You Know What I Love?

Reading books with absolutely no obligation to review them! There's just something so freeing, knowing you can enjoy a book to the utmost, without having to spend an hour or more reviewing it after you've finished reading it.

I've been going through a ton of audio lately, sometimes listening to more than one audiobook in a single day. (I slowly graduated from single speed to triple speed, and I'll never go back, even if my husband says it sounds like The Chipmunks to him.) And for the most part, I'm not reviewing any of it.

I've been tempted to, especially once I finished my series listen of the Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima. Those audiobooks -- that series, period! -- are phenomenal. And I wanted to shout it from the rooftops as soon as I finished the last book, but I didn't really feel like reviewing the books. So I posted a few words on my Goodreads reviews for each book and moved on.

So often since I started this blog -- nearly five years ago! -- I've felt obligated to review every book I read or listen to. I mean, that's why I started blogging in the first place: to share my love of books. But I'm learning that this doesn't mean I have to review every single one. Or even most of them. Hell, I hardly even read reviews anymore. I consider myself a more seasoned reader these days, and I don't rely on others' opinions to determine which books I pick up and which I don't. I read the synopsis, add it to my TBR, and hope I'm still interested by the time the book lands in my hands. Reviews on Goodreads do help me discover new reads I might not have ran across otherwise, but I don't seek out reviews much anymore. Not on Goodreads or on book blogs.

And I don't think I'm alone in this. I find that the posts that get the most views are those like this, that reveal something about me as a reader or just discuss reading in general. There are those reviews where I'm a gushing mess, and those do tend to see more attention, which is fine by me since those are the reviews that matter to me more because I felt something so strongly for the book -- and it shows in my review. I'm so over reviewing the technical aspects of a story. I just want to be wowed and feel driven to tell everyone about this marvelous book I just read.

I think I've come full circle in how I tackle this blogging thing. To a degree, anyway. In the beginning, this was basically just a reading journal for me. No promotions. No competition. Just reading for pure enjoyment. It's hard not to want to help promote authors I've become friends with, and I'll continue to do that. And I'll spend exorbitant amounts of time hunting for the perfect GIFs for my fanatic reviews of the books that just won't quit me. But I want to stop forcing myself to review because it feels more like a chore sometimes than a hobby.

There are those times when as soon as I've finished a book, I want to write up my review immediately or at least draft some of my feelings into a post. And that's when I know I've read a great book because I can't help but share my thoughts. But then there are other times when it'll take me weeks to review a book, even if I liked it, just because I'm not in the mood and I don't want to do the book or the author a disservice.

Reading and reviewing books out of a sense of obligation is just such a bummer. It also tends to send me into a reading slump because I'm forcing myself to read things and I have become such a mood reader these days. So, I'm going back to my roots: reading what I want, when I want, and reviewing it if/when I feel like it.

I don't know how this will affect the blog or how many reviews I put out going forward. I'm not trying to put that kind of pressure on myself anymore. I'll likely have a review up later today because I want to, but you'll also notice that it'll be the first review posted this week. (April seems to share my sentiments and is only reviewing when she feels like it, too.) I love that we've unburdened ourselves of that responsibility. Sure, I'll still post reviews and promo for tours and other commitments I've already made, but it's still on my terms. ;0) And I'd much rather take a step back than go on a full hiatus.

Back to reading just for the fun of it! YAAAAAASSSSSS!!!

Can you relate? Do you think there's any correlation between your sense of obligation and how much you're enjoying blogging? Does blogging sometimes feel like more of a(n unpaid) job/chore to you than a hobby?

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Labels: discussion, reading for fun, reading slumps

{WOW} The Last Star by Rick Yancey

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: The Last Star
Author: Rick Yancey
Series: The 5th Wave, book #3
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 24, 2016

We’re here, then we’re gone, and that was true before they came. That’s always been true. The Others didn’t invent death; they just perfected it. Gave death a face to put back in our face, because they knew that was the only way to crush us. It won’t end on any continent or ocean, no mountain or plain, jungle or desert. It will end where it began, where it had been from the beginning, on the battlefield of the last beating human heart.

Master storyteller Rick Yancey invokes triumph, loss, and unrelenting action as the fate of the planet is decided in the conclusion to this epic series.

I am so excited for this final book!!! I love sci-fi and aliens, but I much prefer when the aliens are hellbent on destroying us lowly, pathetic humans. :) I also can't wait for the movie adaptation of the first book in this series. It actually looks pretty good, right? Even if aliens aren't your sort of thing, this series has so much to offer, mostly regarding human nature and the unwillingness to give up, no matter the odds.

