Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Almost Put Down

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

So I've said this before, I have a very hard time DNFing a book. I like to give books the benefit of the doubt that it will get better. Sometimes this comes back to bit me in the butt and the book doesn't get any better and sometimes it ends up working in my favor and I end up enjoying it. But what I don't have a hard time doing is wanting to stop reading them. Many a book I consider putting down. It's one of the reasons I always read multiple books. So this question wasn't all that hard for me. The hardest part was narrowing it down to ten, so I broke it up into two categories.

Books That Ended Up Getting Good 

1.) Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates 
This is kind of cheating because I did put this one down. But I picked it up after a long absence only to realize that it was just about to get interesting. A huge dramatic thing was about to happen and the book left me intrigued and emotionally wrecked afterwards! I was glad I went back to it but it ruined me for DNFing books for a long time.

 2.) The Sherlockian by Graham Moore 
I read this book at a time where I was reading too much Historical Mystery and I was feeling a little burned out to the genre. But I powered through and ended up really enjoying the twist and it was very well researched. This book was another example of how it got good immediately after I almost put it down.

 3.) The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas
Another example of feeling burned out from a specific genre. I read this back in January for my High Fantasy month and that was a bit too overwhelming. I put it down, read a few other books, went back to it and it ended up having a really exciting ending!

 4.) Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
When I started this one I wasn't sure about the characters. The protagonist was not at all likable and it made the start of the book a little frustrating but as it went on I started empathizing with her and understanding her motivations more. The ending was very satisfying and I was glad I stuck it out.

 5.) Stardust by Neil Gaiman 
So hear me out... This was my first Gaiman. Everyone was raving about how fantastic he was as an author so I had high expectation. I had also just finished the A Song of Ice and Fire series and read the first two Grisha trilogy books, so it wasn't a fair fight. But the ending was enjoyable and I'm glad I didn't give up.

 Books That Didn't Get Better 

6.) Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton
I blame myself for this one. I knew it was an incomplete book but I still read it and expected Jurassic Park standards from Crichton. This book was posted posthumously and was incomplete and believe me it felt that way. It had all the world-building but no plot or character development. I should have known better!

 7.) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
I really didn't like this book. It just felt unoriginal with unlikable characters and a storyline that could have been fantastic but fell extremely flat. It had some serious first book syndrome and some even more serious insta-love. It was an adult book that felt like a really poorly done YA.

 8.) The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne 
I have always been really interested in old houses and their secrets. I also love Gothic literature and this book seemed to fit both categories. But it just wasn't all that interesting. I should have stopped reading it but I didn't. I mostly felt compelled to read it because I bought it at the actual house the book is based on.

 9.) Three Princes by Ramon Wheeler 
I should have remembered that I don't like alternate histories and passed on this book. But even worse than that this book was pretty much all about world-building and there was almost no plot. But it was my first ARC and I really didn't want to DNF!

 10.) Mr Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange 
This was one if the first books I reviewed for this blog. It was at a time where supernatural retellings of classic novels and vampires were all the rage. But in the case of this one it was just too much dramatic irony and made one of my favorite characters in literature, Lizzie Bennett, unlikable.

What books did you want to put down but didn't? Have you read any of these books and did you want to put them down too? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Title: We Were Liars Author: E. Lockhart Published: May 13, 2014 by Delacorte Press (Random House) Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; A passionate, political boy. A group of four friends - The Liars- whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth. We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from Nation Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. Read it. And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

*** I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review. My opinion has not been changed by this fact ***

Everyone who has read this book says the same thing, go in blind. Don't read the synopsis, don't read reviews, just read the book. I did my best to do just that and I absolutely agree with this statement. This is the kind of book that is made better by lack of knowledge. So therefore I would advise you that if you haven't read We Were Liars stop reading this and start reading that! Suffice to say, it's fantastic!

The book on the whole was incredibly well-written. Like all good Contemporary novels it balanced the deeper moments with the light-hearted and romantic. This one however hovered more around the dramatic. The writing style was poetic and deep and it really set the scene of a wealthy family living their summers on a private island. Like the island itself the book felt part gorgeous and part mysterious. The tone of the book gave a sense of uneasy confusion that kept me intrigued from beginning to end. In the interest of trying not to reveal too much about this book I will only mention two of my favorite things, the characters and the mystery.

First is the characters. We Were Liars is full of interesting and complex characters. First we have our narrator and main protagonist Cadence or Cady. Cady is a unreliable narrator in the vein of Holden Caulfield. When we are first introduced to her we find out that she had an accident that messed with her memories and throughout the rest of the story she is trying to remember what happened to her. She is an interesting character who is easy to sympathize with, you want to help her figure out the truth and come along for the ride. But Cady is quick to introduce us to her complicated family, the rich and perfect Sinclair family, but we learn pretty quickly that their perfection is merely an act. There's no real villain in this story and instead there is a bunch of people keeping secrets and trying to act like they are better than everyone around them. Cady's only real friends and confidants are her cousins and her love interest Gat, the Liars. They were good friends and helped Cady deal with the rough patches. All of the characters were interesting and complex. They all seemed to be hiding something, the truth.

