Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Made Me Think

Top Ten Tuesday


http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/ 

Brokeandbookish provides a topic each week and bloggers list their top ten within that category.


Top Ten Books That Made Me Think:

1. When She Woke: The main character is genetically turned Red after she has an abortion to show the world she is a murderer.  This story really made me think because it seemed like a modern day Scarlett Letter that could actually come true. Scary! 

2. The Hunger Games: Duh.  This is probs on everyone's list this week, but it's because it really makes you take a look at society and how screwed up it is.

3.  Divergent:  It made me think about the different factions and where I would fit in that world.  I really had to look deep to see what I valued.  I think I would be Erudite or Amity because I love reading and learning and I hate confrontation. 

4. Beautiful Disaster: Made me question a relationship I had that was like the one Abby and Travis had.  A relationship that I had never really thought was wrong before, but now I see it wasn't healthy.

5. Anything by Sarah Dessen.  She always makes me analyze my life.  Every single one of her books.

6. Uglies: Would you want to have a surgery to make you look like a model?  I had to constantly ask myself if I lived in that world would I run away or get the surgery.  It would be nice to have perfect vision, but I'd kind of miss being me.  But it is kind of scary how much beauty means to our society.

7. I Am Me: This is a philosophical book so of course it'll make you think.  But I found myself actually thinking deeply about life, love, death, etc.

8. Perfect Escape: I have some of the same habits as Grayson, Kendra's brother with OCD.  It made me realize that sometimes exposure therapy actually can work.  I've actually tried it since and it doesn't cure it, but it makes it easier to live with.

9. Wanderlove:  Besides making me want to travel, this book made me realize there are so many other cultures out there that aren't living like I am.  I've only traveled out of the country once and it was to two countries that are very much like America so I think it would be interesting to go somewhere different next time I travel.  Maybe even backpacking if I can get over bugs and germs.

10. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer: This one just gave my brain a work out literally.  I had to figure out what was real and what wasn't. lol.

Don't forget to check out my review of Show Biz by Ruby Preston.

{Blog Tour Stop Review} Show Biz by Ruby Preston

4 Stars
Title: Show Biz
Author: Ruby Preston
Number of Pgs. 242 paperback
Publication date: April 16, 2012
Publisher: Dress Circle Publishing
Genre: Adult Fiction
How I got the copy: Received a copy from author in exchange for an honest review and a stop on the Blog Tour.


From Amazon:

 After four years in Manhattan, slaving away as the under-appreciated apprentice to the brilliant, but ruthless "King of Broadway," Scarlet Savoy is finally on hr way to becoming a Broadway producer in her own right.  A chance meeting with an influential gossip columnist sparks romance- but can he be trusted?  A shocking suicide turns Broadway on its head and Scarlett finds herself at the center of the storm as everything she thought she knew about the business of Broadway begins to unravel.


I've been using a new way of reviewing that I saw over at Making the Grade.  It breaks the book down and makes it easier to rate.  The way it works is each category gets a score out of ten points.  Then you add them all up + 50 (50% automatically for each book) and that's your score out of 100.


Plot 8/10: I love musicals so I jumped at the chance to read anything relating to broadway...and the fact that it was about a producer made me even more excited.  I was not disappointed.  I loved seeing all the behind the scenes of how a show is made from getting a composer to investors.  And on top of all that there is a suicide and a scam going on to make the plot a little thicker!  The budding romance also added more to the drama.  I'm not sure if I just don't enjoy Adult Fiction as much anymore or what, but it was a little hard for me to get into in the beginning.  Once the drama started to unfold, but I was hooked.  And the ending had me giggling.

Characters 8/10: Scarlett is so different than any other Chick Lit main character I've ever read.  She's worked her way up to the top and is really strong, but still breaks down easily.  She's got game in her Zebra jacket!  I loved Reilly's character.  He's a charmer compared to her other "love interest" who is really old.  Scarlett's boss Margolies really bothered me.  That was probably the point, but I just wanted to slap him!  The two Jeremey's, Scarlett's friends and business partners, where definitely the comedic relief.

Setting 9/10: New York is an amazing place.  Most of the book takes place in offices, restaurants, apartments, but I still got a feel for the area.  And the parts where they're working on the show we get to see all the behind the scenes action.  I wish we could have seen more of New York though.  

Pacing 8/10: It was a little slow at first.  I like books that start out with action of some sort, but I understand that it was important for us to see Scarlett's life before it got crazy.  I will admit that the first page caught my attention though, but it wasn't until things started getting heated the pacing really sped up.

Style 10/10: I loved that each chapter was a scene.  It fit with the book and they were short enough that I could read a few scenes here and there when I had time (because my OCD won't let me put a book down when I'm in the middle of a chapter).  It is in different point of views which really enhanced the story since we got to see different sides of the story and we could understand character's motives better.

Final Thoughts: If you're a Chick Lit lover and enjoy Broadway you won't want to pass this one up!  It's got drama, comedy, romance, and mystery.  
Total: 93/100 

Check out the Guest Post by author Ruby Preston about her experiences with Broadway.







Author Bio:
Ruby Preston is an up and coming Broadway producer currently working on several new musicals on the Great White Way. She couldn’t be more thrilled to be living her dreams in the Times Square trenches of Manhattan. Ruby loves hearing from readers and Broadway fans so feel free to drop her note via email ruby (@) rubypreston (dot) com or twitter @Broadwayruby.

Connect with Ruby!
My website: www.rubypreston.com
My publisher Dress Circle Publishing: www.dresscirclepublishing.com 
Twitter @BroadwayRuby

Buy the Book!
http://www.amazon.com/Showbiz-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B007V59IZU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344990438&sr=8-2&keywords=showbiz+a+novel
And on Barnes & Noble's Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/showbiz-a-novel-ruby-preston/1110479015?ean=2940033232789
And on iTunes. 

