Book Review 22. The Pigman

Book: The Pigman
Series: The Pigman (#1)
Author: Paul Zindel
Genre: Young-Adult Fiction
Pages: 166
Published: October 9th, 1968

Synopsis: When sophomores John and Lorraine played a practical joke a few months ago on a stranger named Angelo Pignati, they had no idea what they were starting. Virtually overnight, almost against their will, the two befriended the lonely old man; it wasn't long before they were more comfortable in his house than their own. But now Mr. Pignati is dead. And for John and Lorraine, the only way to find peace is to write down their friend's story - the story of the Pigman.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

“Be yourself! Be individualistic!' he called out after me. 'But for God's sake get your hair cut. You look like an oddball."

Book Review 21. Of Mice and Men

Book: Of Mice and Men
Author: John Steinbeck
Genre: Classic Fiction
Pages: 102
Published: 1937

Synopsis: Streetwise George and his big, childlike friend Lennie are drifters, searching for work in the fields and valleys of California. They have nothing except the clothes on their back, and a hope that one day they’ll find a place of their own and live the American dream. But dreams come at a price. Gentle giant Lennie doesn’t know his own strength, and when they find work at a ranch he gets into trouble with the boss’s daughter-in-law. Trouble so bad that even his protector George may not be able to save him…

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

“A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.”

Book Review 20. To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Book: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (#1)
Author: Jenny Han
Genre: Contemporary Young-Adult Romance
Pages: 355
Published: April 15th, 2014

Summary: Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.
They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

“I don’t have to be so afraid of good-bye, because good-bye doesn't have to be forever.” 

Claire's October Book Haul

Hello! This month I went to the bookstore, which I rarely do, so I decided to do a haul. Then I realized even with my buys I didn't have so many books to flaunt, so this list will also include my library books, free Kindle downloads, and books for school.

Book Review 19. The Blood of Olympus

Book: The Blood of Olympus
Series: The Heroes of Olympus (#5)
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Middle-grade Fantasy
Pages: 502
Published: October 7th, 2014

Summary: Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.
The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps.
The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

“You can't choose your parentage. But you can choose your legacy.” 

Book Review 18. Prince of Wolves

Book: Prince of Wolves
Series: The Grey Wolves (#1)
Author: Quinn Loftis
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 230
Published: June 29th, 2011

Summary: Jacque Pierce was just an ordinary 17-year-old girl getting ready to start her senior year in high school in Coldspring, Texas. When a mysterious foreign exchange student from Romania moves in across the street, Jacque and her two best friends, Sally and Jen, don't realize the last two weeks of their summer are going to get a lot more interesting.
From the moment Jacque sets eyes on Fane she feels an instant connection, a pull like a moth to a flame. Little does she know that the flame she is drawn to is actually a Canis lupis, werewolf, and she just happens to be his mate; the other half of his soul.
The problem is Fane is not the only wolf in Coldspring, Texas.
Just as Fane and Jacque are getting to know each other, another wolf steps out to try and claim Jacque as his mate. Fane will now have to fight for the right to complete the mating bond, something that is his right by birth but is being denied him by a crazed Alpha. Will the love Fane has for Jacque be enough to give him the strength to defeat his enemy, will Jacque accept that she is Fane's mate and complete the bond between them?

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

“Don't mind her; she's missing that part in her brain that tells her to shut up.”

Book Review 17. Gone

Book: Gone
Series: Gone (#1)
Author: Michael Grant
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 559
Published: June 24th, 2008

Summary: The first in New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant's breathtaking dystopian, sci-fi saga, Gone is a page-turning thriller that invokes the classic The Lord of the Flies along with the horror of Stephen King.
In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears. Gone. Except for the young.
There are teens, but not one single adult. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.
Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day. It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

“But if all they did was kill time, time would end up killing them.” 

Book Review 16. We Were Liars

Book: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Pages: 227
Published: May 13th, 2014

Summary: A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

“We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken.” 

Top Ten Tuesday. Characters Who Would Sit At My Table

Hosted by the Broke and the Bookish

This week is 10 book characters who would of sat at my table.

