2014 Kelley Armstrong YA Challenge

This challenge will run from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 and is hosted by Darlene at Darlene's Book Nook. I am going to try for Just a Taste which is 1-4 books. I still need to read The Calling and The Rising to finish the Darkness Rising series, so hopefully this will motivate me to finish the series. There are a few novellas I missed that I might try to get to if I finish the other two books. I also want to read Sea of Shadows by her, which comes out in April. It is a new series, so I don't know if it will count for this challenge, but I still plan on reading it. Thanks to Darlene for hosting!

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

This was my first reread of the year. It has been at least fifteen years since I read Dragonflight; I was actually pretty young when I picked up this series and I didn't understand the umm more romantic parts shall we say, but I loved McCaffrey's world building. I read Dragonsinger first and fell in love with Pern.

Del Rey

Lessa awakes to a great fear; she knows something is wrong in her world, but she can't figure it out. F'lar knows he must find a strong woman to Impress the one queen egg or all Pern is doomed. Lessa wants only to gain back control of her hold from Fax, the conqueror of six holds, including her Ruatha. She is willing to manipulate and destroy both lives and property to be Lady of Ruatha and it is her impetuousness that gets Fax killed and her hold turned over to his newborn son. Her interference also leads to her discovery by F'lar. He sees Lessa's powers of magical manipulation and her strength and knows she can lead Pern. When she impresses Ramoth, the queen dragon, and F'lar's dragon Mnementh flys Ramoth, the two are leaders of Benden Weyr, the only Weyr out of six that remains. Even though the rest of Pern doubts the need of the dragons, F'lar knows the Thread, alien organisms from a planet known as the Red Star, will return and that the dragons' fiery breath is the only thing that can destroy them. When Lessa makes a startling discovery and Thread starts to fall, she realizes she can find the dragons they need to beat the Thread if she is willing to risk her life and Ramoth's to save Pern.

I love how McCaffrey makes the world of Pern so believable. From page one, you can believe Pern exists and her descriptions enable you to build a map in your head of that world. She also creates wonderfully flawed characters, who scheme and make horrible choices, but you somehow want them to succeed.

One problem with this book is that it is dated. Women definitely did not have as many rights in our society at the time it was written, let alone in a sort of medieval type society like in the book. Lessa and F'lar's first sexual encounter occurs due to their dragons mating and their love making is rape, although Lessa never phrases it that way, F'lar does. Their emotions are so tied to their dragons that they "mate," at the same time. Eventually the two come to "love" each other, but they are really brutal to each other in the beginning and through most of the book.

Favorite Characters: F'nor. He treats Lessa and F'lar with respect and is willing to do anything to save Pern.

Favorite Quote: "'I respect your doubts. There's nothing wrong in doubting. It sometimes leads to greater faith.'"

This is my least favorite in the series, but I do like the series, even if it is a bit dated. I remember the Harper Hall trilogy books as my favorites, so I will see if they remain that way. I never finished the whole series, but maybe with the rereads I can slowly finish.  I can't wait to pick up the next one and get lost in McCaffrey's world of Pern! 3 cups of cocoa.

Stacking the Shelves and Showcase Sunday #1

 

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Showcase Sunday is hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits, and Tea and they are memes for sharing books you've purchased, borrowed, or been sent for review. The books can be physical or e-format. I thought since I follow both blogs I would do a combined share. It has been a few months since I shared books, so I am not going to share everything over the past few months. I do want to share the highlights!

Library:

My Story Lately Told by Anjelica Huston (I have been wanting to read a biography, so I thought this one would be interesting. I have also purchased the Addams Family to watch when I finish this!)

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (I have heard so much about this one, but I am wondering if it will be a little too literary. That was the only complaint I have heard about it so far.)

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep (I finished Touch of Frost and enjoyed it, so I wanted to try the next one.)

Soulless by Gail Carriger (I am loving Steampunk right now and this author came highly recommended during the Bout of Books Twitter chats. Paranormal Steampunk what's not to love!)

Bought:

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell (I loved  Fangirl! This was another Bout of Books recommendation and I can't wait to start it.)

Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman (I use Alice Hoffman's books when I can't be motivated to read. She has a lyrical quality to her writing and I love her descriptions of people and places. This was one I could not get for my work library and could not borrow from the library where I live, so I had to purchase it. ;) )

Received from The Broke and the Bookish Secret Santa: Thanks to Amy at Tripping Over Books! The Best Secret Santa!!

Legend by Marie Lu (Favorite read of mine)

American Gods by Neil Gaiman (I have read quite a few of his, but not this one.)

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (I loved the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, so I am excited to start this one!)

Starbucks Hot Cocoa and a cute Winter mug, Hersey-ettes, and my new favorite bookmark:

I love this! The Snitch bookmark is really nice and what a great idea to wrap it in a page from the story!

