Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Book Related Problems I Have

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Ten Book Related Problems I Have, top 10, top 10 tuesday, top ten, top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They come up with top ten lists that people can blog about every week.

I got a little carried away again… I guess I have a lot of bookish problems.

1. So many books so little money

“That skirt is $15, that’s like three used books!” Who else rates other items based on how many books you could buy instead?

2. Library Hold Lists

I’ve been at the top of the Firefight hold list for a month now. If this person renews the book one. more. time. I’m going to flip!

3. Strange book formats (Adobe PDFs) 

Random library and arc books are in this Adobe PDF format, which means I can only read it on my computer or my phone. And it’s usually a book I really really want, so I spend several days squinting at my phone.

4. Heavy Hard Covers / Wait for Paperback

I am a paperback girl, they are cheaper and lighter, BUT they usually come out like a YEAR after the hard cover and sometimes I just can’t wait that long.

5. Never Ending To Read Lists

Yay I’ve read ten books off my to read list, and added 100 more…

6. Post Book Depression

Whether it was just that good or just that shocking, sometimes a book stays with me for a long time after I read it and that’s all I can think about. I can’t start another book because I’m still stuck in the last one.

7. Spoilers!

I like spoilers to be optional, that way if I want them I can click the tempting little spoiler tag or I can ignore it. Posting book spoilers on social media where I cannot look away is SO NOT OKAY.

8. Reading an emotional book in public and trying to act natural

9. Wanting to read a book right now, but the Kindle price is only $3 less than the book

This goes with the waiting for the paperback. Sometimes those two days the book will take to come from Amazon are just too long. They really need a discount on the paperback/hardcover if you buy the Kindle book.

10. Extended Release Dates

Yay the next book is coming out in June, I mean November, I mean 2026… Okay so I might be talking about you Martin. I love your books, but you are a tad SLOW. Considering the first book was published in 1996 and the sixth STILL isn’t out… Yes, I want them good BUT come on already!

11. Being distracted from things I should be doing

I should be doing the dishes, but the lives off all of these fictional characters is on the line!

12. Books being made into movies

Do I really have to elaborate this one?

13. Having a crush on a fictional guy who isn’t age appropriate 

Yeah… This comes from being an adult who reads young adult. I realize I’m falling for this fictional character, but he’s only fifteen years old. AWKWARD.

14. Lack of Sleep

I like reading before bed, but it’s dangerous because all of a sudden my book will be done and the sun will be coming up.

15. Book shelf space

I’ve now made most of my books go horizontal and I’ve cleaned off all of the books I KNOW I’m never going to read, but once again I’m rapidly running out of room.

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What’s the thing that annoys you most about books? 

The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

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author, book, book reviews, books, characters, fantasy, fiction, literature, Melinda Salisbury, novel, plot, read, reader, review, romance, romantic fantasy, stories, story, The Sin Eater's Daughter, The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury, write, writer, writing, young adult

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pages: 336

Point of View: First (Twylla)

Released: February 5th, 2015

Series: The Sin Eater’s Daughter 1

Predictability: 3 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)

Source: Edelweiss

My Rating: 7/10 Stars

My Summary: 

Twylla was the Sin Eater’s Daughter. When someone dies the Sin Eater eats food off their coffin, each item representing a different sin they committed while alive. After seeing Twylla and her red hair and talent for singing at the king’s funeral the queen herself visits Twylla’s small cottage. The queen tells Twylla she’s the Daunen embodied, the daughter of the gods meant to bring hope to Lormere.

Now Twylla lives in the palace, is engaged to the prince, and lives a rich life, but she isn’t free. As the Daunen Embodied, every month Twylla drinks a poison, which makes her skin poisonous and her touch deadly. Her job is to execute traitors to the crown.

Because of this she has no friends for everyone in the castle fears her. She’s not surprised when yet another of her guards quits, but her new guard isn’t from Lormere, and he doesn’t seem to fear her. He asks her questions and actually talks with her.

My Review: 

I feel I should apologize before this review. It’s such a mess. I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I wanted to love it. I mean look at that cover! And that blurb! It sounds so awesome! But the book I got wasn’t the book I expected. It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t as epically amazing as I wanted it to be.

The Sin Eater’s Daughter was more of a romance set in a made up medieval kingdom than a fantasy.

The Good: 

The religion building. I would say world, but though we know about Lormere and it’s two closest neighbors and their recent history, it is really the religion and the customs behind their beliefs which are the most built upon.