Top Ten Tuesday. 10 Books I Want to Read but Don't Own Yet

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There is an unlimited list of books that I would love to have, but unfortunately my opportunities (both financially and time-wise) to get them all are limited. I do pick and choose, but I need more! These are 10 books that I want to read ASAP, but I don't yet own.

Wishlist Wednesday. Cress

Hosted by Pen to Paper

Woohoo! Stella is back and better than ever baby! So, lately I haven't been reading as much, sadly. :( I've just been crazy busy lately. But now, all of that's about to change. So I've been thinking about what book I want lately, and quite honestly, I was coming up short, between the two library books I'm already reading, my massive book haul which I will discuss later, and all these books that Claire gave me, I'm pretty set for the rest of the summer. But, there is still one book I am dying to get my hands on!

Top Ten Tuseday - Ten Books I Have to Read According to My Friends

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Claire here! The following ten books are books that I absolutely positively have to read ASAP (at least, according to my friends, family, and the internet). 

Book Review 15. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Book: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children (#1)
Author: Ransom Riggs
Genre: Supernatural
Pages: 352
Published: June 7th, 2011

Summary: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

“I had just come to accept that my life would be ordinary when extraordinary things began to happen.” 

Book Review 14. The Giver

Book: The Giver
Series: The Giver Quartet
Author: Lois Lowry
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 179
Published: 1993

Summary: Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ +

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.” 

Wishlist Wednesday. The Elite

Hosted by Pen to Paper

Wait? What's this? This isn't Stella! But doesn't Stella usually host Wishlist Wednesday?

Hold onto your seats kids, this is going to be a bumpy ride. 

Bout of Books Read-a-Thon

Hosted by Bout of Books

Guess who's doing her first read-a-thon! 

It's me Claire. I'm doing the Bout of Books Read-a-thon, and I am so excited. i have never done one of thee before, since I'm always too busy or miss it, but I'm actually going to do it this time! YAY! You guys should do it too! 

Top Ten Tuesday. Top Ten Books I'm Not So Sure If I Want to Read

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Sorry we haven't published in forever. it's Stella's turn to publish a review, so hang in there guys! This is written by yours truly, Claire. Here are my top ten books I'm not so sure I want to read.

Musing Mondays. This Week's Agenda

Hosted by Should Be Reading

Last week, although I didn't post any reviews (It's Stella's turn) I read a bunch of books. For this "Musing Monday," I decided to do a short agenda of all the books I read last week and what I hope to read this week.

Musing Monday. Gifts!

Hosted by Should Be Reading

Book Review 13. A Storm of Swords

Book: A Storm of Swords
Series: A Song of Ice and Fire (#3)
Author: George R.R. Martin
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 1177
Published: March 4th, 2003

Summary: (May contain spoilers for first two books) Here is the third volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage, alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons left in the world. And as opposing forces maneuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mystical Others - a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords....

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

“Old stories are like old friends, she used to say. You have to visit them from time to time.”

Book Review 12. Scarlet

Book: Scarlet
Series: The Lunar Chronicles (#2)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Science Fiction/ Romance/ Dystopian
Pages: 454
Published: February 5th, 2013

Summary: Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

“I think I realized that I would rather die because I betrayed them, than live because I betrayed you.”

Top Ten Tuesday. Deserted Island Picks

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Musing Mondays. Book to Movie: The Giver

Hosted by Should be Reading

Wishlist Wednesday. Gathering Blue

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Top Ten Tuesday. Top Ten Movies

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Musing Monday. One Hell of a Bargain

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Book Review 11. Thirteen Reasons Why

Book: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 304
Published: October 18th, 2007

Summary: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.
Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

“A lot of you cared, just not enough.” 

Book Review 10. Looking For Alaska

Book: Looking For Alaska
Author: John Green
Genre: Young adult novel
Pages: 221
Published: March, 2005

Summary: Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

“Francois Rabelais. He was a poet. And his last words were "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." That's why I'm going. So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps.” 

