Follow Friday!

Lah says: Happy Friday everyone! Hope you had a great week. I love it when people follow my blog and comment. So I'm going to participate in these memes so I can do the same for you :) Take a look around, you might see something you like!

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books!

“What keeps you reading beyond the first few pages of a book, and what makes you want to stop reading a book and put it back on the shelf?“

Well, I love this question first of all because I never think about it. I can easily tell you what makes me put a book down. But the opposite is tough.

OK...I love getting into the action extremely quickly. I don't want too much exposition right away when I don't care to know how hot the sun is or how blue this dude's eyes are. Let me know what's happening and THEN let's backtrack!

Thanks for stopping by!

Library Thursday Blog Hop

<a href="http://lazygirlreads.blogspot.com/search/label/library%20thursday"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OMUWkSff7nQ/TR_kR-1QCMI/AAAAAAAAATU/xHxlMwj55SA/s1600/LibraryThursdayButton.jpg" />

Library Thursday is a weekly blog hop that I've started to:
1. Encourage people to support their libraries when they can

2. Meet new bloggy friends and grow your following

How to participate (UPDATED):

• Create a Library Thursday post with a list, pictures or a vlog of your books. Or feature a cool picture of a library, or spotlight one of your favorite libraries.
• Grab my button if you like it and include it in your post! Make sure to shout the library out that you went to!
• Once you've created your post, link it to the linky at the bottom of my weekly post
• Hop around to the other blogs participating and check out what other people are reading. Be sure to leave them a comment to let them know you were there, this is about making friends as well!

Sorry for the late post!! I'm sick as a DOG! Had to take the day off from work and everything! But even in my sick stupor, I managed to get these awesome reads from the Mid-Manhattan NYPL:


Eve by Iris Johansen: OMG can't wait!
The Overton Window by Glenn Beck: I dunno, it looked cool. We will see!
Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King: I will only read this in the daylight.

I've extended the linky so you can sign up or make a post whenevs!

Just for Fun Challenge: Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss

"You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights."

This June, I wanted to read one of my favorite inspirational books, Oh the Places You'll Go. Around this time of year, you see this book placed prominently on book displays in bookstores and school stores as suggestions for presents to recent grads. It chronicles the things that grads of all ages can do if they put their minds to it.

"Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.
I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you."

My favorite thing about this book is that it doesn't make it seem like life will be easy for this point on. It describes some of the ups and downs that we all face life's path. Oddly (and refreshingly), I can still find inspiration in this story even though I had my last graduation 3 years ago!

Book Review: The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer

Genre: Political Thriller

Hardcover, 449 pages

Borrowed from Mid-Manhattan Branch of NYPL

If this were a movie it would be: PG-13

There are stories no one knows. Hidden stories. I love those stories. And since I work in the National Archives, I find those stories for a living. So says Beecher White, a young archivist who spends his days working with the most important documents of the U.S. government. When Clementine Kaye, his first childhood crush, shows up at the Archives asking for his help tracking down her long-lost father, Beecher tries to impress her by showing her the secret vault where the President of the United States privately reviews classified documents. It is also where Beecher and Clementine accidentally happen upon a priceless artifact- a 200-year-old dictionary that once belonged to George Washington- hidden inside a desk chair. Eager to discover why the President is hiding this important national treasure, the two soon find themselves entangled in a web of deception, conspiracy, and murder that will reveal the most well kept secret of the U.S. Presidency.

"All this time I thought I was fighting men. I’m fighting monsters."

Okay! SO…this book was awesome and here is why: It was fast paced, it read like a movie without seeming like Meltzer was hoping it would turn into a movie and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was a true story.

The characters were all crystal clear in my brain. Meltzer didn’t waste too much time describing each character ‘s looks and personality traits but you still KNOW them pretty well. The MC, Beecher, was kind of annoying in a Shia LaBeouf antihero sort of way, but you learn to love him. On the flip side, I loved the President Orson Wallace and was thinking I’d like to see his grey eyes. Hehe!