I think I'm going to have to do a re-read. Or at least a re-listen. =)

(ETA: Oops. I already started my re-listen. Probably should've waited a little longer, but oh, well.)


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: aliens, favorites, grabby hands, must-read, penguin, rick yancey, sci-fi, the 5th wave, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Blog Tour & Giveaway} Ellie Marney's Playlist for #EveryWord

Hey, guys! Thanks for checking out my stop on the Every Word Blog Tour to celebrate the US release! You might be living under a rock if you haven't heard anything about this series yet, but that's okay. You're definitely going to want to read it after you check out the author's playlist below! And you'll probably get the urge to dance, too. :)

EVERY WORD

By Ellie Marney

In stores now!!!

Order Every Word: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Fishpond | The Book Depository
Here's the blurb:

James Mycroft has just left for London to investigate a car accident similar to the one that killed his parents seven years ago...without saying goodbye to Rachel Watts, his 'partner in crime'.

Rachel is furious and worried about his strange behaviour - not that Mycroft's ever exactly normal, but London is the scene of so many of his nightmares. So Rachel jumps on a plane to follow him...and lands straight in a whole storm of trouble.

The theft of a copy of Shakespeare's First Folio, the possible murder of a rare books conservator, and the deaths of Mycroft's parents...Can Watts help Mycroft make sense of the three events - or will she lose him forever?

Sparks fly when Watts and Mycroft reunite in this second sophisticated thriller about the teen sleuthing duo.

EVERY WORD SONGLIST

Hi there, and welcome to the Every Word blog tour!

Jen has asked me to put together a little songlist for the book to show you all – that proved to be the easy part, cos I always have a playlist for every book I write.

What is a bit strange, I guess, is that I actually hate listening to music while I write.  I find it too hard to compose words in my head when there’s music-words playing in the background – actually, even instrumental music puts me off!

But like I said, each book always seems to gather its own little playlist that I usually hammer while I’m in the car, driving to wherever (you do a lot of driving when you live in the country), or while I’m doing dishes or something…I do find music inspiring, and great for setting the mood.

So here are the songs for Every Word.  Hope you find some of them enticing enough to add to your own playlist!

Prytania – Mute Math: This is the song I always imagined for the opening credits, if Every Word was ever made into a movie (in my wildest flights of fantasy this happens, lol).  I think it had something to do with the fact that when I first listened to the song, I misheard the lyric – I thought they were singing ‘Britannia’ (instead of ‘Prytania’), which made me think of England, and…yeah, okay, kinda stupid, but it still stuck with me!  Also something about the upbeat action of the music reminded me of Rachel and Mycroft’s journey for this book.

Rocksteady – The Bloody Beetroots: For the roller derby scene, obviously.  It’s actually mentioned by name on page 4.  The Bloody Beetroots are an Italian electro-house outfit.

Gold on the Ceiling – The Black Keys: Mycroft has a little obsession with The Black Keys, you might have noticed – he always has a Black Keys song on the hop, and for this book, he loved this song.

Lay Your Love on Me – Racey: This is what plays on Mycroft’s ringtone on page 18, with the ‘tacky Casio-organ intro’ – it interrupts a rather (ahem) heated moment between Rachel and Mycroft.  I changed my mind a few times about this song, because I thought it was too daggy.  But then I figured, Mycroft is kind of daggy, in an off-beat way.  That’s one of the things I like best about him!  What finally convinced me to include it were the lyrics: ‘Every word you say/ every move you make now…’

Wide Load – Ainslie Wills:  This is a beautiful, mournful song of regret by a singer-songwriter from Ballarat, which is a regional town about an hour away from where I live.  Ainslie Wills’s voice is gorgeous, and the clip for this is unusual too.  I think it sets the mood perfectly for the scene where Rachel sees Mycroft through the window of his room, late at night, on page 34.

London Calling – The Clash: Yeeess – the ultimate song for arriving in London.  What else could you use?  Plus, Mycroft mentions the Clash specifically during one of those hair-raising drives with Professor Walsh, on their way to the Westminster Mortuary on page 120.

Royals – Lorde: This song was massive while I was in London researching the book – omg, it was played everywhere.  On the day I went to visit the Sherlock Holmes museum I caught the train to Marylebone, and there was actually a busker playing it on a saxophone in the tunnel, while I was on the escalator going up…so I wrote it into the scene where Alicia and Rachel visit the Sherlock Holmes museum, on page 161.