Though the pacing was slow I wasn’t bored and there were enough dangling questions to keep me reading. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what happened next. (Is it wrong that I’d rather all of my wild theories to have happened than what did?) In the end it was a good mystery though.

This book felt very dystopian to me. The seemingly nice little kingdom where things aren’t really so great. The heroine finds out the truth and the plan to set things right. Though Twylla did make some revelations in figuring out the evil plot, she had little to do with saving the day.

The supporting characters were good. The queen was appropriately evil and both of the men in Twylla’s life were interesting enough. (Yes there are two love interests)

Romance The Good and The Bad:

She was betrothed to one man, but she didn’t really care for him even though he cared for her. (I liked him the best out of the two. He wasn’t great, but the potential was there.) The one she did like… I can see where many people will enjoy this romance because it is slow and they become friends first and I liked when she realized she cared about him more than a friend.

But I would’ve rather they stayed as friends. I was starting to feel the friendship and then it turned into a romance, but I didn’t feel it. (As much as I like the friends first thing.) He was just okay for me, a bit too perfect and I didn’t like how he was always judging her and seemed to look down on her instead of trying to understand her. (Can you tell I didn’t like him?) I’m not saying she should’ve picked the other guy. I think she needs to become her own person before she worries about love.

Twylla The Good and the Bad:

I went back and forth with Twylla. She’s relatable and flawed. She’s survived a hard life and still managed to be a good person. She was a little boring though. She had a talent for singing, but I wish she had something else she cared about other than her gods. It’s mentioned that she wishes she could read, but it wasn’t explained why she never learned. I appreciated her character growth, she started to come into her own towards the end, but I wish that she had grown more and faster.

I wanted her take charge of her own story! My main problem is she never did anything for herself; made her own choices, decided her own destiny, come up with her own plans. I felt like she moped and waited for someone to save her. I had trouble feeling bad for her after she was so stupid! (I know that sounds awful.) She believes everything people tell her. After living in the castle for four years I’d have expected her to learn not to trust some of these people. By the end she does finally start to wise up, so there’s hope for the sequel. (Though I did think she’d learned her lesson once and then she proved me wrong.)

Verdict:

I hope this doesn’t sound like I didn’t like this book, because I did! There are many good things about this story. And just because I didn’t like the romance or Twylla (some of time) doesn’t mean you’ll feel the same way. I read it in two sittings, so that says something and I didn’t see the mystery coming, even though there were hints. (So Twylla turned out to be smarter than me.)

I like my fantasys with take charge heroines, magic and battles and political plots, but for a fantasy romance this was good. (and there was plenty of conniving by bad guys.) So all in all, a good book, but not a great one.

Top Ten Things I Like and Dislike When It Comes To Romances In Books

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They come up with top ten lists that people can blog about every week.

Please note when it comes to the examples this is just my opinion. Also, these are mostly books I read last year/ since I started reviewing. (Since I have a bad memory for these things)

I planned to do five of each, but I got a little carried away with the things I don’t like…

Things I like When it Comes to Romance

(All covers lead to Goodreads)

1. Banter

My favorite part of a romance is when they can banter with each other. (There’s a difference between banter and bickering too.) So many romances stop the banter when they get together, but there’s no need to. A couple can banter just as much as a budding romance.

“I never kid about my warrior demigod status.”
“Oh. My. God.” I lower my voice, having forgotten to whisper. “You are nothing but a bird with an attitude. Okay, so you have a few muscles, I’ll grant you that. But you know, a bird is nothing but a barely evolved lizard. That’s what you are.” -Angelfall

 

2. Slow realistic relationships

No instant love here. They get to know each other and gradually develop real feelings for each other.

“Our time together feels like a storm, like wild wind and rain, like something too big to handle but too powerful to escape. It blows around me and tangles my hair, leaves water on my face, makes me know that I am alive, alive, alive. There are moments of calm and pause as there are in every storm, and moments when our words fork lightening, at least for each other.” –Matched

3. Nice love interests

Why do so many girls go for the bad boy? What’s wrong with picking the nice guy?

 “I need a book that says ‘Here’s how to defeat Spring and and while you’re at it, here’s how to prove you matter when no one else thinks you do—”

I stop. I’m staring at the bookshelves and not at Theron. He crawls up onto his knees and moves into my line of sight, his forehead wrinkled and his eyes darting over mine like he’s trying to figure me out the same way he figured out that passage. After a moment of silence, he grimaces.

“You matter,” is all he says. –Snow Like Ashes

4. Chemistry – Feeling the connection between them

Sometimes I just don’t feel it. They say they’re in love but they don’t have that spark, that chemistry between the characters. I need to feel it!