What did you get this week? Thanks to Vicky and Team Tynga for hosting!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

This is my first finished read for 2014 and it was the perfect way to start off the year! Rowell captures that first year of college so perfectly. We all try to make our way in the world that first year and have to deal with the good and the bad in ways we don't in high school. Your world expands in so many ways that first year of college and Rowell shows this through Cath and Wren.

St. Martin's Press

Cather and Wren are each other's whole world, or at least Wren is that for Cath. The two have spent most of their teen years writing Simon Snow fan fiction (think Harry Potter) and Simon and Baz, two of the main characters of the Simon Snow fiction, are sacred to the two girls. Things change shortly before the two start college. Wren decides she does not want to room together and wants people to know her as a single person, not as a twin. Cath is crushed and hurt by her sister's antics and dreads starting college and having a roommate that she doesn't know. She ends up with Reagan and Reagan's "boyfriend" Levi. At first Cath tries to ignore both Reagan and Levi and focus only on her fanfiction "Carry On, Simon Snow," about Simon and  Baz really being gay and loving each other, which is not part of the canon, but in the fanfic world it is just as good. Life intervenes and Cath must focus on her school work, betrayal by a classmate who basically steals her work, and her dad's depression and sister's problems. What hold her together is her sarcastic, tough roommate and Levi's affections. When she falls for Levi, Cath must figure out what is really important and how to trust someone, when you've been hurt.

I loved this book so much, from Cath's obsession with Simon Snow to her blindness of Levi's feelings and even her tough, but caring roommate. Cath learns there are both good people and bad people in the world and she learns you cannot remain numb and expect to enjoy life. Levi is maybe the sweetest male love interest ever and we all need a Levi. Meeting your college sweetheart is an awesome experience and I have been happily married to mine for 6 years now. I think Rowell definitely presents that well.  This is a definite read for those who have been through their first year of college and I would love to know if others think her descriptions are dead on. Cath's experiences with Reagan, Levi, and even her English teacher reminded me so much of freshmen year that I became nostalgic.

Favorite Character: Levi. He is probably my favorite male love interest ever! He is so sweet and loving, but also a bit clueless. I also love that he loves when Cath reads to him, best scenes ever!

Favorite Quotes: "'You give away nice like it doesn't cost you anything.'" Levi lauged. 'It doesn't cost me anything. It's not like smiling at strangers exhausts my overall supply.'"

"'In the right light, you are such a nerd.'"

"'Happily ever after, or even just together ever after is not cheesy,' Wren said. 'It's the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for.'"

What an awesome start to the new year! This will definitely be in my top books of the year and it is going to be hard to top! I have already purchased Attachments, because I can't wait to start another of Rowell's books. Definitely 5 cups of cocoa!!

Bout of Books Day 7 and Wrapup

Day 7 Update
Currently reading:  The Magician, Splintered, Touch of Frost
Pages read: Splintered- 25 pages, Touch of Frost- 15 pages,  The Magician- 30 pages

Overall I did not do too bad and met all my goals! I commented on 11 blogs, found 4 new blogs to follow, did 5 mini-challenges, and finished 2 books (Fangirl and Dragonflight). I also participated in all three Twitter chats and sort of understood what was going on and how to Tweet! I read a total of 664 pages, which is great for me. Thanks to Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal for hosting! Hope everyone had a good time and I can't wait until May!

Bout of Books 9.0 Day 6

Day 6 Update
Currently reading:  The Magician, Jinx's Magic, Splintered, Touch of Frost
Pages read: Splintered- 6 pages, Touch of Frost- 60 pages, Jinx's Magic- 44 pages, The Magician- 20 pages
Comments posted-3
Twitter chat-1

Bout of Books 9.0 Day 5

Day 5 Update
Currently reading:  The Magician, Fangirl, Dragonflight
Pages read: Fangirl- 65 pages and finished!, Magician- 36 pages, Dragonflight- 34 pages and finished!
Books finished- 2
Comments posted- 2
New blogs following: 1 Never Too Fond of Books,
Minichallenge- 1 Create a Story -- Never Too Fond of Books
 The rules by Mandi Kaye

1. Open your current book to the last page you read.
2. Using the last word of every line, create a poem or story. You must use every word (but they do not have to be in order), and you may add punctuation as necessary. If a word is split between the end of the line and the beginning of the next one, you may choose whether or not to use it.

This was really hard and it doesn't quite make sense, but is was really fun!These words are from page 268 of Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey. 

The hundred years marks the table, we slammed. Lessa’s mind is going, missing, left, but they see our cautious help. Up ahead we can shake briskly between this intermediate, imbalanced evening. We turn alive…to die. Did we?