The Magician's Nephew

The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis 
To Be Read Pile
3 out of 5 Stars

This was a fun, quick read. I loved all the movies about Narnia and very much wanted to know how it all got started,  so I started from the beginning although technically this is the 6th book in the series. Digory and Polly were fun characters and I enjoyed their story. Here is the good reads blurb: When Digory and Polly are tricked by Digory's peculiar Uncle Andrew into becoming part of an experiment, they set off on the adventure of a lifetime. What happens to the children when they touch Uncle Andrew's magic rings is far beyond anything even the old magician could have imagined. Hurtled into the Wood between the Worlds, the children soon find that they can enter many worlds through the mysterious pools there. In one world they encounter the evil Queen Jadis, who wreaks havoc in the streets of London when she is accidentally brought back with them. When they finally manage to pull her out of London, unintentionally taking along Uncle Andrew and a coachman with his horse, they find themselves in what will come to be known as the land of Narnia. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky 
Eclectic Reader - Epistolary Fiction 
To Be Read Pile 
3 out of 5 stars 

This was a quick little read that was very enjoyable. Charlie is a quirky straight forward guy and I found myself rooting for him and at times relating to him in a nostalgic way. Here is blurb from goodreads.com: Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up. Overall I enjoyed this book, the characters were easy to relate to and fun to watch develop. I think I ask the same questions everyone else does, such as, who is Charlie writing to and why did Chbosky chose to write the book as letters but these are questions that will most likely never be answered and I am ok with that, it adds to the mystery of the book. 

Outlander

Outlaner - Diana Dabaldon 
4 out of 5 Stars

Whew, this book is huge! It does not fit into any of my challenges but I had been really wanting to read it as I have seen some of the Starz TV show and it did not disappoint. Here is the goodreads.com blurb: The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord...1743. Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. So basically I loved this book it has everything I enjoy, a little romance, a little adventure and a little magic. This book is not for everyone and is a little daunting at 850ish pages but was worth powering through. Since it is such a big book there is a ton of information which can be a little overwhelming and I found the beginning a little slow. The history involved with the story was fascinating for me and I enjoyed getting lost in the Scottish Highlands.  Overall a great read and I will eventually get to the rest of the series. 

Black Dawn

Black Dawn,  Rachel Caine 
To Be Read Pile Challenge 
3 out of 5 Stars 

I'm Baaacckkkk! :-) ..... so I haven't posted in about 2 months but that doesn't mean I have not been reading! I finished this book and the next in the Morganville Vampires series and I am almost done with Outlander, which is a huge book! But here I will review Black Dawn. 

This is the 12th book in the Morganville Vampires series which is about a small town in Texas run by ruthless vampires in which Claire Danvers and her friends try to live peacefully. Here is the premise for this book from goodreads.com: With its eclectic mix of vampire and human citizens, Morganville, Texas, has always been a risky place to call home. But with the invasion of the vampire’s deadliest enemy, Morganville isn’t just in danger—it’s dying… Ever since the draug—mysterious creatures that prey on vampires—took over Morganville, the lives of student Claire Danvers and her friends have been thrown into turmoil. Most of the town’s residents have evacuated, but Claire, Shane, Eve and Michael have chosen to stay and fight.Using the city’s water system to spread, the draug have rapidly multiplied. Things in Morganville look grim, especially since vampire Amelie—the town founder—has been infected by the master draug’s bite. Now, if Claire and her friends don’t figure out how to cure Amelie and defeat the draug, it looks like Morganville will become little more than a ghost town…
So this book series is not for everyone but I started it long ago and I must finish! I love vampire books and I am not ashamed of that. I have read many series in that genre. The Morganville Vampire series has been one of my favorite series because the vampires are evil and not good. This book, however; was slow in many places and I feel that is because it's the 12th book in the series and Caine usually puts out 2 books a year. I was curious about the draug and  how everything was going to play out with Amelie but honestly it was by no means my favorite in the series. Alas,  I will keep reading until the Claire & Co. stories are done. 

Cinder

Cinder, Marissa Meyer

Eclectic Reader Challenge: Retelling of a fairy tale

Cinder, as you can imagine is a retelling of Cinderella, but with Cyborgs! I probably never would have picked this up on my own but a friend recommended it and it fit my challenge criteria. I am really glad I read it because I loved it and am already working on the sequel. This story has been told a thousand times and in a thousand different ways but this was a refreshing new take on a classic. Here is the goodreads.com blurb:

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

Like I said I really enjoyed this book, the story flowed nicely and I never felt like there was a lull. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how this played out and wondering how long it would take Cinder to piece together who she really is and then what she would do with that information. Meyer's story is brilliant and you should all read it! 

The Elite & The One

The Elite & The One

Alphabet Challenge 

I thought I'd do a quick review of these books since I finished up the series and I am going to use them for my Alphabet Challenge. The story is a continuation of The Selection process with America still competing for Maxon while trying to decide if she still loves Aspen. They also both get into deeper topics such as the Caste system and the trouble within it. America and Maxon form and alliance with the Northern rebels and believe it or not I started liking Celeste. Overall they were good books and quick reads. My only issue was that I thought it took way too long for America to make her final choice. Hope you all read them and enjoy! 

PS: Aren't these book covers just gorgeous!?!?!

The Selection

The Selection 
To Be Read Pile Challenge

Oh my this book,  I devoured it in less than 24 hours! I needed a book that was fun and easy like this one after the blah I felt for Interview with the Vampire. America Singer is a fun character and I found myself sucked into her world quickly. I was pulled into the love triangle and couldn't decide for a long time who I was rooting for. America is an easy to relate to character, a girl next door type, and seeing her struggle to become princess material is interesting, I could just imagine myself being the same way and making the same mistakes. The premise was a new take on what could be a tired genre, For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. I would recommend this book to anyone who would listen and insist you pick it up ASAP!!! I am already half way through the second book in this series and it was not even on my to read list :-)