I love how you are immediately thrown into the action. With a sort of deceptive opening scene, you know that you won’t know who to trust throughout the story. Which makes it all the more intriguing. Meltzer also effortlessly weaves in American History to make this story very very real! My only teeny tiny complaint is the usage of the phrase “exact same”. Which, as we all know, isn’t proper English. I know I’m not reading high literature or anything but it occurs way too often.

All in all, I give The Inner Circle 3.5 out of 4 stars! Highly recommended for fans of Political Thrillers, mysteries, fast paced novels and books by Brad Meltzer. This was my first Meltzer book and it most certainly won’t be my last!

Ten Good Things on a Monday: Favorite Books Edition

Ten Good Things on a Monday is hosted by my friend Nina @ Brush Up On Your Reading!

Lah says: I've yet to do a Book-themed Good things so I figured why not start today with my favorite books (so far!) Feel free to post some of your favorites in the comment section or link me to your good things!

1. The Giver by Lois Lowry: Deliciously dystopian, could've lasted 300 more pages and I wouldn't have noticed!

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling: This is probably one of my favs in the series. It's like her writing and storytelling went from pretty good to phenomenoal overnight. The flashbacks were probably the most awesome elements and I would speed through the chapters until I got to another one!

3. A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest Gaines: One of the few I read in High School that has stuck with me throughout my life. It was the first time I had read a book that have multiple characters narrate.

4. The Running Man by Richard Bachman: OMG! I read this this year...another amazing dystopian novel that I think was made into a movie with Arnold Schwarzenagger but the book is completely different.

5. The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah: This is what young adults in Brooklyn were reading when I was a young adult. It was the only book in its genre that I will admit to reading.

6. The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket: I read all of these and remember this one being the funniest and most fast paced. I love the entire Series of Unfortunate events!

7. The Killing Game by Iris Johansen: I loved this book so much. Another example of the multiple character narration that I so love. I read it back in the late 90s when I was still in High School! Which says a lot because I was barely reading for pleasure back then!

8. Princess in Love by Meg Cabot: Okay yeah, I read this one this year and it's easily made its way into my favorites.

9. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin: I loved her take on the Afterlife and wish that she could make several other books revolving around other characters.

10. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish: Okay, I had to add in the childhood favorite! I had to have been 6 years old or younger when I read this and thought it was the funniest thing ever!! I might still get a few belly laughs if I flip through this one as an adult haha!

It's Monday! What are you reading?! (6)

I'm trying to finish these two amazing books:

I'm also e-reading this spooktastic deliciousness while I'm at work:

And I hope to start reading this when I'm done:

What are you reading?!

Follow Friday Time!

Lah says: I love it when people follow my blog and comment. So I'm going to participate in these memes so I can do the same for you :) Take a look around, my blog is awesome, everyone loves me! Heheheh!

Hosted by the lovely Jennifer @ Crazy For Books!

“When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?”

What an awesome question. I don't remember there ever being a time that I didn't feel like I just had to be reading. I think I was born with the reading gene. My dad has a million books and would take me to Coliseum Bookstore and Strand on Sundays. I would go to my mom's job (she's a teacher) and read all of the books she had in her classroom library. Then, there were the Dark Ages of my High School years where I read one too many assigned books that I hated, henceforth making me take a serious reading hiatus. We will not speak of that time. Otherwise, reading has always been a passion of mine, rivaled only by music! 

Hosted by Ginger @ GReads

Summer Love: Where is your ideal place to take a summer vacation & get lost in a book?

What?! People DO this?!!! I've been dying to take a vacation by myself and read books the entire time. I imagine going to a sleepy New England town, staying in a Bed & Breakfast and walking along their Main Street. Then I'd go to a park and get lost in a book. Perfect getaway for a NYC girl!

Recently on LazyGirl Reads...