Fine Shrine – Purity Ring : This song is for Rachel, swimming back to consciousness after a (no spoilers!) traumatic event on page 258.  It’s a very odd song: sweet but disturbing (listen to the lyrics and you’ll know why).  It sounds like a bubblegum pop song that’s been warped and turned inside out so you can see the entrails – which is a lot like I imagined Rachel would feel at that point.

Burning Down the House – Talking Heads: Omg, this song would not leave me alone during the writing of Every Word.  I love Talking Heads, and I actually wanted to use a quote from this song (‘Strange but not a stranger’) in the front of the book, but later realised that a Shakespeare quote would fit better.  But it’s still a song I associate with the book – especially after what happens on page 269…

Stay – Rihanna: This song is very melancholy and yearning – I thought of it immediately for the scene out in Rachel’s front yard, before the final scene of the book, when she and Mycroft are talking.  It’s mentioned by name on page 327.

Straight Lines – Silverchair : Another song that ear-wormed me!  Silverchair are another indie Aussie band, fronted by this incredibly talented (and gorgeous) guy called Daniel Johns.

(see?  Incredibly talented and gorgeous)

Silverchair are actually a part of a lot of people’s growing up in Australia, I think, because they began releasing music when the guys in the group were all about fifteen or sixteen, so they’ve been going a long time, and they still create amazing music now.  This song is about finding a balance in your life, and I think it would make a great ‘closing credits’ song for the (imaginary) Every Word movie.

xxEllie

About the author:

Ellie Marney was born in Brisbane, and has lived in Indonesia, Singapore and India. Now she writes, teaches, talks about kid’s literature at libraries and schools, and gardens when she can, while living in a country idyll (actually a very messy wooden house on ten acres with a dog and lots of chickens) near Castlemaine, in north-central Victoria. Her partner and four sons still love her, even though she often forgets things and lets the housework go.

Ellie’s short stories for adults have won awards and been published in various anthologies. Every Breath is her first novel for young adults.

Find Ellie:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest

A giveaway, you say!?! Yep, one lucky winner from the US/Canada will receive their very own copy of Every Word!

Rules:

• This giveaway is US/CAN only.
• One entry per household. 
• Entries will be verified. Any entry found to be falsified will result in disqualification of all entries for that participant.
• Please note that if you use your Twitter account solely for giveaway entries and you enter using the Tweet about the Giveaway entry, that entry will be disqualified. Please remember that this entry method is to spread the word about the cover reveal and giveaway, not simply increase your chances of winning.
• Winner will be notified via email. Winner will then have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. Please check your SPAM folder!!! 
• We are not responsible for lost packages. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thank you so much, Ellie, for stopping by and sharing your playlist with us! I love so many of the songs you featured!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Every Word Blog Tour:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015
Samantha at Bellsie Books
Mandy C. at Forever Young Adult
Eri at Airy Reads
Heather at Books and Quilts
Nicole at Reading Lark

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015
Shelly at Books and Writing
Michelle at Michelle & Leslie’s Book Picks
Jen at The Starry-Eyed Revue (you are here!)
Amanda at Gun in Act One

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
Gillian at Writer of Wrongs
Shilpa at sukasareads.com
Sabrina at Hiver et Café
Adrienne at Books and Bassets

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Michelle at FAB BOOK REVIEWS
Marie at Ramblings of a Daydreamer
Liz at Midnight Bloom Reads
Amy at Tripping Over Books
Rachel at The Readers Den

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015
Lauren at Love is not a triangle
Kristen at My Friends Are Fiction
Morgan at Gone with the Words
Leanne at Author Leanne Dyck

You guys absolutely have to check out this series if you haven't already. It's insanely addicting, especially for a Sherlock fan like myself. Plus, it helps pass the time while we wait for the new Sherlock special! :) #Wattscroft forever!!!

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Labels: aussie, blog tour, ellie marney, every, favorites, guest post, murder mystery, random house, sherlock holmes

{The Weekend Update} 11.14.15

So, since my end-of-the-week post isn't just about what I got in my mailbox or on my Kindle each week -- though that is a big part of it, I won't lie -- I decided to change up the title and intro a bit.  I might tweak the format a bit over the next few weeks, but for the most part, it'll contain the same stuff: stuff I got, stuff I did, and stuff that's coming up on the blog.  Plus, I get to use the awesome GIF you see here and blow kisses to all the people who sent me lovely books and bookish things.  Oh, and I've started linking up to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews since I'm not using a specific meme title anymore.  April's also doing her own Stacking the Shelves posts on Sundays.  Stop by and say hi!  =)

