To Re-Read or Not to Re-Read...that is the question.

I apologize for the radio silence.  But I haven't been reading much lately and, what I have finished, isn't very blog worthy as I really want to only post positive reviews on here.  I have recently bought some new books and I'm hoping they are really going to pull me in and make me want to read constantly. 

Due to my recent reading slump I've been thinking a lot about re-reading books.  A few books come to mind that I really enjoyed and wouldn't mind diving into again.  At the same time I realize that if I re-read a book I know I like I am not using that time to read a new book that I might also enjoy.  So it brings up this dilemma for me of whether to re-read books or not.  It also brings in the extended issue of keeping books if I'm not going to re-read them.

On the matter of re-reading books or not, I'm not against it.  I think it marks a great book if once you finish it you can't stop thinking about it and want to read it again at some point.  I have actually re-read quite a few books.  But I wonder, as an avid book lover, if re-reading is the best use of my time.  I can think of many books in my collection I'd like to re-read either because they were great and I want the experience them again, or I have forgotten some plot points and want to re-engage with the world.  In all honestly I could probably go back and re-read most of my books and enjoy doing it.  Some I have read so long ago I'm sure it'd be like reading a new book.  On the other hand, would simply re-reading the books I have (and I have A LOT) be depriving me of all the other books I haven't read or new books that have yet to come out?  I just want to read everything, and obviously it's impossible, but I want to read as much as I can.  That's why this question of re-reading books came up for me. 

As a book collector, and I'm sure many of you are the same, the thought of downsizing makes me anxious and unsettled.  "What?!  Get rid of books?!" you exclaim to me.  Yes, I've breeched the subject.  If I ultimately decided to never re-read a single book again, that I'd only read ones that the stories have yet to cross my brain's threshold, the question would arise of why would I keep the books I've already read.  Some, like me, already have many books in their collections they haven't opened yet.  Ok, keep those, and donate the rest.  Donate the one ones you loved, hated, threw against the wall, and kept you up all night to finish.  Now you have the new starting collection.  Once you read those that are left, donate those too.  Now you can start buying new books you have yet to read and explore.  And the cycle goes on and on.  Suddenly those full book shelves would be empty and be essentially useless except to harbor useless junk.  Having no books on those once blossoming shelves is a sad thought.  But if books are never going to get re-read, what's the point in keeping them?  Display?  A badge of your reading capabilities?  My shelves are filled with a little bit of everything and in all honestly probably wouldn't evoke the most stimulating conversation over wine and cheese.  But they are still there because they are mine.

In the end of all this thinking I have come to a conclusion.  I will not totally give up re-reading books.  I think it'd be impossible.  Instead I will find a good balance of reading mostly new books with some old favorites thrown in.  On the issue of donating books...no way! ;)  At least not at this point in life.  I did a significant downsize many years ago but of course my collection has grown since then.  But right now I'm not ready to part with any of my "friends" who have been there and taken me away to alternate worlds.  I love to read and I love my books and that will never change.  

Book Review: 'Time After Time' by Tamara Ireland Stone



Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone

Title: Time After Time
Author: Tamara Ireland Stone  (Website)  (Facebook)  (Twitter)
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Pages: 339
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion


To say I simply loved this book would be an understatement.  I got so engrossed in this book that I read straight through the second half because it kept me on my toes and pressed me to keep going to see what came next.  I have to admit I wasn't disappointed in the ending, but I was unsure about what would really happen until the very end which I loved. 

This book is the sequel to Time Between Us which is told in Anna's point-of-view and this book gives a nice counterbalance by being told through Bennett.  I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of books and series who switch between character's point-of-views, but I didn't have any trouble seeing this long distance romance through Bennett's eyes.  In fact, it makes the book duo all the more relatable and real.  In the first book we see this new romance blossom through an average girl's eyes until we finally learn Bennett's secret.  In this sequel, now that his secret is out, we the readers are able to explore, feel, and see what it'd be like to be the one with the time travelling powers.  Despite this being deemed a "sequel" I'd consider it more of an amazing companion book.  With this series we get the yin and yang of time travel from both sides and with the series now complete I think it's perfect.

As I mentioned before I couldn't put this book down.  There were so many moments of "What if?" and "Will they or won't they be together?" that I couldn't stop.  If I did I would have wondered around the rest of the day thinking, All I want to do is read more to find out what happens!  I think it is the mark of a great book if I do nothing for the day but stay in my PJ's curled up with some tea or coffee reading. 

I love Anna and Bennett and their romance is one for the record books.  Despite time travel not being a feasible thing at the moment, I have a feeling not many relationships could withstand 17 years between them.  It's hard enough for long distance relationships as it is!

I highly recommend this book, and the series, to those who love romance or who want to escape the real world and wish time travel were real.  I could think of a ton of places I'd like to go if I had that power! 

I've had the pleasure of meeting Tamara twice at signings at my local Barnes and Noble and she is honestly one of the nicest people ever!  Not many authors go up and personally introduce themselves to everyone in the audience and talk with them for a bit.  That's incredibly awesome in my book. 