But that hidden truth was the major part of the book after all. The book was full of mystery and intrigue. Add an unreliable narrator to a world full of secrets and that kind of thing is bound to happen. This was the kind of book that had me curious and intrigued throughout the entire novel. It had me asking so many questions and at one point I had the incredible urge to skip ahead to the ending to find out what happens. Then about a third of the way through the book I figured out the big mystery, but that didn't mean that the story felt predictable or uninteresting (come back Wednesday for a discussion post about this topic). In fact it had me instead searching for clues to prove my theory correct, and those clues where there for the taking.

And when everything was all said and done I was still emotionally effected by the ending. In fact I was surprised by how affected I was. I'm a crier to begin with and while I did shed a few tears it was a deeper sort of effect, I felt the emotion deep in my soul and when the book was over I couldn't feel feelings anymore and I mean that in the best possible way.

I give We Were Liars by E. Lockhart a 9.5 out of 10

Between the beautiful writing, complex characters, and heart-breaking mystery I loved this book. With an unreliable narrator and a mystery that was intriguing and solvable I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries, thrillers, and contemporary novels.

Cover Reveal: Her Secret Inheritance by Jen McConnel

What would you risk for a second chance?

Five years after the trip to Scotland that changed her life, Lou is back in the misty, magical country. But this time, she’s not on vacation.

When Brian, her old Highland fling, turns up at the scene of some depressing family business, tension mounts between the former lovers. But dealing with Brian is only part of the problem; something wicked is stirring in Scotland. Lou must use all her strength to handle the increasingly desperate situation, but will she be strong enough to battle both a vengeful ghost and her heart? 

Lou may have thought that she was finished with the witch Isobel Key, but some secrets can't stay buried forever. Coming June 12, 2014, HER SECRET INHERITANCE is a story of risk, second chances, and magic.

Visit Bloomsbury Spark for more information.

Want to find out where it all began? Check out THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY now!

Learn More Bloomsbury | Website| Goodreads | Bloomsbury Spark | Purchase Amazon | B&N | Google | iTunes | Kobo | Audible |  

About Jen McConnel Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she also holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time. Her debut NA novel, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY, is out now from Bloomsbury Spark, and the sequel is coming in June. She also writes YA and nonfiction. Visit http://www.jenmcconnel.com to learn more.

Connect With Jen

| Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook | Blog | Website |

To celebrate the cover reveal, Jen's got three fabulous giveaway prize packs up for grabs. US only, please. Each prize pack includes an eARC of HER SECRET INHERITANCE, and you might also win the "Naughty Celt" candle, graciously donated by BookScents Candles. Check out the other awesome book-inspired candles from BookScents: Etsy Store: www.bookscentscandles.com Twitter: twitter.com/NalanaLillie Blog: wherethestoryistold.wordpress.com/






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Feature and Follow Friday #26

A weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read & Parajunkee's View 

 How it Works: 
The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you visit the blogs of our illustrious hosts and leave your name on the post using using the linky tools, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

This Week's Question:

Which living author(s) would you like to have dinner with?

This Week's Answer:

Well beyond J.K. Rowling? I would definitely say George R.R. Martin. I'm obsessed with the A Song of Ice and Fire series so I would love to have dinner with GRRM to pick his brain about Westeros and tell him all my elaborate theories as to what I think everything means and what is going to happen. Then if he doesn't tell me I will guilt him into getting on with the writing because we need The Winds of Winter ASAP!

Also I would love to have dinner with Rainbow Rowell because I think we would have lots of fun and I want her to be my BFF! 

Who would you want to have dinner with? Leave me a comment with your thoughts.

And remember this is a blog hop so take a look around and if you like what you see give me a follow and leave me a comment so I can follow back. I am indifferent to the manner in which you follow so pick your poison: GFC, Bloglovin, or Twitter. Although I have been so close to 100 GFC followers for a few weeks so it would be amazing if you get me over that hump! Thanks for dropping by, Happy FF and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Sekret by Lindsay Smith

Title: Sekret Series: Sekret #1 Author: Lindsay Smith Published: April 2014 by Macmillan Amazon Goodreads Synopsis:An empty mind is a safe mind. Yulia's father always taught her to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive the harsh realities of Soviet Russia. But when she's captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she's thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power. Yulia quickly realizes she can trust no one--not her KGB superiors or the other operatives vying for her attention--and must rely on her own wits and skills to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.