“She’s my alpha,” he murmured, with a haunting sadness in his voice.

Cress leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees, “Like the star?”

“What star?”

She stiffened, instantly embarrassed, and scooted back from him again. “Oh. Um. In a constellation, the brightest star is called the alpha. I thought maybe you meant that she’s…like…your brightest star.” Looking away, she knotted her hands in her lap, aware that she was blushing furiously now and this beast of a man was about to realize what an over-romantic sap she was.

But instead of sneering or laughing, Wolf sighed, “Yes,” he said, his gaze climbing up to the full moon that had emerged in the blue evening sky. “Exactly like that.” – Cress

5. Friends who turn into romantic interests

I love this because it’s the ultimate slow romance. They know each other for a long time first and already care about each other before something romantic happens between them.

“What if it lines up like it did in the Trojan War … Athena versus Poseidon?”
“I don’t know. But I just know that I’ll be fighting next to you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?” – The Lightning Thief

Things I Do NOT Like When it Comes to Romance

1. Instant love

The love at first sight, I just met you but I’m in love with you love.

2. All consuming love

Once they meet their love interest that’s all they think about, all they care about. They go on and on about how much they mean to each other. It takes over the book with over the top can’t be separated from each other love.

3. Loving a Jerk / Being a Jerk to a love interest

When the guy is only mean to her, but she still loves him anyway. OR when she’s only mean to her love interest.

4. They fight all the time

(Yes I mean Hermione and Ron)

Though they might be in love or friendly enough, but they fight way too much and constantly bicker.

5. Too much happens to pull them apart

Enough already! There are too many stupid obstacles engineered just to keep these two apart. If they don’t get together soon I won’t care anymore!

6. We miss the time they spent learning about each other.

The author glazes over it and we don’t actually get to see them falling in love. We’re just supposed to trust that they talked and now they love each other.

7. Perfect Man Syndrome

It’s obvious the author created the ideal man. This guy has no flaws.

8. The shivers went down my spine, I got hot when he touched me Romance

I can see being happy when he touches you, but this style of writing always just strikes me as over the top and usually it goes on way too long.

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What do you think is the Best / Worst thing about bookish romance? 

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

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author, book, book reviews, books, characters, fantasy, fiction, literature, magic, novel, plot, read, reader, review, Sara Raasch, snow like ashes, stories, story, write, writer, writing, young adult

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Pages: 422

Point of View: First (Meira)

Released: October 14, 2014

Series: Snow Like Ashes #1

Predictability: 2 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)

Source: Library

My Rating: 9/10 Stars

My Summary:

Sixteen years ago, the kingdom of Spring attacked the land of Winter. Only twenty-five Winterians managed to escape, the rest were killed or enslaved. Their queen was killed and their locket conduit, the source of their magic, broken. The Winter refugees have been in hiding, trying to can get the two pieces of the locket back, so that they might stand a chance at getting their kingdom back.

Meira’s an orphan who grew up among the Winter refugees. She struggles to prove herself as a solider and though she knows nothing can ever happen between them, she has feelings for Winter’s young king.

My Review:

I loved the world building in this book! A thousand years ago the kingdoms created eight magic conduits for the four Season kingdoms (they are permanently stuck in one season) and the four Rhythm kingdoms. The conduits only work for the royal family and are either female or male line based. With these conduits they can make crops grow, make people better soldiers, keep their people healthy, or in the case of Spring force their people to obey.

The pacing is very even, skipping over any everyday boring details and getting to the good stuff. I never knew where the plot was going to go next, though I did guess one of the major twists from the beginning.

There were some good action scenes and I liked that Meira was a good fighter, but she wasn’t automatically good at everything. She does some death defying stunts over rooftops and climbing up castles. (Some of which were a little unbelievable, but just so cool!)

The characters are solid and well created, but there was nothing really outstanding about them. They have potential, but with so much going on there wasn’t time for more development. Meira evolves over the course of the book (through a lot of introspection, that girl thinks way too much) so I’m hoping that she’ll be a great character next book.

The romance wasn’t too quick and I felt like I understood it. The next book will tell where it’s going since it was just getting started here. There is a love triangle, but it isn’t one of those annoying ones. (Where one girl leads two men on) It was political since the Winterians need to use marriages to gain allies. Also both of them are nice guys, so I don’t care which she ends up with. (Yay I can’t choose wrong!) Though I do like one more than the other, if only slightly.

