Four

Goodreads Says:    Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation’s faction leader did the same. Tobias’s transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened “Four,” he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future—and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth comes a companion volume to the worldwide bestselling DIVERGENT series, told from the per-spective of the immensely popular character Tobias. The four pieces included here—THE TRANSFER, THE INITIATE, THE SON, and THE TRAITOR—plus three additional exclusive scenes, give readers an electrifying glimpse into the history and heart of Tobias, and set the stage for the epic saga of the DIVERGENT trilogy.

My Thoughts:

-    I enjoyed the Divergent series, but I wasn't sure about this novella thing. I didn't know if I should try it or not. Well, I did.

-    It's like a giant monologue in Four's head.

-    This was an easy and quick read, and I usually enjoy those, but not this one. I wouldn't read this again.

-    There was nothing new. I didn't learn anything new or special. It as disappointing.

-    There was a part where he went back and forth about if he liked Tris or not, and it was really annoying!

-    I didn't like being in Four's head. It took away some of his appeal. I liked how mysterious Four was, and how I didn't know what he was thinking. Now I do and I don't like it. 

-    I feel like this book didn't need to be made. I feel like the publishers are just trying to squeeze more money out of us.

-    If you haven't read this, go ahead and pass it up. Just go read the Divergent books. It is better. 

Divergent Trilogy
(covers are linked to my thoughts)

  

End of Year Book Survey

Hosted by The Perpetual Page Turner

2014 Reading Stats

Number of Books You Read:  146

Number of Re-Reads:  28

Genre You Read the Most From:  Probably Fantasy and Graphic Novels

Best in Books

1.  Best book you read in 2014? This is hard, but I think the winner (by a hair) is:

I'm still not over this!

2.  Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn't?

I thought I was going to love this, and it was on my to-read list for a long time, but I was disappointed.

3.  Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?

I read this for book club. I wasn't going to read it, but then I met the author and decided to give it a try. I loved it! I also learned a lot while reading it.

4.  Book you "pushed" the most people to read (and they did) in 2014?

5.  Best series you started in 2014? Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

Best sequel of 2014? 

Best series ender of 2014?

6.  Favorite new author you discovered in 2014? Sarah J. Maas

7.  Best book from a genre you don't typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I generally don't read religious books, but this one was amazing.

8.  Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

9.  Book you read in 2014 that you are most likely to re-read next year?

10.  Favorite cover of book you read in 2014?

11.  Most memorable character of 2014? Anne Shirley

12.  Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

It is hard to top some of those Mary Shelley lines.

13.  Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2014?

I'm ashamed to say I didn't know about the Japanese camps. This book opened my eyes. 

14.  Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?

15.  Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2014? "I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed." King Theoden from Return of the King.

16.  Shortest & longest book you read in 2013?

 

  40 pages                       586 pages

17.  Book that shocked you the most.

18.  OTP of the year: I have 4! Is that legal?

Meghan and Ash from The Iron Fey series
Celaena and Chaol from the Throne of Glass series
Arin and Kestrel from The Winner's Curse
Anne and Gilbert from the Anne of Green Gables series

19.  Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year: Gansey, Noah, Ronan, and Adam from The Raven Boys

20.  Favorite book you read in 2014 from an author you've read previously:

I'm a HUGE Snyder fan! I finally got to read her latest series this year!

21.  Best book you read in 2014 that you read based solely on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure:

I would not have read this without pressure from book club, specifically Suey.

22.  Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

Ash from The Iron Fey series

Levi from Fangirl

Trevor from Pivot Point

Damian from Defy

23.  Best 2014 debut you read?

24.  Best world building/most vivid setting you read this year?

25.  Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read?

26.  Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2014?

27.  Hidden Gem of the year?

This book needs more readers and a lot more buzz! It was great!

28.  Book that crushed your soul?

29.  Most unique book you read in 2014?

30.  Book that made you the most mad (doesn't necessarily mean you didn't like it)?

I can't say what made me mad without giving away major spoilers. I loved this book, but OH THE TRAGEDY! 

Your Blogging/Bookish Life

1.  New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014? I have two! I have loved getting to know these two ladies!
Bookmark Dragon
Angela's Anxious Life

2.  Favorite review that you wrote in 2014? The Winner's Curse

3.  Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog? My Celebrity Crush List

4.  Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
Utah Book Month
The Lord of the Rings Read Along

5.  Best moment of the bookish/blogging life in 2014? Cary Elwes

7.  Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views)?  This one shocked me! Holes had 811 views.

8.  Post you wished got a little more love? My discussion posts and Fan Art Fridays

9.  Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)? I finally figured out how to navigate the Orem Library!

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year? I finished the TBR Challenge, and I have a new high score for books read in a year! My goal was 125, and I read 146 books!

Looking Ahead

1.  One book you didn't get to in 2014 but will be your number 1 priority in 2015?

2.  Book you are most anticipating for 2015 (non-debut)?

3.  2015 debut you are most anticipating?

4.  Series ending/a sequel you are most anticipating in 2015?

 

Throne of Glass #4

5.  One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2015? 
Find more amazing blogs to follow and meet new bloggers!
Get more people to come to author events!

6.  A 2015 release you've already read and recommend to everyone:

This is the only 2015 book I've read, but I still liked it a lot and recommend it!

The Mark of Athena

Goodreads Synopsis:    Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on theArgo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare....

My Thoughts:

-    Our heroes are reunited and assembled! Woo!

-    Great characters and great adventures!

-    I love all the characters, but Leo is one of my favorites. He is so funny! The part with Narcissus was so awesome.

-    There was a lot going on in this book. The characters had to learn to get along. There were couples and their relationships. The quests, the camps, the dreams, etc. Riordan such a great storyteller because he has all these elements, but it isn't confusing and they are all part of the story as a whole. I hope that made sense.

-    Annabeth has some major star moments in this one. She was awesome! I would not have had the courage to do what she did. 

-    I love the Roman Holiday bit!!!! It made this book 10x more awesome when Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn made an appearance! 

-    Gush gush gush! Read this! 

-    The ending has quite the cliffhanger. I'm eager to devour more of the series! 

Previous Books in The Heroes of Olympus Series:

(covers are linked to my thoughts)

 

Pope Joan

From Goodreads:    For a thousand years her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die–Pope Joan, the ninth-century woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter. Now in this riveting novel, Donna Woolfolk Cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept. 


Brilliant and talented, young Joan rebels against medieval social strictures forbidding women to learn. When her brother is brutally killed during a Viking attack, Joan takes up his cloak–and his identity–and enters the monastery of Fulda. As Brother John Anglicus, Joan distinguishes herself as a great scholar and healer. Eventually, she is drawn to Rome, where she becomes enmeshed in a dangerous web of love, passion, and politics. Triumphing over appalling odds, she finally attains the highest office in Christendom–wielding a power greater than any woman before or since. But such power always comes at a price . . . 

In this international bestseller, Cross brings the Dark Ages to life in all their brutal splendor and shares the dramatic story of a woman whose strength of vision led her to defy the social restrictions of her day.

My Thoughts:

-    This was an interesting book. I'm glad we read it for book club. I wouldn't have picked this up by myself.

-    I didn't love it, but I liked it. I wouldn't read it again, but I'm glad I read it.

-    I'm SO grateful that I wasn't alive during the 800s. Women were treated awful, and child birth was scary! Thank goodness for modern medicine. 

-    The book was easier to read and more interesting than I thought it would be.

-    There is part where Joan tastes some urine!! Gross!!!

-    The raping scene was bit disturbing for me. It wasn't explicit, but I felt gross after reading it. Other than that it is a pretty clean read.

-    I felt like I was waiting for things to happen for most of the book. I was waiting for Joan to disguise herself as  a man, I was waiting for her to be Pope, I was waiting for her and Gerold to runaway together, etc. 

-    I didn't understand all the Catholic hierarchy, but I don't think it detracted from the story. 

-    Do I think Joan really existed? I don't know. It is interesting to think about though. There are some substantial things to support that there was a female Pope, but it still makes me wonder. 

-    I do believe that women attempted to dress as men to get farther in life. I wonder how many were caught and how many lived full lives. 

Fan Art Friday: A Christmas Carol

showcasing:

I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves this Christmas classic. It is one of my favorites!

I love the one of the man reading the book. It is snowing outside, and he has a pot of tea. It just looks so cozy.

Which is your favorite?

If you'd like to see more from a specific artist, the pictures are linked.