February 2013 Wrap Up

challenges


Can you believe it's already March?  How did that happen so fast.  I decided to start doing wrap up posts sorta like the ones I've seen over at Katie's Book Blog so I can see my progress!  I did pretty well I think.    


 Posts:
Review & Recipe #1
Passion for Bookish Fashion #2: The Madman's Daughter
The Carrie Diaries Read Along & Giveaway
Harley's Hall of Bookish Fame: Auntie Spinelli Reads
Valentines Day Match Ups: romance movies to contemp books
Can Blogging Have a Negative Effect on Our Reading Experience?
Quiz: Which literary character are you?

 Reviews:
Dance of Shadows by: Yelana Black
The Ruining by: Anna Collomore
The Truth About Letting Go by: Leigh T. Moore
Beautiful Bastard by: Christina Lauren

Books Read But Not Reviewed:
Lola and the Boy Next Door
Unraveling
Boundless
The Carrie Diaries
The Madman's Daughter

 Pg Count Challenge-goal: 10,000 pages
3,712 pages

 Seriously Series & Sequel Challenges- goal: Seriously Spectacular Series Star  
Boundless
The Madman's Daughter
Dance of Shadows
Article 5

 New Adult Challenge- goal: 10 books
Beautiful Bastard
The Ruining
The Truth About Letting Go

 Classics Challenge- goal: 5 books
none

 A-Z Challenge- goal: 26 books
9 books 

Review & Recipe #2

Dystopian


I started a new meme here where I will be posting mini reviews  on the 1st of every month along with a recipe I've created or found that relates to the book.  To join me, add the image above to your post and link up below.

Mini Review:

Can someone please explain to me why I waited this long to read this book? Seriously, if you haven't read this book drop whatever you're doing (well finish reading my review first) then go get this book.  It was so action packed and had such a scary realistic dystopian world I literally could not put it down.  

 So much happens in this book yet it only takes place within a few days.  I loved Ember's character.  While she's stupid at times and puts herself in unnecessary danger, she's also really good at getting herself out of it.  And Chase was the dark brooding hunk that is just a teen trying to figure out his life in the middle of a crazy post war world.  

 Breaking Point just came out and it's taking everything in me not to just go spend money and buy it right this second.  That's how you can tell I love a book...when I'm willing to just go buy the book right away!  Seriously go read it!  
Mexican Lettuce Wraps

Recipe:

This meal seems so intricate, much like Article 5, but underneath the wraps it's actually quite simple and enjoyable!  My cousin and I love to get together and try to make healthy recipes out of ones we already have.  One day we raided the pantry and came up with this version of a mexican layered dip that my family has made for years.  It's healthy and obnoxiously delicious.

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
4 tbs. plain greek yogurt (or you can use sour cream)
1/2 pkg taco mix
1 cup cheddar cheese (I used reduced fat cheese)
1/3 cup onion chopped
1/3 cup tomato chopped
1/3 cup black beans
1/3 cup corn
1 cup ground turkey
1 head of lettuce (I like Iceberg for this)

 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. On the stove brown the ground turkey until cooked.  Stir in the taco seasoning.
3. Add to the pot: onion, black beans, corn and stir till mixed. 
3. In a 9in pan layer refried beans, greek yogurt, meat mixture, tomatoes, cheddar cheese.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble.
5. Serve on lettuce (or if you want to be a little unhealthy chips work great too!)  
6. Sit back and relax while everyone praises your delicious cooking.




Quiz: Which Literary Character Are You?

Quiz
Are you the:

My favorite part of magazines like Cosmo are those silly little quizzes that test What Kind of Girlfriend Are You? and things like that.  So I decided it would be fun to make up a bookish one for ya'll.  I give mad props to the person who's job it is to create quizzes like these.  It's actually not easy!

Also, this is just for funsies so enjoy!

1. You find an old beat up treasure map in your basement under a stack of dusty books. You...
a. smile. You're the one who hid it there in the first place.
b. put it in your pocket and decide to show it to your best friend later.
c. figure out where it begins and come up with a plan to start a search.
d. leave it where it is and keep looking for your weights so you can work on your six pack. 

2. It's down pouring outside on a spring day you…
a. laugh at your nemesis who just fell in a puddle and insult them in front of the whole school.
b. take out the umbrella you were carrying just incase and share it with your best friend.
c. take cover in the nearest café where you meet a cute guy.
d. conveniently bump into your crush and start making out in the rain.

3. It's your birthday you celebrate by...
a. opening all the presents your minions…I mean friends…bought you.
b. going out to dinner with your family and best friend.
c. enjoying the surprise party that your best friend threw for you and make out with your crush who brings you the ultimate present.
d. dancing at a club/party with a cute new guy/girl that is fun to flirt with. Happy Birthday to you! ;)

4. A criminal is holding someone you care about hostage. You…
a. bargain with the criminal.  You've got lots of tricks up your sleeve.
b. do nothing…you're the one being held hostage.
c. volunteer as tribute.
d. form a plan to save said love person and then declare your love to them that has been building up for months.