The Bad:

There were a couple of times where Meira was getting all lovey-dovey when she should have been running for her life. Yes, I know, she’s always running for her life, but priorities girl!

Are love triangles a deal breaker for you? 

I used to HATE them, but lately I’ve read a few that I didn’t mind.

Top Ten Books I Can’t Believe I Haven’t Read Yet

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top 10, top 10 tuesday, top ten, top ten tuesday

 (Yay I think I finally got my computer working! No more writing posts and comments on my phone!)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They come up with top ten lists that people can blog about every week.

I have over 200 books that I own but haven’t read! (And that’s not even counting all of the ebooks on my Kindle.)

My new to be read shelf!

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1. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

For a thousand years the world as been a wasteland ruled by an immortal emperor. A new uprising is beginning, planned by a criminal mastermind and aided by a street urchin who must learn to master Allomancy, the power of a Mistborn.

Owned: A year and a half (Bought at a used bookstore in South Carolina on vacation) Sanderson is praised for his magical systems and pretty much everything else. Why haven’t I read him already?

2. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Siblings Sadie and Carter haven’t seen much of each other since their mother’s death. Their father brings them together for an ‘experiment’ and accidentally unleashes the god Set. They learn the gods of Egypt are awakening and the worst one, Set has it out for them. They set out on a quest across the globe to learn the truth about their ancestry and stop the evil god.

Owned: 8 months. I actually know why I haven’t read this one. I’m saving it. (Which is a good and valid reason) And I still don’t own book two!

3. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Average guy Richard helps an injured girl and gets thrown into a strange new world. Existing beneath London is a city full of monsters, angels, knights and magic.

Owned: 7 years *hides* I bought it after I saw the Stardust movie, (And LOVED it) but my used bookstore didn’t have that book, so I bought this one instead. (I’ve read Stardust and it’s really good by the way.)

4. The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) by Robert Jordan

A shepherd and two his friends are attacked by a big bad villain and go on a quest. Along the way they learn skills to help them fight evil.

Owned: ??? More than a decade. Yeah… My sister read it and loved it. and went and bought the rest of the series. (But stopped reading after 7) A year or so ago and read the prologue. (That counts for something, right?)

5. The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman

In a world where Dæmons and winged creatures live side by side with humans, Lyra is an orphaned ward living among scholars. Her uncle arrives with evidence of a phenomenon called dust and a strange photograph. He leaves Lyra with Mrs. Coulter, a scholar and explorer. Many children are disappearing and when Lyra’s friend is kidnapped she sets off to find him. Someone has been experimenting on the disappeared children and somehow both her uncle and Mrs. Coulter are involved.

Owned: 7 Months. I wanted to read this for years. I finally found it at the used bookstore and proceeded not to read it…

6. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

The story of two super villains! College friends Victor and Eli discover a way to give people extraordinary abilities. Ten years later Victor breaks out of prison to find Eli who is now is enemy. Eli’s on a mission to kill ever other super powered person he can find.

Owned: 2 Months. I won this book from the Fox’s Hideaway I was so enthusiastic about it, but for some reason every time I pick a new book I’m not in the mood for it.

7. Gardens of the Moon (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1) by Steven Erikson

A squad of soldiers try to infiltrate a city so that the Malazan empire can conquer it. Of course things don’t go as planned and the gods often muck things up.

Owned: 7 months. I got it for my birthday last year. But I’m afraid to start it because it’s one of those love it or hate it sort of books.

8. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis is a millionaire, genius, and criminal mastermind. He may have gone too far when he kidnaps a fairy. She’s a member of a secret supernatural organization and all they come to rescue her back, including a troll, a centaur, and a dwarf.

Owned: Four years? My sister read it and said it wasn’t very good, but it was only a quarter at a yard sale. (I couldn’t resist!)

9. Alanna (Song of the Lioness, #1) by Tamora Pierce

Alanna wants to be a knight while her twin brother Thom wants to learn magic, so they swap places. But it isn’t as easy to become a knight while hiding her magic as she thought.

Owned: 8 months, but turns out my sister’s owned it for years.

10. A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, #1) by Deborah Harkness

Diana, a scholar at the oxford library, accidentally discovers an ancient alchemical manuscript. She’s descended from a long line of witches, but wants nothing to do with sorcery. Unfortunately her discovery sends witches, demons, and vampires all to the library searching for the lost treasure.

Owned: 5 months. I just haven’t been in the mood. (and I get distracted by new books and arcs)

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 How do you choose which book to read next? 

I usually have a group of books picked out and then I randomly select one based on my current mood.