Saturday Spotlight (2)

While checking out other blogs through the Book Blogger Hop, I've been trying to pick a particular blog to focus on.  I feel like this is a good way to share blogs that I find and like.

Blog Name: Supernatural Snark

What I Like:  The thing that caught my attention about this blog was the Cover Critique post.  I liked how she created a dialogue between the designers of the two different covers.  I also liked that she had lots of books on her blog that I have read or want to read.  I know that her blog is one I check back to for more book recommendations.

Living Dead in Dallas

Since I've started watching True Blood on a regular basis, I've been wanting to finish the Sookie Stackhouse series.  With the first season, I noticed a lot of differences between the book and movie.  I've been eager to see what kind of differences popped up in Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris compared to the second season. 

Cover:  I like the illustrations on the covers of the Sookie books.  This cover reminded me of Sookie and Bill flying to Dallas.  Obviously, she didn't fly there on his coffin, but it still reminded me of this.

Characters:  At times, I found Sookie and Bill annoying.  I didn't like when they called each other "sweetheart" or "honey."  It just didn't seem to fit them.  It could also be because I don't remember them talking to each other like that in the show.  Like the show, I like Eric best.  I find him humorous, and his sneakiness is attractive.  He wants Sookie and tries, even though she always refuses him.

Writing:  I liked the writing style.  It's easy to understand, and there isn't a lot of unnecessary stuff added in.  There were just enough details to get wrapped up in the story but not so many that I got distracted.

Plot:  I had an idea of what the plot was going to be since I had already seen Season 2 of True Blood.  It didn't play out exactly like the TV show, but there were enough major similarities to know how the books was going to end.  I wasn't a big fan of how the murder in Bon Temps was played out.  It would've made more sense to me to have explored it more before diving into the trip to Dallas.  By the time I got towards the end of the book when the murder was discussed again, I had forgotten some of the details.

Overall: 3/5  Watching the show before reading this book kind of ruined the book for me.  I did enjoy discovering the differences between the two.  It was very interesting to see which changes were made.

Book Blogger Hop (2)

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy for Books. Each week, she gives bloggers the opportunity to share their blog and discover new ones. Make sure you read her rules for the hop, otherwise your blog link could be deleted. This is not just meant for pimping out your own blog. It's a great chance to find new bloggers you didn't know about. There's also a question posted with each Hop. Be sure to answer it when you post about the hop on your blog.




Question: Do you listen to music when you read? If so, what are your favorite reading tunes?



Answer: Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. I think it all depends on my mood and where I'm reading. I do a lot of my reading in our living room, game room, or bedroom. If I'm in the living room or game room, the TV is usually on. It's not uncommon for me to be reading and watching TV at the same time. If my husband is sleeping when I read in bed, I don't listen to music. If I'm by myself when I read in bed, I pick a Pandora station on my iPhone and listen to whatever comes on.



In addition to commenting on cool new blogs I find through the Hop, I've also decided to start doing a special post for a blog that really cathes my attention. Be sure to stop back later to see which blog I've chosen!



Happy Hopping!

What I'm Reading (3)

Last week, I tried reading multiple books instead of just one like I usually do. I found that I do like having an audiobook for my car and a regular book for home, work, etc. But I don't like having to choose which book to keep reading. It made me feel like I wasn't getting anywhere. So, I've decided to stick to reading one book at a time.

Right now, I'm reading Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie #2) by Charlaine Harris. I've seen the first 2 seasons of True Blood and have been watching the current season. I've been eager to read the rest of the Sookie books. Obviously, there are some major differences between the books and the show, but I love discovering them. My husband got annoyed with me when we watched the first season of True Blood. I had already read the first Sookie book and kept telling him about how the book was different from the show. He also hated that I had a general idea of what would happen.



I'm hoping to finish Living Dead in Dallas tonight, so I can start my next book. Here's what's coming up next for me:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth


Fallen

Linger

When I downloaded Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater to my Nook, I downloaded its sequel, Linger. I figured if I loved Shiver I would probably want to start Linger right away. That's exactly what I did. Now, I liked Shiver but wasn't exactly head over heels in love with it. I can honestly say, though, that I fell hard for Linger. When I finished it today, I was heartbroken. I need to know what happens next!

