Versatile Blogger Award

I was nominated for this award by the fabulous Britt from Tara Belle Talking and the lovely Amanda from The Darlington Bookworm. Thank you for nominating me!

So let's get started with some rules.

*Nominate other relatively new bloggers.

*Let the bloggers know that you've nominated them.

*Share ten random facts about yourself.

*Thank the blogger who nominated you.

*Add the versatile blogger award to your post. 

Ten Facts About Me

1) I love to ride horses and I used to ride in shows. I mostly rode in hunter classes and dressage (which I describe as ballet on horseback). 

2) I have a degree in mathematics and currently teach math at a junior college. 

3) I'm a writer and plan to publish my first work this year.  It will likely be a collection of short stories and poetry.

4) The The Lion King is my favorite movie of all time, although I am not a big fan of Disney or animated movies. 

5) Brandon Sanderson and Dean Koontz are my favorite authors (an easy one, as I'm sure you can see that from my blog or goodreads page).

6) I love the ocean. I love the way it spreads out before you as if there were no end. Someday I want to own a yacht so I can live at sea for extended periods of time (and avoid all the people on a cruise ship).

7) My favorite number is 7 and my favorite square is 49. :)

8) The first thing I ever remember reading by myself is Green Eggs and Ham. 

9) David Cook is my favorite singer and I've been to see him in concert three times. The most recent was Valentine's Day and I'm already looking forward to seeing him again in the future. 

10) I auditioned for American Idol once, just to say I had. I didn't make it past the first round, but the experience was great. 

Nominations

1) Emma from Lions and Tigers and Books Oh My

2) Saloni from My Fantabulous Bookshelf  

3) Cindy from The Book Feels  

4) Anne from Anne Books 

5) Cecilie from Little Miss Cucie and Her Readings 

I think you're supposed to nominate 15 people, but I couldn't think of anyone else who hasn't already been nominated. So I'm sticking with five. Deal with it. :)

I guess that's it for now! Thanks again to Britt and Amanda for nominating me!

Tuesday Talks | Disabling Comments on BookTube

Tuesday Talks is a weekly discussion created and hosted by Janie and Janelle. You can find the goodreads group here and start participating in the discussions. There's a new bookish topic each week and it's always fun to discuss them together.

Disabling Comments on BookTube

Personally I don't understand why anyone (particularly a booktuber) would want to disable comments. The best thing about talking about books is being able to get a response. I like interacting with my booktube friends through comments. Personally I would never disable comments on my videos. 

Do I think it's wrong to disable comments? Not wrong, per-se. I guess it depends on the person. Would I watch videos knowing I couldn't comment on them? Maybe a few, but if another booktuber didn't allow comments on any of their videos I would be less likely to continue watching their videos. It comes back to liking interaction. I want to tell people what I think about the books they are talking about. 

Sure we don't like the same books and some people might comment on our videos and tell us how much they hate our favorite books. So what. It's not going to dampen my enjoyment any. If I like a book I like a book. And just because we don't agree on what the best books are doesn't mean we have to be rude about it. We can state our opinions without being rude. We don't all have the same likes and dislikes. 

So do I think that comments should be disabled? No, I don't. The best thing about being a part of the online community is being involved with that community. Interaction is key and what better way to interact than through comments on yours or others videos? I love knowing what people think! 

So what do you think? Is it ok to disable your comments? Do you disable comments? Why would you want to disable comments if you do or have thought about doing so? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Prodigy~Marie Lu | Review

Title: Prodigy (Legend #2)
Author: Marie Lu
Genre: YA Dystopia
Length: 371 Pages (Paperback)
Publication: January 2013
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review

This was my second reading of this novel. I read it for the first time back in 2013 and really enjoyed it then. (I'm still wondering how I was able to wait for Champion, that ending man.)

Prodigy picks up shortly after the events of Legend with June and Day running from Republic soldiers and trying to gain assistance from the rebel group the Patriots. Once they meet up with the Patriots, June and Day are given a very important mission that will change the entire political structure surrounding the Republic. 

I found myself not as into this novel as I was into Legend during my recent re-read of that novel. I'm not sure if it's my mind set at the time of reading or if I just prefer the first novel slightly. I did still really enjoy this novel. Tess was very annoying in this one. I also remember feeling from my first reading of the trilogy (and it hasn't changed this time either) that the characters are far too old for their years. June and Day seem like they are in their twenties and not fifteen. Even Tess, while immature, seems much older than thirteen (thirteen!). 

If the age thing were handled in such a way that it seemed everyone grew up rapidly because of their society, that would be one thing. But I never felt that. Eden, at ten, is portrayed as a child, but these other kids only three to five years older are considered adults. The divide just seems too wide. It just never made sense to me. I think the series would be better if they characters were just a bit older, maybe even only seventeen or eighteen. 