We've finally got some fall-like weather here, and it's so chilly in the evenings that I'll probably light a fire every night this weekend. Any excuse for a fire. :P Things are a little stressful around here, with preparations for hosting not one but TWO Thanksgiving dinners at our new house. I can't even tell you what was going through my head when I agreed to that. I usually make everything from scratch, but I'm thinking I might make it easier on myself this year. I do like to show off in the kitchen a little bit, though. ;0)

We had a pretty great week here. Katie got recognized TWICE on the school announcements this week for superb behavior and leadership skills AND she got straight As on her report card again. Jerrod finally got some cooler weather for his hunting trip, so maybe the deer will actually be a little more active for him this weekend. (Yes, I'm not the biggest fan of hunting for sport, but we eat what we can and share the rest. Plus, just so you know, there's an overpopulation of deer here in Texas. And food banks here in North Texas accept butchered deer to supplement their supplies, so it doesn't have to be a bad thing.) And I read Winter in less than two days AND legit started Passenger which is just amazing already. So, yeah, not a bad week at all. =)

Anyway, here's what I scored this week...

For Review:

Nothing this week, I am pleased to say. Though, if a few of those 2016 fantasy ARCs from Harper were to land on my doorstep, I would not complain. :D

Traded:



Thanks to Jocelyn (@novelsnecklaces) for the #booksfortrade! I can't wait to read this...I've heard the best things!

Purchased:



I purchased both the hardcover and audiobook versions of Winter to ensure I missed nothing. Only to find out that if I'd ordered my HC from Target, I could have gotten a copy with fanfic endpapers! Waaaaahhhhh!!!


So, that's my haul. =) What fabulous bookmail did you get this week?

The Week in Review:

Reviews:

• Dumplin' - Jen
• Under Different Stars - April
• Winter - Jen

Current Giveaways:

Check back soon!!!

Promotional/Discussion Posts:  

• #WoW - The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May

Currently Reading:

I've finally gotten a little reading time in this week, and I am in love with this intricate time travel story already. Please do give me more stories like this...I love the detailed plot and how true to the time period this novel is.




Currently Listening:

This will make the THIRD time I've read/listened to this book THIS year. But I can't help myself. I keep seeing it on the Goodreads Choice Awards ballot and I want to read it every time. I'm also desperate for the sequel, so maybe this will help. (Lies! I already know it won't! :D)





Upcoming Reviews:

Like honest reviews & giveaways?  Be sure to follow us on Bloglovin' so you never miss out!

Like pretty pictures of books and bookish things? Follow me on Instagram! I also host IG giveaways from time to time. :D

Subscribe by email:

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Labels: in my mailbox (imm), stacking the shelves, the weekend update

{Review in a GIFfy} OMGITSOVERWHATISLIFEEVEN?!? - WINTER by Marissa Meyer

Title: Winter
Author: Marissa Meyer
Narrator(s): Rebecca Soler
Series: The Lunar Chronicles, book #4
Length: 23 hrs 30 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Source: purchased hardcover for shelf and audiobook for immediate immersion =)
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

So, yeah, that was me on Tuesday, upon waking and realizing it was Winter release day. I had pre-ordered a hardcover, but I'm an impatient person -- I mean, really impatient -- and I wanted to avoid anyone spoiling it for me, so I immediately downloaded the audiobook. I had no idea how long this book was expected to be, so when I saw that the audio was 23 1/2 hours long, I did a double-take. But it makes sense with all the loose ends and character arcs the author had left to tie up.

I'm not going to go into the story because if you've made it to this point, you know what's at stake. You know Levana is batshit. You know what sacrifices Cinder and company are willing to make to bring her reign of terror to an end. And you know who you ship and where your OTPs stand. I pretty much stand by what I said in my review of the Cress audio and so I'll just put this here:

Sooo worth it to hear Rebecca Soler bring these characters to life again. I don't think I'd like these books half as much if it weren't for her narration. That's a lie. I'd still love them, but it just wouldn't be as much fun because I wouldn't make Cinder sound as feisty in my head, Kai wouldn't seem nearly as regal, Scarlet wouldn't have that slight French accent, and Thorne, well, okay, Captain Carswell Thorne will always be that swoonworthy rogue. But you get the picture. Some audiobooks are just books that are being read to you via some unknown narrator, but the Lunar Chronicles on audio is like having a movie going inside your head. It's impossible not to put yourself in the story, to imagine everything as it's happening and hope for the best right along with the rest of the crew. Rebecca Soler's narration of this series is pure magic, and even if I were to get an advance copy of Winter -- assuming they will exist -- I'd still probably opt for the audio version because it's just. So. Much. Fun.