This book was one of my top three most anticipated books of the spring. I did a Waiting on Wednesday post back in March explaining exactly why I was so excited to read a Historical Fantasy/Mystery set in Soviet Russia during the 1960s and how everything in this book is what that I love reading. So I got my hands on a copy awhile back but because of my themed months on the blog I had yet to read it. Then Violet from Paper Worlds and Swirls of Ink suggested we read the book together and I jumped at the opportunity. The book not only met but exceeded my expectations.

One of the best parts of this book for me was the world and historical setting. As Historical Fiction, the book takes actual events such as the space race and the Bay of Pigs invasion with figures of the time like Khrushchev to give the book a realistic significance. And like all good books in the genre it is well-researched and interesting. But what Lindsay did beautifully is take a period of history and a setting that is already interesting, and full of suspicion and conflict, and made it even more interesting by expounding on a speculative idea from the time, that they were experimenting with people who had psychic powers. The inclusion of the world of the teen psychics made the book much more complex and intriguing. Each of the characters in the books had their own unique power. The powers ranged from being able to read people's minds, see the future, and the ability to erase memories. Many of them were very cool powers including our main character Yulia's who could see the memories by touch. It reminded me a little bit of The Darkest Minds. I loved the world that Lindsay Smith created in Sekret.

But what hooked me on the book more than the world was the plot. This book was an absolute page-turner. It's been awhile since I read a spy thriller and that's exactly what this book felt like. The characters went on these exciting missions to find out important intel to help the KGB. The very first chapter is loaded with action and it doesn't slow down from there. There is never a dull moment as the book is full of thrills and mystery. I spent most of the book developing elaborate theories about what was happening and what was going to happen next. And while I was correct on a bunch of the big twists the book still managed to keep my interest and shocked me more than once. It was the kind of book that I would have liked to read in one sitting, if only life didn't get in the way!

And what also made the book even more interesting and thrilling was the characters. Like all good spy thrillers Sekret is full of suspicious people who make you wonder if they are good or evil. They're the kind of characters that make you question if they are doing the right thing for the wrong reasons or the wrong thing for the right reasons. Throughout the novel your opinion of many characters shifts and changes as you realize their motivations and view their actions in a different light. But even better than that, there is a sinister villain in this story that is totally intriguing and they perform more than one dastardly deed. In addition to the detestable characters there are also really likeable characters. Yulia is a great heroine, she's strong and sassy but is also motivated by a deeper goal of protecting her family. And there is a wonderful and swoonworthy romance in this book. I wouldn't quite call it a triangle but Yulia has two options for a relationship and they mirror her choices of staying in the KGB or leaving the psychic program. There are some really sweet and romantic moments that offset the hectic action of the plot.

 I give Sekret by Lindsay Smith a 9.5 out of 10 

It was a fantastic and action-packed book with a unique and exiting world that combined a historical setting with supernatural elements. The characters were complex and interesting, the plot was full of mystery and suspense, and there was a swoonworthy romance to balance it brilliantly. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Historical Fiction, Supernatural Fantasy, and especially people who like spy thrillers.

ARC Review: The Unwitting by Ellen Feldman

Title: The Unwitting Author: Ellen Feldman Published: May 6, 2014 by Random House Amazon Goodreads In CIA parlance, those who knew were “witting.” Everyone else was among the “unwitting.” On a bright November day in 1963, President Kennedy is shot. That same day, Nell Benjamin receives a phone call with news about her husband, the influential young editor of a literary magazine. As the nation mourns its public loss, Nell has her private grief to reckon with, as well as a revelation about Charlie that turns her understanding of her marriage on its head, along with the world she thought she knew. With the Cold War looming ominously over the lives of American citizens in a battle of the Free World against the Communist powers, the blurry lines between what is true, what is good, and what is right tangle with issues of loyalty and love. As the truths Nell discovers about her beloved husband upend the narrative of her life, she must question her own allegiance: to her career as a journalist, to her country, but most of all to the people she loves. Set in the literary Manhattan of the 1950s, at a journal much like the Paris Review, The Unwitting evokes a bygone era of burgeoning sexual awareness and intrigue and an exuberance of ideas that had the power to change the world. Resonant, illuminating, and utterly absorbing,The Unwitting is about the lies we tell, the secrets we keep, and the power of love in the face of both.

***I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. This has not affected my opinion of the book***

The Unwitting was such a unique and interesting read. The Unwitting is the story of Nell who is a writer married to the editor of a prestigious magazine living in Cold War America, a turbulent time in the world. The book begins in 1963 when Nell's world is torn apart, then we rewind to 1948 and follow her complicated marriage during a complicated time in history. 