Don't let the rest of my review fool you, I really love this book. I do think it's a bit slow at times and doesn't add as much as it might to the story, but it's a great bridge to the final installment. I also remember loving it the first time around. The characters, for the most part, are great. I even enjoy how both June and Day questions themselves. They both have so many demons in their pasts and this makes them seem more realistic. Day just needs to work on trust and June needs to work on speaking her mind and feelings. 

Overall this is a very fun read. It's the perfect trilogy for someone who loves politically driven dystopias. And the love triangles in this series aren't even that bad. And I hate love triangles. The ending of this novel will shred you apart if you feel anything for the two leads and their struggles with their relationship. Lu's writing is powerful and this ending just pushes that point further.

A Shadow In The Moonlight and Falling Leaves Don't Weep~Joshua Blum | Review

A Shadow In The Moonlight and Falling Leaves Don't Weep are two short stories by Joshua Blum written as companions to his novel The Thirteenth Hour. The first acts as a prequel to the novel and the second as more of an epilogue. You can find information regarding the novel on its goodreads page here.

*I received free copies of these stories in exchange for an honest review*

Review

A Shadow In The Moonlight follows a nameless hunter who accidentally stumbles upon a wizard attempting a spell for invisibility. The spell, however, is intended for only one person and anyone who interferes becomes more shadow than man, unable to abide the sunlight and afraid to interact with people. There is no known cure for the man who becomes a shadow and so the hunter must live in exile. 

We also meet Lavinia, an orphan who has always been neglected and left to endure her a life of loneliness. When she decides to run away the sounds of the forest scare her into running and she falls, sustaining many injuries. Our nameless hunter forces himself, despite his fears, to rescue the injured girl and help restore her to goo health. 

This story was a very enjoyable and quick read. I found the idea of the miscast spell and man becoming shadow very intriguing and I could see it being a very interesting full length novel, given more thought and detail. It was definitely intriguing. And the wizard was a funny addition. Although he made very few appearances in the story, he was very entertaining. The hunter and Lavinia were also interesting. Sometimes short stories are hard to connect with because it feels like characters are thrown at you and you have no time to connect. I think Blum did a nice job with these characters and giving you ways to connect with them even without a lot of background or development. 

Falling Leaves Don't Weep is the musings of an aging king as he contemplates his life and the lives of the falling leaves outside his window. This one is much shorter than the first, only a couple thousand words. Again, I felt that the information given allowed a connection to the king that I don't often see in such short works. Perhaps I just need to get more versed in a good short story. This one acts as an epilogue of sorts to the full length novel, or so I understand. 

Blum wanted these to be prequel and epilogue, but to also stand alone. I have not personally read The Thirteenth Hour yet (although I intend to in the future), but found these stories very enjoyable. I believe that Blum hit his mark with these two. I will have to wait until after I read the novel to see how they add to that longer story, but I think they are enjoyable in their own right.  As with any other work there were some typos here and there, but nothing that detracted from my overall enjoyment and the stories kept my attention.

Very fun and fast. A nice break from longer works that talk in circles. Direct and to the point.    

Assassin's Apprentice~Robin Hobb | Review

Title: Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer #1)
Author: Robin Hobb
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 435 Pages (Paperback)
Publication: 1996
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review

This book follows Fitz, the illegitimate son of then king-in-waiting Chivalry. At six Fitz is thrown into the care of Burrich, the stable master, and later becomes apprentice to the king's assassin when the king takes notice of the boy. 

This book started out very slowly. The first few chapters were somewhat hard to get through. The magic, what magic there is, was introduced slowly and hard to distinguish. There is the Wit (which I see as a communication with animals that is not accepted) and the Skill (which is being able to communicate with other humans and manipulate their thoughts). Very little of either was actually discussed in the novel. After getting past the first three or four chapters, the novel started to pick up. 

The novel reads more like a Victorian era novel (think Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and those types) than it does a modern fantasy. Fitz is recalling his story for us the readers, telling us about his younger days. The narrative style was not something I particularly enjoyed for a fantasy novel, but it kept my interest. I enjoy the Victorian style novels, I've just never experience a fantasy written quite in that manner. 

While reading this novel I was constantly going back and forth between ratings. At some points I was almost sure I would rate it three stars, at others four. What finally pushed me over the edge and into the four star rating was the last forty to fifty pages. I could not put the book down at this point. 

There are many characters introduced throughout the novel and I found that I enjoyed almost all of them for varying reasons. I do think the novel would be more enjoyable with a slightly different focus. It would be nice to see Fitz working alongside Verity more as apposed to his training with Chade the assassin. And I really enjoyed Burrich. His and Fitz's relationship was an interesting one to see unfold. It was occasionally difficult to see Fitz as he struggled to find a place for himself among those who didn't accept him and those who had loved his father. 