No matter how much I started off enjoying this series, I'm constantly surprised by it. Each book just gets progressively better, introducing new characters and new villains and new romances. And somehow, no one ever gets left out or sidelined in order to concentrate on a different story arc. No matter who the leading lady is in each book, the others are not forgotten. I follow the author's blog and Twitter and I know how crazy-organized she is and has to be in order to keep all of these storylines in check, so I can imagine how easy it might be to let a character fall by the wayside. But Meyer never does, and you seriously have to applaud what a masterful storyteller she is.

And I love seeing how everyone's story is coming together, how everyone fits into this giant picture Meyer undoubtedly has in her head. Her reimagining of some of my favorite childhood fairy tales is beautifully done, and I love how the author has woven bits of science and fantasy into her stories to create something fresh and vibrant and completely her own.

In this installment, it's Snow White's turn in the spotlight, with Winter as the damsel in distress, living with her deranged stepmother on Luna, within her own hero's grasp and yet so far out of his reach. It is so funny to me that while reading, I get so caught up in the story that I don't remember it's a retelling until one of the elements in the original story comes to pass, and then I'm like OMG YAAASSS!!!

I loved Meyer's take on Snow White, but I don't know that I could say I loved it more than any of the other heroines' arcs...because I love them all equally, obsessively, and completely. Don't ask me to pick a favorite because I absolutely CANNOT and WILL NOT and SHOULD NEVER be forced to do such a thing.

I will say that I appreciate the author's efforts to make her characters so dynamic and diverse, most obviously in Winter. You've got mental instability, bi-racial coupling, interplanetary-coupling...there's something for everyone and everyone for someone. Those ships...MY GAWD.

The swoons and kissing scenes in this book are pretty epic. I liked to pretend that I didn't hear it the first time and go back and listen again. And again. To the point that someone would see me blushing and ask what I was listening to and I'd finally have to move on. =)

• Winter and Jacin are adorable. But they let that whole class thing get in their way for far too long. Winter is whimsical and Jacin is resolute, and they're kind of perfect for each other.
• Cress and Thorne are yin and yang. She's innocent to the world and he's taken advantage of all it has to offer. I'd ship Thorne with just about anyone, though, as long as I got to hear his quips. I shipped him with Cinder at first because their banter was ah-mazing.
• Scarlet and Wolf are my OTP. They just...the bond, the love, the strength there...THAT IS LIFE. Even after everything they've been through and suffered, they still have the strongest relationship of all.
• Cinder and Kai are...they're the bones of the story. Without them, everything else falls apart. And together, they are a rock.

Obvs, I could have used more kissing. ALWAYS MORE KISSING. And I would really have liked to see a bromance develop between Kai and Thorne. I saw something there at one point, and I didn't want it to end. Maybe we'll see more of it in Stars Above? Maybe more kissing, too, yes?

I don't know if it was because I was listening or the pacing just really picked up in the second half, but it flew by. Like, I may need a re-listen very soon so I can parse some things out. (Or, I guess, I could just revert to my hardcover.) It was just so jam-packed with ALL THE THINGS HAPPENING and the mind-melds and manipulations and it was like who's doing WHAT? And NO, DON'T DO THAT...STAAAAAAHPPP!!! For a minute there, I thought I might never recover.

And then I went to my happy place and this is basically all I remember:

Worth it, though. SO. WORTH. IT. This is one of my absolute favorite series, and I've listened to all of the books on audio and I REGRET NOTHING. Every character, every story line, every single minute spent with these books has been amazing. Marissa Meyer is on my auto-buy list, and if she's not on yours yet, then you probably haven't read one of her books because if you had, you'd be hooked. I just loved these books so much. I could re-read them again right now. And I just might because I seriously don't know what to do with all these feels!

About the author:

Marissa Meyer lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and three cats. She’s a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, color-coordinating her bookshelf . . .), and has been in love with fairy tales since she was given a small book of them when she was a child. She may or may not be a cyborg. Cinder is her first novel.

Find Marissa:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Previous posts in this feature:

Of Metal and Wishes
The Kiss of Deception
Between the Spark and the Burn
Blue Lily, Lily Blue
This Shattered World
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Heart of Betrayal
Of Dreams and Rust

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Labels: audiobooks, beautiful covers, book trailers, fairy tales, fantasy, favorites, lunar chronicles, macmillan, marissa meyer, must-read, retellings, review in a giffy, reviews, sci-fi