wasn't perfect and had plenty of flaws but I found myself rooting for him. The ship battles were fun and exciting but I wish they lasted a bit longer than they did.

The Bad


I wish I got to learn more about the other alliance races. I would have liked to know just how different they were from each other.

The Romance


Aden, while trying to impress the Princess Arabella by getting his own ship and earning his promotion to captain, starts to get to know Tamsin Pavott who serves on his ship as the weapons officer.

Conclusion


Overall, I really enjoyed Dragon of the Stars. One of the better space operas that I've had the chance to read by far. If you enjoy space travel and space battles, you will want to give this one a read.




Excerpts

As he returned to the bridge, Aden mulled over the report from Hyrath. Self-defense, my ass! That ship approached the Tarquin with raised shields and weapons at the ready. 
They were looking for a fight.

"The Dragon didn't fire missiles or lasers." Fyall pressed his lips together, wrinkling his nose. "It was some sort of current. It snaked across the hull of the ship, sparking as it struck the metal. The force was strong enough that it tore the ship apart."

"I've spent over thirty years working on systems for several top-secret military projects, the a-73 system, five years alone on the Dragon," Vardy said his nose hair flaring. "I also earned seven academic achievement awards over the course of my career, and am at the top of my field in fusion and propulsion technology."
Aden lifted the mug to his lips and took a sip. "Then you'll have no problem managing the Balkan's system."

Buy Dragon of the Stars by Alex J. Cavanaugh Today at Amazon

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Harry Potter Moment of the Week [56]


This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts.The aim of this meme is to share with fellow bloggers a character, spell, chapter, object or quote from the books/ films/ J. K. Rowling herself or anything Potter related! She is picking a topic within HP for us to focus on each week and then if anyone wants to take part feel free! All she asks is to link back to her blog :). There is now a full list of the topics to come here.

Best Neville Moment



Neville not only was a surprise hero, he was greatly needed in order to end Voldemort. His parents, famous aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom, were tortured and he grew up with his grandmother. He appears meek and clumsy, prone to accidents and unable to do much. Although the group is very nice to him, and takes him in as a friend, it seems as if no one has faith in him. No one expects him to amount to much. Except him.

The moment I'm going with is when he stands up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione about them sneaking around the castle at all hours and we get to see Hermione's expertise with the Petrificus Totalus curse. This is the first look we have at his determination to stand up for what is right. We see the character that's been hidden under the mess-ups. He's brave, he's unwavering, and he's creating a foundation for people to know he's not to be messed with. I was very happy that Dumbledore chose to award him, and not only award him but do it last so that everyone knew it was his points specifically that got them the win.

This moment set the pace for the growth of his character. He is steadfast in making sure he learns the skills he needs, and stands by helping in the shadows any chance he gets. With Harry's teaching, he learned what he needed to in order to be a true help in the battles. However, it was his stubbornness that allowed him to become the one to cut off Nagini's head in a time when all hope was lost for others. He never gave up.

Which moment do you choose?






Wednesday, March 4, 2015

When life's kicking your butt...how about a theme song? [15]


My friend Robyn from robgirlbooks tasked us with coming up with a theme song each month, and I love it! Music is a VERY big part of my life. This month is The Perfect Song for That Book.

I have chosen 'Can't Help Falling in Love' by Ingrid Michaelson for Jace in The Mortal Instruments. Every time I hear this song, it makes me think of his struggle.




I know I can't be the only one who thinks of Katniss when this song comes on:



Matt's pick - He said this one makes him want to watch or read Perks of Being a Wallflower.:






What is your choice this month??

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Sunday Cover Scramble [109]



Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until I'm posting the next one to let you know if you are right, allowing others to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. Let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more if no one guesses it correctly.


I am pulling covers off the Most Popular Page on Goodreads.