Library Thursday Hop

Pottermore 

WoW: Eve & Quinn

Wednesday Memes

Back to School with Betsy Review

Library Thursday Blog Hop June 23rd edition

<a href="http://lazygirlreads.blogspot.com/search/label/library%20thursday"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OMUWkSff7nQ/TR_kR-1QCMI/AAAAAAAAATU/xHxlMwj55SA/s1600/LibraryThursdayButton.jpg" />

Library Thursday is a weekly blog hop that I've started to:
1. Encourage people to support their libraries when they can

2. Meet new bloggy friends and grow your following

How to participate (UPDATED):

• Create a Library Thursday post with a list, pictures or a vlog of your books. Or feature a cool picture of a library, or spotlight one of your favorite libraries.
• Grab my button if you like it and include it in your post! Make sure to shout the library out that you went to!
• Once you've created your post, link it to the linky at the bottom of my weekly post
• Hop around to the other blogs participating and check out what other people are reading. Be sure to leave them a comment to let them know you were there, this is about making friends as well!

I'm not going to the library until AFTER I post this, but I think I'm going to get:

I've seen stellar reviews for both of these, from bloggers with similar taste as mine, so I'm looking forward to these reads!

How about you guys? Or have you seen any cool Home Libraries lately?!?!

And my 300th post is dedicated to...

Harry Potter!!!

With all the buzz over Pottermore.com and me noticing that this is my 300th post, I've decided to chat a little about my old obsession.

You see, I went a bit overboard with the Harry Potter craze, before it was the normal thing to do.

I went to the Midnight book releases, I saw all the movies (even though I saw Order of Phoenix on my birthday and I hated it, thusly, ruining my birthday haha)...I even made one of my first events as a Resident Assistant in undergrad Harry Potter related (15 college kids doing 90 on the West Side High so we can make it in time to see HP1 in theaters...yeah..overboard). Oh hey JK Rowling and Universal Studios, you wanna build a Wizarding World of Harry Potter? Yeah, I'm on the first flight, see you there. And the list goes on and on...and on.

But once the books were done, I was emotionally and mentally ready to put my obsession to rest.

While I am a staunch believer that HP Books > HP Movies, any new Harry Potter news is good news book related or non. So while I'm disappointed a little in the Pottermore thing being an interactive site similar to the ones that have already been created by fans around the world - I am extremely excited that there will be ebooks and new material from JK Rowling herself. I'm most excited for the audio books . I hear that listening to HP is a different experience entirely. And since my brother is going to college 6 1/2 hours away, I will have a lot of time to listen to the books. 

What do you think of Pottermore? Or list some of the craziest things you've ever done Harry Potter related! I might throw him a party this year.

Waiting on Wednesday: Iris Johansen...!

I might just pass out.

The Eve Duncan series was the first Suspense Thriller series that I reaaaally got into after high school. The were my first sort of "Adult" books that I actually chose to read after being forced to read classics in school. So, I am pleased and eager to read her latest, Eve and highly anticipating Quinn coming out next month..!

Check out Iris Johansen and her AWESOMENESS at her official website.

Wednesday Memes!

...Movies based on Books.

I don't always love them but when they get it right, it's the best thing ever.

One of my favorites, right off the top of my head is The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe. I felt that it was really true to the book and pretty much how I imagined it. The length and pacing were absolutely perfect, the cinematography was supreme and the dialogue wasn't dumbed down.

In the same vein, Voyage of the Dawn Treader was a favorite of mine. I was moved to tears as they underscored the spiritual/inspirational aspects of the series without throwing it in your face.

An awesome meme I found on Julia @ That Hapa Chick's page. I've been so inspired by this book, I'm Spiritual, dammit!, I'm reading that I have to include one of the quotes:

"You are exactly where you need to be at every moment."

I can't tell you how much I need to remind myself of this everyday haha! It's a very cool book that I'm plugging through. Will review it as soon as I'm done :)