Top Ten Tuesday. 10 Book Blogging Confessions

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Musing Monday. July To-Read List

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Book Review 9. 1984

Book: 1984
Author: George Orwell
Genre: Classic Dystopia
Pages: 326
Published: June 8th, 1949

Summary: Written in 1948, 1984 was George Orwell's chilling prophecy about the future. And while 1984 has come and gone, Orwell's narrative is more timely that ever. 1984 presents a "negative utopia," that is at once a startling and haunting vision of the world—so powerful that it is completely convincing from start to finish. No one can deny the power of this novel, its hold on the imaginations of entire generations of readers, or the resiliency of its admonitions—a legacy that seems to grow, not lessen, with the passage of time.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

“War is peace. 

Freedom is slavery. 

Ignorance is strength.” 

Book Review 8. Don't Look Back

Book: Don't Look Back
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: Mystery-thriller
Pages: 384
Published: April 15th, 2014

Summary: Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend. 
Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.
But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

"Cassie...poor Cassie..."

Wishlist Wednesday. The List

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Book Review 7. Open Minds

Book: Open Minds
Series: The Mindjack Trilogy (#1)
Author: Susan Kaye Quinn
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 326
Published: November 1st, 2011

Summary: When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.
Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

“It was after lunch, and no one had died yet, so I took that as a good sign.”

Top Ten Tuesday. 10 Classics We Want to Read

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Musing Mondays - A Free Catch

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Ah, Musing Mondays. A lovely chance to think about all the lovely bookish things I've dealt with recently.

Guys, I either made an amazing discovery or a terrible mistake. I've stumbled upon the world of free ebooks. 

Book Review 6. Cinder

Book: Cinder

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (#1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Science Fiction/ Romance/ Dystopian
Pages: 387
Published: January 3rd, 2012

Summary: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time."

Book Review 5. Halo

Book: Halo (formerly named Raksha)

Series: Blood and Fire (#1)
Author: Frankie Rose
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 354
Published: January 21st, 2014

Summary: She has no name. She has her knives. Her training. Her halo.
The first and second give her the ability to defeat the opponents she is pitted against each month. The third frees her from pain and fear. From any kind of emotion at all. Everything is as it should be. Everything is as it should be, until…
Fear… Pain… Anger… Happiness… Desire… Guilt…
Love.
When a newly named Kit escapes the Sanctuary after killing her best friend, the last thing she needs is another knife in her hand. Or Ryka, the damaged, beautiful blond boy, whom she refuses to let save her. The sights and sounds of Freetown are new, yet one thing is familiar: the matches. The only difference? Where the blood in the Sanctuary landed only on the Colosseum floor, Kit will quickly learn that a river of red runs through Freetown’s very streets.
Without her halo, the inhabitants of Kit’s new home consider her saved, but is that really the case? The reality of her old life is paralyzing. Would she be better off free of the guilt associated with all the blood on her hands, or is the love of one boy worth living through all the pain?
Raksha is the call of the dead. It is the rumbling chant for fresh blood from the other side, the demand for sacrifice. The Colosseum is behind Kit. The fighting pits await.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

¨Just because you don't want to feel something- its not convenient, or you just want to ignore it- doesn't mean its going to go away.

Book Review 4. And Then There Were None

Book: And Then There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 256
Published: November 6th, 1939

Summary: Ten people, each with something to hide and something to fear, are invited to a lonely mansion on Indian Island by a host who fails to appear but leaves a recording accusing all of undetected murder. Cut off by his orders, one by one each die according to a nursery rhyme Ten Little Indians. A confession in a bottle solves how nobody remains alive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Book Review 3. Grim

Book: Grim
Author: Various Authors
Genre: Fairy Tales
Pages: 480
Published: February 15th, 2014

Summary: Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

"Blessings. Curses. Who was to say which was which?"

Book Review 2. Shadow and Bone

Book: Shadow and Bone
Series: The Grisha (#1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy- adventure
Pages: 356
Published: June 5, 2012

Summary: The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka. Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?
The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him. But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him? Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Book Review 1. A Clash of Kings

Book: A Clash of Kings
Series: A Song of Ice and Fire (#2)
Author: George R.R. Martin
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 784
Published: November 1998

Summary: Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead...victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and wartime. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

"Crowns do queer things to the heads beneath them."