5. The popular girl in school just insulted you.  You…
a. that wouldn't happen because you're the most popular girl in the whole school.
b. start to tear up and turn away so they don't see you cry as your best friend punches that biz notch in the face.
c. say something snarky back that makes her blush and leave you alone.
d. tell her you're sorry you dumped her, but you're interested in someone else now and she has to get over it.

Now for the fun part...

Top Ten Tuesday #19

Top Ten Tuesday
Brokeandbookish provides a topic each week and bloggers list their top ten within that category.
February 26: Top Ten Authors I Auto-Buy
I'm going to try to do  mostly authors that I've already read multiple books by them.

Jennifer L. Armentrout
I'm so glad this woman is a writing machine and busts out multiple books a year because I don't think I could stand waiting a long time to read her work.  I buy all her books without reading reviews because I know I'll love them and read them multiple times.  I turn to her when I want to do some serious swooning.

Sarah Dessen
She's the reason I got into reading and the reason I got back into YA it after I strayed when I thought I was supposed to be reading Adult books.  Her books are all similar, but that's why I like them.  They feel like home to me.  I turn to her books when I want to smile and ponder life.



I've only ever read Shatter Me, but I love the way she writes.  Her style is just so unique that I'm willing to read anything she'll put down on paper...or a napkin..or a shoe.  If she writes it, I'll buy it and read it!  I turn to her books when I want to get lost in poetic writing.


Simone Elkeles
This lady's magic...magic I tell you!  I've only read a few of her books, but I LOVED all of them.  I buy her books with out reading the back cover often.  I turn to her writing when I want to have lots of feels.
She's such an epic storyteller.  Her books are so imaginative and suspenseful.  I turn to her books when I'm looking for an awesome adventure.
He's probably the only Adult Fiction author I will buy without reading the back cover.  I just love his romance stories.  I turn to his books when I'm looking for a modern day fairytale to restore my faith in love.
Alright so I lied a little...she's also an Adult Fiction author that I auto buy.  Her books make me laugh and smile until my face hurts.  I haven't read a book by her that I don't enjoy.  I turn to her books when I need a good laugh and cute romance and happy ending.

Veronica Roth
I know I've only read her Divergent Series, but I'm pretty sure she can do no wrong.  I'll probably buy all her books no matter what the reviews are in the future.  I turn to her books when I want a dystopian that makes me ponder life.
Veronica Rossi
Again I've only read her Under The Never Sky series, but I love it so much and am pretty sure I'll buy all her books no questions asked in the future.  I turn to her books when I want something original and out of the box.
Her books make me think about life, love, religion, etc.  They keep me engaged and I usually finish them in a few days.  I turn to her books when I want an honest book that will make me reflect.

Do you auto buy any of these authors too?  
Who else do you love?

 While you're here have you seen my discussion post on 
how reading 100+ books a year might negatively impact our reading experience as bloggers.

Can Book Blogging Have A Negative Affect On Our Reading Experiences?

blogging

Usually I am a huge advocate for book blogging and can ramble on to friends, or random strangers, about how much it enhances my reading experience.  But today, while reading a review someone wrote for a book I fangirl over that they thought was just okay, one sentence stood out to me.  They said that they thought the reason they didn't enjoy the book as much was because they had read some really awesome books before this one and they were stuck in a book hangover and nothing just seemed to compare.  It made me stop and question if reading so many books back to back can actually hinder the overall reading experience.  
Oh No I Didn't!  

I know I can't believe I just said that either.  I mean book blogging is such a big part of my life, but once I stepped back and really thought about it I could kind of agree with that review I read.  Before I had this blog I probably only read like a book a month...if even that.  So every time I read a book I had a clear mind and nothing to compare it to.  But now I read about two books a week.  And when I start a new book I'm still thinking about the book I finished yesterday.  

 Here's where it can get negative.  Is this fair to authors and other bloggers looking to a review to see if they want to read a book?  It's not a secret that reviews can change someone's mind about whether they want to read a book or not.  Sometimes I'll read reviews while I'm browsing in B&N and it makes me actually go buy the book.  But other times if it's an iffy review I'll actually put that book on the back burner of my to be read list for awhile.  What if it was an iffy review because they had just read something so fantastical like The Hunger Games the day before and this other book which is actually quite great just didn't compare for them?  

 I guess the only way as a reader to make a good decision is to do one of two things: 
1. Read the book and make up your own mind and just use reviews as loose guidelines or 
2. Read a lot of reviews and don't let just one sway your decision.

 So what do you guys think?  Does reading 100+ books a year make you more critical when writing reviews?  Do you think your overall reading experience is being affected by mass reading? Do you think it's fair to authors and other readers?  I want to know I'm not alone in this thought. 

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