{Review} Obsidian by: Jennifer Armentrout

5 Stars

Title: Obsidian
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Number of Pgs. 271 ebook 
Publication date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: YA
How I got the copy: Bought


From Goodreads:

 Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring...until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes.  Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating.  Arrogant.  Stab-worthy.  We do not get along.  At all.  But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You hear me.  Alien.  Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip.  The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is.


I'm going to try a new way of reviewing that I saw over at Making the Grade.  It breaks the book down and makes it easier to rate.  The way it works is each category gets a score out of ten points.  Then you add them all up + 50 (50% automatically for each book) and that's your score out of 100.

-  My new favorite author
-  Hilarious, realistic, strong characters
-  Hot new romance

Plot 10/10: There's a lot of build up because it's the first book.  The beginning is just Katy getting used to the move to West Virginia and her fight/flirting with her new hot neighbor.  It was hilarious and hot and I didn't mind her taking awhile to develop their world.  When the action started it so captivating I couldn't put the book down even if I wanted to.  The first book only has one major obstacle that they're trying to solve, but in the second book sh** hits the fan and there are multiple obsticales.  I didn't mind that this book was kind of simple because it was the first book and the focus was more on the relationship and world building.

Characters 10/10: I've never wanted to be a character so bad before.  Katy has the perfect witty comeback for everything mean Dameon says!  Her character was so well developed and every action, word, and thought was true to her. At times she's stubborn which is annoying, but she's also finding out that she's really strong.  She's also a book blogger so of course I loved her.  Daemon is probably the hottest character I've ever read.  I wish he was real.  He has so many layers to him...a vulnerable side and a hot, cocky, side full of swagger.  Dee is the hyper best friend and Daemon's twin.  Without her this whole series wouldn't happen really.  

Setting 10/10: It felt like a contemporary novel.  She's just going about her new life and then BAM there's a bunch of Sci Fi thrown in.  I usually don't read sci fi, but I really enjoyed it in this normal type of setting.  The author is from W V.A. so it was probably pretty acurate and I think J. Armentrout did a great job describing the place.  I felt like I was there.  And at times, like when Daemon is walking around shirtless, I wished I was!

Pacing 10/10: It was pretty fast paced even during the beginning.  There were no filler scenes...everything had a purpose.  It really kept my attention the entire time.  A tornado could have blown through and I wouldn't have noticed.

Style 10/10: This author's voice is epic.  She's hilarious and so true to a teen's thought process and voice.  Her style is almost conversational.  I felt like I was really inside Katy's head the whole time.  There's cursing and lots of steamy scenes so if that's not what you're into this might not be for you.  As for me? I didn't mind. 

Final Thoughts: Extra scenes on J.A's website are in Daemon's point of view.  I loved getting to see a scene from his eyes and find out why he did some of those jerkface things.  I can't believe I waited so long to read this.  She is my new favorite author and I just bought a bunch of her other books.  GO READ IT NOW!!!!! You won't be sorry. 
Total: 100/100 


Side thoughts:  It kind of reminded me of twilight:
-someone stops a car from hitting them
-someone runs right into the bad guys arms to save someonelse
-someone has to keep a big secret from the world
There's more similarities in the second book too.

“Daemon: I checked out your blog.
Katy: Stalking me again, I see. Do I need to get a restraining order?
Daemon: In your dreams, Kitten. Oh wait, I'm already starring in those, aren't I?
Katy: Nightmares, Daemon. Nightmares.” 

“Because this absolutely insane - the craziest thing I'd ever done. Worse than giving a one-star review, scarier than asking for an interview with an author I'd give my firstborn to eat lunch with, more stupid than kissing Daemon.” 
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, Obsidian

“I don’t know. I mean we haven’t talked about it. He literally left afterwards, and all he’s done since then is poke me with his pen.” “Probably because he wants to poke you with something else,” she said dryly” 
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, Obsidian






Waiting on Wednesday #10

Waiting on Wednesday



Bloggers feature books that they are eagerly anticipating to be published.






*Note* This is not the actual cover for Opal, but it's the temporary one that the author put on her blog.


Goodreads.com summary:

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love. 

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it



Release date:  December 11, 2012

Why I am excited:  
Over Labor Day Weekend I finished both Obsidian and Onyx.  Those books were glued to my hands for two days that's how good they were.  If you haven't read them you need to...like yesterday!  Opal should be just as amazing if not more because Daemon and Katy have changed so much since the first book.  I can't wait to see what adventures they'll get themselves into next whether it be fighting aliens or going on a date.  I can't wait!

Also, check out my review of Wanderlove!


 What are you waiting on this Wednesday?
  

Top Ten Tuesday #12

Top Ten Tuesday


http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/ 

Brokeandbookish provides a topic each week and bloggers list their top ten within that category.


Top Ten Books on my Fall To Be Read (TBR) list:


I have been waiting FOR-EV-ER for Destroy Me and Evolution of Mara Deyer!  I can't believe they're almost out.  I just read Obsidian & Onyx (in 2 days that's how good they were) so now I want to read every word Jennifer Armentrout has ever written.  When her next novel, Cursed, comes out you can be sure I'll be reading it!   Dance of Shadows is about Ballet and there's nothing more in this world that I love than dance so I've been impatiently waiting for that book.  All the other ones have been on my list for months.  It seemed like they'd never come out, but summer went so fast and now they're being released in only a few weeks!  I never thought I'd be so excited about fall.  

 What will you be reading this fall?

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