Brandon Sanderson

On Monday, I had the pleasure of seeing Brandon Sanderson at the Provo City Library! It was a fun event!

Here is Gene getting the evening started.

Here is the man himself!

I decided to ask a question cause I was really curious about the answer. Suey from It's All About the Books caught it all on video!

I really liked his answer, especially the last bit.

I always thought Brandon Sanderson was a giant nerd, but he was actually really fun to see!

I should read his books!

Top Ten Tuesday

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books Featuring Travel In Some Way (road trips, airplanes, travelogues, anything where there is traveling in the book!)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith:    Most of the book involves traveling on a plane and subways.

The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander:    There is a lot of traveling in fantasy books, and this one is no exception.

The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist:    This is another fantasy with a lot of traveling. Some of the characters even travel to a different world!

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo:    Jean Valjean travels all over France in various ways, and he is being followed by the determined Javert!

Everbound by Brodi Ashton:    Nikki and Cole travel through the Everbound, and back and forth between the Everbound and the surface. 

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer:    The characters travel a lot in this one. I loved reading about Scarlet and Wolf traveling together.

The Wide Awake Princess by E.D. Baker:    Annie travels to different kingdoms looking for her sister's true love, and she runs into several different fairy tales along the way! The sequel has a lot of traveling as well, and it is equally as fun!

Benny Imura series by Jonathan Maberry:    Benny, his brother, and friends travel all over the place fighting zombies and trying to stay safe.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George:    The Lass travels on the back of a polar bear, by all four winds, and normal walking. I haven't read a book that has traveling quite like this.

The Study Series by Maria V. Snyder:    There isn't a lot of traveling in Poison Study, but there is plenty of traveling in the other 2 books! I especially love when they ride on their horses with the gust of wind gait.

How Iron Man 3 Should Have Ended

Love this! It is kinda how I felt about the movie!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

From Goodreads:    Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

My Thoughts:

-    This book really surprised me. It was so much more and better than what I expected.

-    I thought this was going to be a total contemporary romance, and there is a bit of that, but it is also about two people their struggles with life.

-    I enjoyed getting to know Hadley and Oliver, and the way they each dealt with their struggles and families. 

-    I really like how Hadley and her dad talked things through. I think a lot of parent/child relationships are similar to Hadley and her parents.

-    I liked Hadley a lot, and I found myself relating to her and wanting to be her friend.

-    Oliver is such a gentleman. He just might be added to my literature crushes. I'm still not sure on this one yet, but he is close!

-    I LOVE that this whole book happens within 24 hours! So cool! So much happens, and I have had long days, and they feel like they last forever. I want more 1 day books!

-    There could be more about Oliver and Hadley, but I really like this as a stand alone book. The author did a great job tying things up and giving us just enough. 

A Tale of Two Castles

Goodreads Description:    An enchanting tale of a girl who dreams of a home on the stage but finds refuge instead in a dragon's lair. Newbery Honor and New York Times bestselling author Gail Carson Levine delivers an engaging story of a spirited leading lady cast in the role of a lifetime!

Newly arrived in the town of Two Castles, twelve-year-old Elodie wants nothing more than to become an apprentice to a theater troupe. But alas, the troupe turns her away. The only one who offers to take her in is the brilliant dragon Meenore, who sells fire-roasted bread and cheese skewers and moonlights as a detective.

Elodie and Meenore's first case together concerns the town's shape-shifting ogre, Count Jonty Um. He is in grave danger: Someone wants him dead. Elodie disguises herself as a lowly kitchen maid in Count Jonty Um's castle to discover the villain. Everyone is a suspect-from the handsome cat trainer Master Thiel to kindly Goodwife Celeste-and not even Elodie escapes suspicion. Will she be able to find the culprit before it's too late?

Fans of Ella Enchanted and Fairest will delight in this rich fantasy about a remarkable heroine who finds friendship where she least expects it and discovers that goodness and evil come in all shapes and sizes. Kirkus Reviews gave a starred review to A Tale of Two Castles, calling it "a thoroughly delicious romp from the author of Ella Enchanted. The plot is winningly unpredictable, the characters easy to relate to, the humor subtle and the action well-paced."

Extras included in the paperback edition.