From Goodreads:


Their eyes, human eyes in wolf skulls, remind me of water: the clear blue of water reflecting the spring sky, the brown of a brook churning with rainfall, the green of the lake in summer as the algae begins to bloom, the gray of a snow-choked river. It used to be only Sam's yellow eyes that watched me from between the rain-soaked birches, but no, I feel the weight of the entire pack's gaze. The weight of things known, things unsaid.



Sam, who spent most of his life as a werewolf, has undergone an unlikely cure and no longer transitions between fur and skin as the temperature changes from cold to hot. This should be a happy time for Sam and true-love Grace, but just as he begins to trust his new human life, Grace feels her humanity slipping away. Sam's focus is split between worry for Grace and his role as caretaker of the werewolf pack, which for the first time in years includes new members.




Cover: Like the Shiver cover, the Linger cover was so pretty. For me, the greens symbolized the warmth and life of the spring season and when the wolves shed their furry pelts for a less hairy appearance.

Characters: Sam and Grace are still crazy about each other. Sam's insecurities seem to be exposed a bit more in this book. I was surprised at how friendly Isabel and Grace became. Cole was a nice addition to the story. His growth throughout the story was touching.

Writing: Stiefvater does such a nice job of telling the story from the various perspectives. I'm a sucker for this style of writing. I also like how she adds Sam's lyrics and poems that Sam is fond of. Her writing in this story really pulled me in. I found myself hanging on the last word of every page, just waiting for what would come next.

Plot: I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I will say that I enjoyed the way Shiver tied in with Linger. What's the saying? When one door closes, another one opens. That's exactly what happened in this book. Just when you thought Sam and Grace would live happily ever after, something else pops up.

Overall: 5/5 I LOVED this book! I can't wait until the next book in the series is released.

Thursday 13 (3)

This week's Thursday 13 is a list of books from my eBook Wish List for my Nook.




Siren by Tricia Rayburn

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

13 to Life by Shannon Delany

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Fallen by Lauren Kate

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Wake by Lisa McMann

Glass Houses (Morganville Vampire Series) by Rachel Caine

Book of Shadows by Alexandra Sokoloff

The Unseen by Alexandra Sokoloff

Pretty in Plaid

I picked up the audio version of Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster at a local bookstore.  I love audiobooks.  They're great for my lengthy commute to school and my short trip to work.  I've read another book by Lancaster, Bright Lights, Big Ass.  I really liked it and was looking forward to reading/listening to Pretty in Plaid.
 
Cover: The cover is super cute! There's a pair of legs wearing long argyle socks in pastel pink and green. I love them!


Characters: The main character is the author, Jen Lancaster. I have to admit that in the beginning when she was telling stories of her childhood I thought to myself, "Please don't let my children be like this." I found her to be a total brat when she was younger. She seemed to be very superficial and overly concerned with how other people saw her. She became more bearable as she got older. Lancaster seemed to be a mature and responsible teenager but then turned into a wild child in college. She always showed, though, that when she wanted something she went for it. Lancaster never let anybody stop her. I like that about her. She is outspoken, as well, which is another quality I admire.

Writing: Lancaster's writing makes me feel as if I'm simply having a conversation with her. I like that it's not extremely structured like some books. It seems to be free flowing. She's also extremely witty and a smart ass, which is awesome. I like smart asses. She does such a great job at telling these stories and conveying her reactions and feelings at the time.

Plot: This book was a collection of stories about events from Lancaster's life from childhood to adulthood. In addition to the chapter title, she also used a piece of clothing or a fashion accessory as the staple of that chapter. I really liked this. It was very unique. Writing the book in this way allowed Lancaster to show how she grew as a person and also as a fashion lover. She always had a knack for looking great but went from shopping at your typical department stores (TJ Maxx, Marshall's, etc.) to shopping at the more expensive stores (Nordstrom, Tiffany's, etc.).

Overall: 3/5 I liked this book. I didn't find it as funny as Bright Lights, Big Ass, though. It did, however, provide more background for me after reading Bright Lights, Big Ass.