Follow my blog Friday!

Hey guys! I've decided to do the Follow Friday Blog hop hosted by Parajunkee's View. Click on the picture above to get a list of all the blogs participating!

2011 Reading Challenges anyone?

Ever since I started blogging mid-year this year, I've been intrigued by these "Reading Challenges". So much so that I made my own. I like the cool buttons that you can post on your page and sometimes I actually want to choose a challenge based on the button [don't judge!! I bet you do it too haha!].

So where are the 2011 challenges? I would make my own but, if you clicked on the Library Crawl button, you will see that that one didn't come out so hot.

1. Do you guys have any suggestions for cool 2011 challenges?

2. How can I make a cool looking button with graphics that I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for?

Book Review: The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau

The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau
Random House, 2006

Library: Brooklyn Heights Branch
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Apocalyptic fiction

This is the third book in the Books of Ember series. It is a prequel that follows the life of a young girl, Nickie, and her aunt, Crystal, as they try to sell their great grandfather's old house in Yonwood, North Carolina. Nickie's father is working on a secret government project and her mom is working in Philadelphia. In Yonwood, the Prophet has taken to her bed and all the things she rambles about from her vision is being interpretted by a retired minister named Brenda Besson.

In a rare turn of events, I read this entire book even though I couldn't stand it. I normally will put a book down if it's hideous but I did feel as though it was important to read this one before I finish the series. I couldn't have been more wrong! Although there is an extremely solid beginning with the so called Prophet of Yonwood having a vision of a nuclear disaster, it falls flat after that.

It not only keeps the story of Ember stagnant, but it doesn't give solid answers as to what The Disaster was. Obviously there was a nuclear war, there was obviously a city built underground but all that information was sort of haphazardly mentioned in the final pages. DuPrau doesn't write this one well enough for you to care about anyone but the Dog. I'm also not sure what her stance on God is after reading parts of this novel.

I absolutely hated this book. It could've gone in so many different directions that it did not go in. Only read if you're reading the entire series and want some "back story".

Book Blogger Hop: November 19 - 22, 2010

What's up everyone! I hope you're all having fun participating in the Gratitude Giveaway Hop! Don't forget to enter my giveaway!!

So, I recently discovered the blog "Crazy For Books" and I am absolutely obsessed with it. From the design, to the reviews, to the cool buttons and colors...it's like the blog I've always wanted to make! Each week, this blog hosts a book blog hop! I've entered mine to get some more traffic to my site as well as connect with other book bloggers! There is also a question we have to answer in our blog post. This week's question is:

"Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"

My answer is:
I am most thankful for family & and good friends! As a performer, I feel as though I'm always holding an image for people who are just meeting me & who might be possible connections for my future. I love letting my hair down with people who know me, my humor and my attitude the best!! I am also thankful for blogs! I know that sounds cheesy but I've got a lot of things to say! This book blog has definitely brought back my passion for books and I am so glad for it.

Traditionally, my family and I make a huge amount of food for Thanksgiving. Sometimes, my Dad & my younger brother brave the insanity of Black Friday the next day while my mom and I start putting up Christmas decorations!

Thanks everyone for stopping by. Be sure to check out all the other blogs on the blog hop!

Book Review: The Worst Witch at School by Jill Murphy

The Worst Witch &
The Worst Witch Strikes Again by Jill Murphy
Candlewick Press, 1981

Library: Central Branch (BPL)
Genre: Fantasy, Youth Fiction

In the first two books of the Worst Witch series, we meet Mildred Hubble the imperfect little witch who can't seem to get anything right! In her first year of school at Miss Cackle's academy, Mildred must learn how to ride a broom, train her cat and get various spells and potions under her belt. This book included both stories which had similar story lines: Mildred messes something up, sometimes it's her fault, sometimes it's someone else's fault and she gets very close to expulsion from Miss Cackle's Academy.

After the past couple of weeks I've had watching Donnie Darko, reading the first couple books in the Alex Cross series and other spooky things...I needed something lighthearted to read through. I didn't realize that The Worst Witch was originally a book! I am familiar with the television show from back in the days with Tim Curry singing that amazing "Anything can happen on Halloween" song. I enjoyed reading the differences between the story and the show! There is definitely a much bigger deal made of the Grand Wizard in the film. I don't think it would've worked for the book, so I wasn't disappointed. I enjoyed the subtle humor Murphy uses and how clear the writing is.

It was a very cute and easy read that I would have devoured as a young reader! I wish I got a chance to read this series then!

Gratitude Giveaways!

YAY!! My first giveaway.

So excited to part of this huge super cool giveaway hosted by Kathy Habel at http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/ . I am obviously new to this whole book blogging thing and would love some new followers!

Now let's get to the giveaway part. I've got a whoooooole bunch of slightly used books to give away so here are 3 books for 3 winners:

Giveaway #1:
A bad man is easy to find by M.J Verlaine

Giveaway #2:
He blew her a kiss by Angie Pechak Printup and Kelley Stewart

Giveaway #3:
Before and After by Rosellen Brown

Three completely different books to match my "I'll read anything" outlook on life :)

How to enter-
I'd like to make this as simple as possible so here goes:
1. You must follow my blog for your entry to be valid
2. Post a comment with your email!