My Thoughts:

-    This was a charming tale with a bit of mystery!

-    Gail Carson Levine is a very practical writer, and I enjoy her style. She hasn't done a mystery before, and this was a fun new tale from her!

-    I enjoyed the made up French names. 

-    I liked Elodie a lot. She was a very fun and believable character. I liked how she sought acceptance and approval from her Masteress. I feel that way about some people at times.

-    There were a lot of suspects in this mystery. I really had no idea who the culprit would be. It was fun to guess.

-    Jonty Um was one of my favorites. He was gentle and humorous. It was a new twist to an ogre's character. I also loved that he loved dogs.

-    The ending is wide open for another story, and I'm excited to read more about these characters. 

The Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway!

and the winner is....

Whitney from Vivid Reads

Congrats Whitney!

You should receive an email from me soon. Please respond or I will choose another winner!

My Uncle's Funeral

It was a very fitting Memorial Day weekend for me. My sweet Uncle Ivan died, and we had his funeral on Saturday. He was a veteran, and they gave him a military send off. It was very special to the family, and amazing to witness.

My Uncle did a lot in his life. Mostly he was remembered for his service in the military and his service to scouts.

Here are his medals.

He was buried in a military cemetery. It was so humbling and awesome to see all those graves with flags for Memorial Day.

Here is his coffin with the flag draped over it.

A soldier saluting while they played taps and shot the guns.

Folding of the flag.

Presenting the flag to my Aunt Loretta.

Each of their children were presented with a flag as well.

This was my Uncle's oldest brother. He consecrated the grave.

Between losing one of my favorite people and witnessing all the patriotic stuff, I was a mess. I cried a ton! It was a day I will not forget.

Happy Memorial Day!

Thanks to all the veterans and for all they've done for me and my country!

Sweethearts

From Goodreads:    As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts. They were also one another's only friend. So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be---but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend. 

When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken.

From the National Book Award nominated author of Story of a Girl, Sweethearts is a story about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts.

My Thoughts:

-    This was good, but it wasn't amazing! 

-    I feel like we just got the surface of the story. I wanted it to go a bit more in depth. There is so much more to this story that we don't get to see, and I wish the author had explored the characters more. The book isn't that long, so I think more detail could have been added no problem.

-    I liked Jenna. She felt a lot of the same insecurities I felt in school. I like that she ate when stressed. It is not good, but something a lot of people can relate to.

-    Cameron was important to the story, but I felt like he was a ghost of a character. I wanted to know more about him and his life.

-    I am a little disappointed. I've heard a lot about Sara Zarr's books and how everyone loves them, but it wasn't anything special. I still enjoyed it, but I just wanted more.

Top Ten Tuesday

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Favorite Book Covers Of Books I've Read

This is going to be hard to narrow down to 10!!

 

 

 

 

 

Silverthorn

Goodreads Synopsis:    A poisoned bolt has struck down the Princess Anita on the day of her wedding to Prince Arutha of Krondor.

To save his beloved, Arutha sets out in search of the mystic herb called Silverthorn that only grows in the dark and forbidding land of the Spellweavers.

Accompanied by a mercenary, a minstrel, and a clever young thief, he will confront an ancient evil and do battle with the dark powers that threaten the enchanted realm of Midkemia.

My Thoughts:

-    SO MUCH FUN!!

-    This book has a slightly different feel from the first two. It has new villains and a whole lot of new predicaments.

-    There was a lot going on with a lot of characters in this story, but it is written so well that there isn't any confusion and everything makes sense. 

-    I love the characters in Feist's books! They are so amazing and awesome in their own way. There is know way I could pick a favorite.

-    Brother Dominic went all Thor on us for a bit. That was awesome!

-    Jimmy is a more prominent character in this one. He really adds a lot to the story and already established characters. He is one of my favorites. 

-    There were more emotions in this book. The struggle to save Anita was felt throughout the journey, and I could feel the fear, need for speed, anger, hope, etc. 

-    I loved that Pug journeyed back to Kelewan. His journey and research there were very enlightening.

-    The action towards the end is riveting. I felt like I was right there! The writing is so good!

-    There are a few surprises at the end, and I can't wait to dive into the next book!

Previous books in The Riftwar Saga

(click on to cover to see my thoughts)