The Magicians

Author: Lev Grossman
Date: 5/27/12
Rating: 4
Series: #1

My Review:

The Magicians is a wonderful coming of age story about a boy who embarks on a journey to learn magic. From the stories of Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia, this fictional novel is the adult version of what we expect children of Hogwarts to have really gone through…more death, more rules, more sex, and real psychological issues that change a person as they grow up.

It’s written as a fiction novel, not action, not romance, a subdued urban fantasy novel that personally took me 100 pages to get through before I started liking where it was going. As the story progressed I couldn’t take my eyes away from the pages. It’s good. The adult like themes made the experience real in my eyes…nothing was sugar coated, nothing was left out. Finding out that magic is real and that a fairytale land was more tangible than originally thought was exciting.

I can’t wait to read the second novel.

Becky <3 

Magic Unchained

Title: Magic Unchained
Date: 4/11/12
Rating: 5
Author: Jessica Andersen
Series: Nightkeepers #7

Back Summary:

Cara Liu must earn her place as the leader of the winikin, but her powerful feelings for Nightkeeper Sven could jeopardize the balance right when the winikin must become warriors to help the magi fight their increasingly powerful enemies. Sven tries to keep his distance given their troubled past, but when they are betrayed by one of their own, he can no longer deny the attraction. Their searing chemistry—and the danger—increases as they race to locate a hidden cave that could hold the key to resurrecting the Nightkeepers’ strongest ancestor. But their growing feelings face the ultimate test when the winikin army faces an unimaginable threat and Sven is called on to make the hardest choice of his life.

Don't Make Me Think

Title: Don't Make Me Think
Date: 4/9/12
Rating: 4
Author: Steve Krug

About: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability

My Review:
Straight to the point book...not a lot of extra nothingness.
Great insight...it being 2012...it's now a little outdated.
Definitely great for small web businesses!

Embrace

Title: Embrace
Date: 4/8/12
Rating: 5
Author: Jessica Shirvington

Book Summary:

It starts with a whisper: "It's time for you to know who you are..."

On her 17th birthday, everything will change for Violet Eden. The boy she loves will betray her. Her enemy will save her. She will have to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, EMBRACE is a compelling novel of good and evil, seductive desires and impossible choices. A centuries old war between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity chooses a new fighter. It's a battle Violet doesn't want, but she lives her life by two rules: don't run and don't quit. If angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden.

LINCOLN: He's been Violet's one anchor, her running partner and kickboxing trainer. Only he never told her he's Grigori—part human, part angel—and that he was training her for an ancient battle between Angels and Exiles.

PHOENIX: No one knows where his loyalties lie, yet he's the only one there to pick up the pieces and protect her after Lincoln's lies. In a world of dark and light, he is all shades of gray.

Two sides: Angel or Exile.
Two guys: Lincoln or Phoenix.
The wrong choice could cost not only her life, but her eternity...

Third Grave Dead Ahead

Title: Third Grave Dead Ahead
Date: 4/7/12
Rating: 5
Author: Darynda Jones
Series: Charley Davidson #3

Back Summary:

Charley Davidson—grim reaper extraordinaire, private investigator . . . meh—is practicing her profession under the influence, caffeine and copious amounts of it, due to an extreme desire to induce insomnia. Every time she closes her eyes, Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan, is there. Only thing is, he’s a tad peeved. She did bind for all eternity, so it’s hard blame him. But 13 days without a wink is bound to bring out the crazy in a girl. So, when a man hires her to find his wife, Charley accepts the job with one goal in mind: Put the man behind bars, and not the wet kind. She can sense the guilt waft off him and vows to find the woman’s body and prove he’s a murderer.

In the meantime, Reyes is back in prison and none too happy about it . . . so Charley thinks, until she is carjacked by the dark-haired rake, who swears the very man he went to prison for killing is not only alive, but close by. And he wants Charley to find him.

While a visit to her old friend Rocket sheds no light on Reyes’s situation, Charley finds out the man’s wife is still alive and time is running out. Finding her before she dies would be a miracle, but she has to try. Together with the help of a fashion-impaired receptionist named Cookie, Charley sets out to bring the bad guys to justice. She just hopes Reyes is not one of them. And that she’s not hallucinating from her self-induced bout with insomnia.

New Year!

Hello Everybody! =)

I didn't quite make my goal of 50/50 last year.
I read over 100 books...but that wasn't my main goal...

It's a new year, I'm trying this again.
Life happens...and we just have to learn how to deal with it without neglecting our goals in life...even if they are small/insignificant to others...as this one is. I truly love reading. Setting this yearly goal helps me keep it interesting and the more I read...the better I am. We should never stop learning, doesn't matter what age we're at.

So again...I'm trying for 100 books this year. 50 Fiction, 50 Non-Fiction.
I have a new strategy...and a lot more open-mindedness to see this through.

Good Luck to you. I hope your reading goals come out great this year!

Becky =)

Confession

I have a confession to make...you know that goal I keep talking about?
Well, graduating college may have gotten in the way...just a tad.

I have reached my easy goal of 50 fiction novels for this year....BUT my goal to read 50 non-fiction novels looks bleak.

For me to reach my goal this year, I will need to read 48 non-fiction books by January 1st, 2012.

Can I do it, why yes I can =)

Wish me luck, because this is going to be a tough month full of graduating, finding a job, moving out, and reaching my reading goal for the year.

Happy Holidays!
Becky