First and foremost this book is Historical Fiction. It immerses the reader in the world of America in the 1950's and 60's but not only that, it places you in the world of publishing during the Cold War era. Yes it's modernization and glamorous parties but it's also fighting an ideological war and having to cater to publishers and funding sources that were just as motivated to fight communism at home as the US government was. For idealistic individuals like our characters it was like walking a tight rope between presenting the truth and crafting an acceptable message. The book did an excellent job of portraying this world by bringing in actual events and occurrences including McCarthyism, the assassination of JFK, and numerous other world events from the time. It was well researched and for someone like me who is very intrigued by this period in history it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. 

The book also created a host of interesting and intriguing characters that fit the tone and feeling of uncertainty of the time. Everyone of them was full of secrets and torn between their own personally ideologies and those that they are presenting to others. They were complex, odious, and full of surprises. Many of them walked a fine line of morality which made them so compelling to read about. I was definitely a fan of Nell, the narrator and protagonist of the story. She was smart, sassy, and stuck to her guns. She was one of the few people in this book that had a strong moral compass and ideology. She wanted to use her writing to present the truth to the readers and I respected her for that. But her idealism also leads to naiveté and an inability to see what is really going on. Very quickly you learn that she is an unreliable narrator who didn't see the truth about her husband and her marriage. This fact leads to a whole different tone in the story. 

But the best part was the mystery. The unreliable narrator and turbulent time in history lended itself very well to a book with an ominous tone of questioning everything and everyone that kept me reading till the very end. We learn from the synopsis and the first chapter that our main character didn't know the truth about her husband and that the secrets he kept tore her apart. Throughout most of the book as the reader I spent most of my time trying to solve the mystery and hunt for clues for his secret. If you are familiar with this time period then it won't come as much of a surprise but that doesn't mean that it's not enjoyable to look for validation of your theories (I'm planning a discussion post about this topic). But there is more surprises then just the main mystery. When I thought that I had figured it all out the book shocked me even more. The ending was incredibly satisfying and the book was thoroughly enjoyable. 

I give The Unwitting by Ellen Feldman an 8 out of 10 

I would recommend The Unwitting to fans of Historical Fiction especially those who like books that take place during the Cold War, readers who enjoy Mysteries, and people who like unreliable narrators. Have you read The Unwitting? What did you think? If you haven't read it, check it out!

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers to Frame as Art

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

1.) These Broken Stars by Aime Kaufman and Meagan Spooner - is there anyone who isn't absolutely in love with this cover? The background, those colors, that dress. Totally gorgeous. When I saw that this was the question, this was the first cover that came to mind.

2.) The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen- I've said it before and I'll say it again I'm a sucker for a girl in a pretty dress cover.  The cover for The Luxe caught my eye across the bookstore years ago and I picked it and loved it. Throughout the series the dresses on the cover get progressively better just as the series does! My personal favorite is Splendor because it's purple.

3.) Across the Universe by Beth Revis - Another gorgeous cover with stars in the background and the colors are fantastic! I also love the disembodied kissing faces which from afar look like a canyon, or something other than faces. I got a hardcover of this book from thriftbooks.com which is awesome and cheap but it didn't come with the dust jacket. I was pissed! That is the best part of this book!

4.) NIL by Lynne Matson - I love a good beach scene. Much of my actual art is beach scenes. On top of the gorgeous tropical scene there is an ominousness about this cover. The colors are bright and monochromatic, the water in the foreground looks like it's moving, and tagline on the cover is amazing! It's absolutely love it and I love this book as well.


5.) Miss Peregrine's School for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - The photograph that is used on the cover of this book is totally gorgeous, totally creepy, and I totally dig it! I would definitely frame it and hang it on my wall, but not in a pace where I can see it at night, that'd be too creepy!

6.) The Magicians - This is another fantastic series with fantastic covers. I love the simplicity of the first cover. The spooky looking tree with the dingy looking landscape. I find the contrast of the brightness of the green and the grey background so gorgeous!

7.) The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova - I mean this is kind of cheating because the cover is based on an actual painting but it's still gorgeous and ominous. I would put this painting on my wall and so I would also put this book cover.

8.) Out of Oz - I have always had an unexplained attraction to this book cover. First of all I love the teal, second I love the vines crawling up the statues, but under that beautiful dust jacket is an even more gorgeous illustration that looks like a woodcut. It is the most beautifully undressed book I have ever seen! Check it out undressed HERE

9.) No Place to Fall by Jayne Robin Brown - I recently saw the cover for this book which is to be released later this year and totally fell in love. I mean we all know I love maps. I've said many times that I would love to wallpaper my apartment with maps. Obviously I had to pick a book for this question.

10.) Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce - the colorful and interesting illustration of this book is totally gorgeous! Can we talk about how there are two images going on here, the wolf and the image of the two girls? Can we talk about how long it took me to realize that?

What books would you frame as art to hang on your walls? Leave me a comment with your favorite book covers. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!