So if you haven't read Time Between Us and Time After Time I highly recommend dropping what you're doing and going and picking it up...NOW!  ;)

Book Review: 'Wonder' by R.J. Palacio

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Title: Wonder
Author: R.J. Palacio  (Website)  (Wonder Facebook)
Age Group: Children's
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Pages: 320
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

It's a great wonder how I put off reading this book for so long!  Between the realistic characters and situations this book was both emotional and eye-opening.  I shed my fair share of tears during several parts and would not mind shedding them again during a re-read of this great book.

August (Auggie) is a strong, likable character that I think anyone can relate to, physical differences or not.  Everyone has some awkward or embarrassing "something" and through Auggie's story he shows that looking different is okay and he is like everyone else.  Palacio depicts some awful, yet truthful, realities of what those with "differences" go through on a daily basis, especially to young people.  The looks, comments, and bullying are very reminiscent of what I witnessed myself when I was in fifth grade and I really felt the pain August went through.  Through Auggie's perseverance and positive choices he shows that the only ones who are "different" are those who are not kind to others.    

Despite this book being geared toward the younger reader set, I would recommend it for all ages.  The main themes of finding acceptance for being yourself and bullying transcend the juvenile age group and are very relevant today.  Many instances struck a chord with me and reminded me of the hard times growing up.  I think if I had read this book when I was younger I would have been a lot more confident in being myself instead of trying to hide and not draw any attention to myself.  I would argue that this book can give many young people advice of how to handle tough situations, like bullies, and it shows that good things do come out of the bad.  The most important lessons I think this book portrays are: 1) you should be brave and strong despite whatever tough situation you may be in and 2) even though some people may look different from you they are probably some of the nicest people around and extending yourself to be their friend is one of the nicest things you can do. 

I absolutely loved this book and hope that R.J. Palacio does a follow-up at some point...possibly when August gets to high school? (*hint hint*) :)

Long Time, No Post

As I revisit this blog I can't believe it's been SO long since I've posted here!  The only reason I can think of is I started doing more book videos on YouTube, HERE, but not really book reviews like I've previously posted on this blog.  I certainly have been reading a lot and have decided to do book reviews again.  I've been reading some older books as well as new releases so these reviews may be re-caps for some and new to others.  Hopefully you'll enjoy my reviews and spread the word about this blog if you like what you read!  I will be posting my first new review today so keep an eye out for that.  Along with keeping up with this blog I will also start up again on my Twitter, HERE. On Twitter you can follow me about daily life and find updates on any new blog or YouTube entries.  I hope you enjoy the new book reviews!  Feel free to comment and I'll get back to you. :)

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

What is there to say about John Green's The Fault in Our Stars?

I say: Perfection.

This has to be, by far, the best YA novel I have read. 

Summary:

Hazel is battling cancer and her mother feels it's best to go to Support Group with other kids battling cancer so she can talk and won't feel so depressed.  Hazel tries everything she can to get out of it but to no avail.  When she goes, she doesn't expect to connect with Augustus.  Their friendship quickly turns into something more and a captivating book by a recluse author sends Hazel and Augustus on an adventure for answers in Amsterdam.  While there, the world they created for themselves takes a turn and nothing is ever the same.

Review:

In all honesty, this book could have been really cheesy.  Girl with cancer meets boy with cancer and they click and fall in love.  But this is written in such a way that the characters are believable and the story is plausible.  There is depth and substance to the "cancer kid" story that all doubts about this being a predicable, typical story are lost soon after the story begins.

Cancer is not a topic people take lightly.  So throwing together a bunch of kids ranging from being in remission to being terminal is a hard thing to grasp and deal with.  But as the story goes on and it focuses on Hazel specifically, the true nature and emotions of a kid with cancer shines through and grasps the reader from start to finish.  Hazel becomes a multi-dimensional character as she deals with her cancer but also as she deals with normal teenage issues like having a boyfriend.  The balance between the two is played out in a way where the reader doesn't see a defined line between her cancer and boy struggles.  It's like they are one stream and that is due to Green's masterful way with words. 

It's hard to put into words how much I enjoyed this book!  I couldn't put it down once I started.  The writing is amazing and the story is gripping from page one.

I highly recommend this book to anyone.  I do warn you that it's an emotional read, so if you're a crier have some tissues handy.

Best of 2011!

I read tons of great books last year and wanted to highlight a few that stood out to me.  For one reason or another the following books became instant favorites and the next time you are looking for some awesome reading material I highly recommend these.  Without further ado, and in no particular order, my favorite books that I read in 2011!

~Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Despite coming out in December 2010 (I believe) I didn't get to enjoy it until 2011.  I was both excited and hesitant to read it only because it is the last in the Vampire Academy series (which is a must-read series for any YA paranormal lover) and it's sad to see series end.  There were a couple twists and turns I wasn't expecting which made me unable to stop reading.  Of course, beyond wanting to see where the general story went, I was eager to see who Rose ended up with romantically.  I don't want to spoil anything so I can't say the big "OMG" moment, but even I didn't see that coming!  Overall it is a great book and is the perfect ending to a series I had been following since book one.

~Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
I was honestly unaware this book was even coming out until shortly before its release thanks to my sister.  I didn't think there was going to be another one, hence, not keeping an eye out for it.  But I'm so glad I didn't have to wait too long to read this book.  I was so excited to get a future look at these characters that I had grown up with and connected to.  When I first started reading the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series I was about the girls' age so as each book came out I could totally relate which was fun.  The fourth book left me with a sense of closure, but there was always the lingering question of "what next?"  This book had so many developments and surprises and I loved it!  As the book began to wind down and everything fell into place and questions were answered I once again felt some closure.  I was really happy to know what had happened to these great characters and say to everyone who has read the previous four books that they need to read this one too.

~Wither by Lauren DeStefano
I held out on reading this book for some unknown reason and that reason is an unknown evil because this is a great book!  I couldn't put it down once I started.  I love dystopian novels and this one was one that actually disturbed me.  The content is mature for the younger characters of the story but that is their world.  Several times I had to put down the book just out of the shock of certain situations.  A book that can make me do that is definitely amazing.  It reminded me a little bit of A Handmaiden's Tale by Margaret Atwood, but the story was original and well thought out which I appreciated.  I did a book review of this book last year which can be found here: http://bookreviews-bookworm.blogspot.com/2011/09/book-review-wither-by-lauren-destefano.html Overall this is a great read!

~Matched by Ally Condie
This is another dystopian novel where boys and girls are "matched" to their future partners.  It follows Cassia and what happens when she is matched yet considers another guy after a "technical glitch" on her match card.  I loved this book and how she follows her heart and tries to decide what's right opposed to what the Society says is right.  As a reader, I was struggling along with Cassia because Xander and Ky are both good guys and it's not an easy choice.  I recently got Crossed, the next in the series, and can't wait to see what happens.  Fans of YA dystopian and romance would love this book and you haven't read it, or aren't familiar with this type of book, go pick it up and read it.

~Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead
Richelle Mead makes another appearance on the list, but hey, she writes great books and I thoroughly enjoyed another of hers last year.  I loved this final installment of the Georgina Kincaid series.  I had been a little frustrated with the previous books due to the plot not progressing how I hoped so I was beyond eager to read this to see how it all ends.  It took me a little while to finally start it, but once I did I can't believe I had waited so long.  My review of this book can be found here: http://bookreviews-bookworm.blogspot.com/2011/09/book-review-succubus-revealed-by.html This entire series is great and a definite must for any urban fantasy lovers. 

So those are my favorites of 2011!  Did you have any favorites from last year? 


 

Happy New Year...and a Reading Challenge!

It's 2012, everybody!  I can't believe it!  Time really seems to fly and as I'm getting older I realize that.  When you're young everything seems to go at a snail's pace.

"I can't wait until I'm out of school!  How many years are left?"
"Summer vacation is in three whole months!  That's not fair!"
"Lunch is in an hour!  I can't wait to get a break!"

Now my days fly by and at the end of the week I find myself asking, "What did I do this week?"

Regardless of how fast or slow time may seem to disappear or linger in your life, it is a new year and, as most people do, you probably made at least one resolution.  Personally I gave up on making "New Year's Resolutions" years ago because, like many others, I have failed and knowing I "failed" was a downer.  It shouldn't have to be a start of a new year to make "resolutions."  Change can happen at any time.  But since it is the beginning of a new year I have made a goal, and I did this last year, about reading a certain number of books within one year's time.  Last year I picked January 1st as the starting point because I thought of the idea right before New Year's and figured it was a good starting spot so here I am again setting a new goal for myself.

Last year, I set a goal to read 40 books.  Here was my logic:
I figured that since there are 52 weeks in a year, 40 seemed like a fair number.  It allowed some leniency that didn't make me have to rush to read a book a week and in case there were times I couldn't read I didn't have to panic.  I had never kept track of how many books I had read previously to last year so I had no idea if this number was too easy or if it would be hard.  But the fun in it was finding out and reading some great books.

But the results are in...I read a total of 50 books in 2011!  Woot!  Ten over my goal.

I read fairly consistently over the year, and yes there were some weeks I didn't read much, but watching some YouTubers and reading some blogs it amazes me that some people read 100+ books last year!  Wow!  That's some hardcore reading!

But my new goal isn't that lofty.  I don't think it'd be possible to double last year's number.  And even if I did, I don't think I'd be able to top it so the fun in the challenge would be lost.     

My new goal is based off the volume read from 2011.  If I read 50, it's very possible I could do that again so 50 wouldn't be much of a challenge.

So the magic number of books I plan to read this year is...60!

It's quite a jump from last year's goal, but as I've said, 40 was no match for my love of reading.

There you have it!  My goal for 2012!  In doing this reading challenge I plan to post book reviews on my favorite books as I get done with them and as I finish many 2012 new releases.  Do you have any reading goals?  If so what are they?  Let me know!

Happy Reading!