I don't feel there is a lot to say about the story as a whole. We get to see Fitz as he is pushed from person to person, living a lonely existence, unable to find his own place. He constantly struggles, wanting love and receiving little of it. He begins training as an assassin, but we see little of his work in that regard. Overall it was an interesting story with rather intriguing characters. The ending was intense and I rather enjoyed those last few scenes of the novel. I'm not sure I will continue with the trilogy. If I do it won't be for a while. This one was good overall, but left me with no real urge to seek out the remaining two installments. 

If you enjoy fantasy or Victorian style literature this might be a book you would enjoy. It was a fun, somewhat quick read and I'm glad I read it.    

Tuesday Talks | Viewer Discretion

Tuesday Talks is a weekly discussion hosted by Janie and Janelle. You can find the goodreads group here if you are interested in participating! It's always fun to discuss bookish topics with other readers. 

Viewer Discretion On Books

This is an interesting topic that has required me to do some rather deep thinking. Should there be viewer discretion labels on books? Well, I have varied opinions as far as this is concerned. So let's discuss some of those ideas.

I don't particularly feel that an outright label on a book would be necessary. Video games, movies, and other forms of media are often labeled for "appropriate" audiences and restricted to purchase by certain age groups. While I think this can be beneficial in some regards, I don't feel it would be necessary in books. I understand that labels and restrictions are generally in place for a reason, but not all people are the same. Some people are at different reading levels and may not need the restrictions that a similarly aged person would. 

That said, I do believe that content warnings are a good thing. With how much we as readers use the internet for our book research before purchasing or reading a book, I don't think this would necessarily need to be included on the packaging in a bookstore. I've read/watched many reviews and visited many author websites where they included reader warnings that I found helpful. I've included the same thing in my reviews as well. It's not that the reviewer or author should downplay the work, but letting people know some of the content may be helpful. You can't always get the information you need from the synopsis alone. 

So let me clarify some of my thoughts already mentioned. I think it would be great to include content warnings/ratings online more than on the physical book, somewhere that is easily found. I've seen some comments from authors recently who are bashing reviewers for including these types of warnings in reviews (not many authors, but a few) saying that if you didn't mind it you shouldn't tell others about it. I think that is ridiculous, however. I know what many of my friends will and will not like. They generally know the same about me. I think mentioning things such as language, sex, violence, drug/drinking, any many other things can be beneficial to readers. So if it's in a review, on the authors website, stamped on the book, wherever, I've often found this helpful. It helps us know if we might enjoy the book. There is nothing stopping me from buying a book with a content label. I make the choice. It also helps to keep in mind the intended audience for the book in question. This goes for those thinking about reading and those giving the discretion labels. 

In general I think it's better to mention something than to leave it out entirely. No reader wants to know exactly what happens in the books they are reading, but we also like knowing that it's likely to be something we will enjoy. Just a brief mention of some of the things that may appear in the novel can help me decide if it's something I definitely want to read or something I want to avoid. I won't discourage others from reading reading novels with content I don't like, but I will let them know in advance so they can decide for themselves if it's something they want to read. 

So what do you think about viewer discretion on books? Should there be content warnings and labels? Do you like seeing things like this in reviews? Share your thoughts in the comments. (And ignore this post if it seems particularly incoherent.)

When The Real Thing Comes Along~Faith Simone | Review

Title: When The Real Thing Comes Along
Author: Faith Simone
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Length: 356 Pages
Publication: February 2015
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Review

This novel follows Jacelynn as her life is turned upside down when her past and her present collide. She no longer knows what her future will be. Everything she thought she left in her past is now part of her life again, threatening to drag her under. 

This novel had a strong link with religion and faith and I thought that was a great element. Jacelynn, Kim, Jason, Taylor and all of their friends are on different spiritual journeys trying to get back on the path that leads them home. Each of them has faced difficult decisions and situations. Each of them is still fighting. But they all try to rely on their faith to make them whole. 

Jacelynn tries to put her past behind her, starting over with Jason years after Taylor broke her heart. But when Taylor shows back up, professing that he has now been saved, things become complicated once more. The parts of her that Jacelynn thought were healed are still broken, in desperate need of repair. 

The narrative style of this novel was very well done and nice to read. A majority of it is told in third person, following Jacelynn. On occasion we switch to Taylor or Jason, hearing their thoughts. In some portions we get first person thoughts from Jacelynn, similar to journal entries. The style is really nice and the author moves between the different perspectives seamlessly. 

There are many life struggles dealt with in this novel, but that does not dampen the enjoyment of the read. Teen pregnancy and abortion are handled in a realistic way. This is not the main focus of the story, but it definitely changes the perspectives for the reading. Jacelynn also deals with many feelings that are easy to relate to: inadequacy, uncertainty, struggles in faith. 

The only downside with this novel for me was the length and some minor tweaks that could be made here and there. I think this could easily be shortened, cutting out some of the slightly repetitive insecurities that plague Jacelynn. And, while overall well written, there are some edits that could be made throughout to improve the quality of the writing. 

I think this novel would definitely appeal to people who enjoy clean, faith infused romance. It's an enjoyable story with likable characters with realistic struggles.