That's it! Of course there are multi-entry opportunities:

• Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/LazyGirlReads) +2
• Friend me on Goodreads: LazyGirl +2
• Bonus round! Comment on any one of my previous blog entries for a whopping +5
  

That's right folks, you have the option of having +10 points!! Just make sure you link all of this info in your comment!

Thanks for stopping by and good luck to you all! Oh and hey, check out all the other amazing blogs on the list!

Happy Reading,

Book Trailer- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

I've already read this one and this trailer does the book absolutely no justice whatsoever, but I do love to promote book trailers whenever I can!

Book Review: The Letter by Richard Paul Evans

Library: Clinton Hill Branch [BPL]
Genre: Inspirational Fiction

A wealthy businessman, David Parkin, living in the the middle of the Great Depression (1933) travels to find his mother who abandoned him when he was a child. Along the way he discovers many things about himself, his mother and the way he loves.

I don't remember taking this book out at all. I think I was searching through some books I'd like to have put on hold for me while on BPL's website. I'm one of those people who take out way too many books at the library and end up with fines and a lot of of unread books. I digress however. When I started reading this book, it was while I was reading the fast paced Patterson thrillers and some YA Fiction books. So the eloquent and descriptive language was a shock to my brain for a second. But only a second. I loved that he could paint beautiful pictures:

"...a rare winter rain had commenced, and the encroaching clouds has blackened out the moon's reflection and wet landscape"

As well as not so beautiful pictures:

"Holes were broken through the lath and plaster walls, and the tobacco-stained floor was littered with whiskey bottles and food cans, infested with cockroaches"

Evans' storytelling is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful. I love the way he shapes story lines and provides exposition without getting all exposition-y [totally a word]. This book was no exception from the previous ones in the Christmas Box series. Highly recommended, although I'll need to read a few lighthearted comedies after this one!

Book Trailer: HATE LIST by Jennifer Brown

Appears to be a good book. Will definitely add this to my "to-read" list!

Book Review: The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau

Library: Clinton Hill Branch
Genre: YA Fiction, Sci-fi/Dystopia

In this sequel to The City of Ember, Lina and Doon have led 400 of Ember's inhabitants to a new above ground city called Sparks. The town leaders reluctantly agree to give them food and shelter for 6 months. After that, the Emberites have to venture out to the surrounding lands.

I didn't want to give too much away just in case you haven't read The City of Ember. I was sort of interested in where the story would go in this new world for the people of Ember so I slowly started reading this novel. It was so much more exciting and quicker than CoE that I finished it fairly quickly.

Duprau did such a great job of making you care about the characters. I enjoyed meeting Maddy the mysterious female roamer and hope that she plays a major part in the future stories. I also liked the positive messages that are hidden throughout the story!! If I taught an English class, I'd totally have them all read this book.

I enjoyed The People of Sparks so much and will definitely read the final two of the series!

12 1/2 is half of 25!

Whoa folks! Could it be that I am HALFWAY THROUGH my self-made book challenge?!

I did the math, and 12 1/2 is halfway to 25. So there you have it.

I know many of you would scoff at only 12 books being read over the course of almost 3 months but lemme tell ya...that's pretty darn good for me!! I hope this propels me forward for a book-filled 2011!

Happy Reading,

Book Review: Kiss the Girls by James Patterson

Library: Clinton Hill Branch [BPL]
Genre: Suspense thriller

Did I just read two James Patterson books in one week? Yeah, I think I did.

Still reeling from the events in Along Came a Spider, Alex Cross faces another psycho...or two. A maniac is kidnapping young women of extraordinary beauty in the South. It hits close to home because Cross' niece is missing. He immediately delves into the case whether he was invited to do so or not.

I got this book from the Clinton Hill Branch because it was the only one that had it. It was also a large print edition, so when I read it on the train, I felt like people thought I was legally blind or reading a large children's book. If they glanced at any of it though, they would have at least known that this book is far from Rated G. What can I say about it? I couldn't put it down! I read it in a matter of days. As a young woman living on my own, I was horrified by it, blown away, intrigued. I imagined what I would do if I were in the impossible situations these women would find themselves in. I was totally lost in it. Please do yourself a favor and freak yourself out with this book!

Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

Library: Central Branch (BPL)
Genre: Crime thriller

I normally like to give a short summary but there are so many plot points. So, to make sure I don't gave anything away, a boy and a girl are kidnapped from school one day. But they aren't just any young girl and boy. Maggie Rose is a movie star's child and Michael Goldberg, the Secretary of State's child.

Wow. I just finished this book and I gotta say, it's a pretty solid beginning to the multi-book series. I was wondering how an author can make so many books about one guy but now I see why! That being said, there were a few parts that I could've done without. Some of the chapters were slow moving or gave too much information that wasn't necessary. I guess I also wasn't ready for the romance part of the novel but, genius that he is, Patterson helped me get lost in it!

The first in the Cross series, Along Came a Spider is a thrilling novel with surprising twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages!