Spinning Jenny's Book Blog: September 2015

9/24/2015

Mini-Review: A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

1. You may not read this in e-book format. You MUST buy this book. And keep it forever.
2. You must read this book if you've ever lost someone close to you.
3. You must pass this book on to someone who has lost and/or is losing someone.
4. You must read the last 1/4 at home, NOT in a coffee shop or library.

I had no idea what this books was, or the impact it would have. It's not a long book, and the illustrations by Jim Kay belong to this story. Unequivocally.

I strongly believe that you read certain books when you're ready for them, or when you NEED them. The same for meeting people who make an impact on your life. I have enjoyed past works by Patrick Ness, but I truly thank him for A Monster Calls.

View all my reviews

9/22/2015

Top Ten Tuesday #4: Top 10 Books on My Fall TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week: Top 10 Books on My Fall TBR

(Some of my picks are being released this fall, while others have been out for a few years...)

Waiting for Wednesday #3: I will be Furiously Happy when this book is released!

Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Waiting for Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Book: Furiously Happy
Author: Jenny Lawson
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Expected Publication: September 22, 2015
Genre(s): humour, autobiography, non-fiction [seriously...]

http://thebloggess.com/

"In LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, Jenny Lawson baffled readers with stories about growing up the daughter of a taxidermist. In her new book, FURIOUSLY HAPPY, Jenny explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea. And terrible ideas are what Jenny does best...

Jenny's first book, LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, was ostensibly about family, but deep down it was about celebrating your own weirdness. FURIOUSLY HAPPY is a book about mental illness, but under the surface it's about embracing joy in fantastic and outrageous ways-and who doesn't need a bit more of that?" (www.goodreads.com)

Top 10 Tuesday #3: Top 10 Books I Can't Believe I Haven't Read Yet!!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and Bookish. This week is a "personal pick" Top 10, and I chose:

"Top 10 Books I Can't Believe I Haven't Read Yet!"

Retro Review: The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew #1)

The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew is a modern girl who can do everything from fix a tire, play tennis, solve a mystery, and even take on big bad men, all by her lonesome!

Carolyn Keene was a name for various ghost-writers for 60 (?) years, and I think they added side-kicks Bess and George, and handsome boyfriend Ned, because Nancy got into some pretty dangerous situations in this one!

I loved these books as a kid. Reading them now, everything is peachy-keen, the good guys win, and I feel that there should've been a cross-over with The Walton's, or The Andy Griffith Show.

It's still a cute read, and I think I'll read them every once-in-a-while, maybe to act as a buffer from something I've read that was a little more intense than I expected...

Quotes from The Secret of the Old Clock

"Pretty" she commented to herself. "Oh, why can't all people be nice like this scenery and not make trouble?" [34]

[Hanna's] eyes widened. "Nancy, you might have been killed by those awful men. Well, I'm certainly glad they've been captured." [146]

9/09/2015

Waiting for Wednesday #2: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206900-winter

Title: Winter
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Expected Release Date: November 10, 2015

From goodreads.com:

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) - [Review]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23705512-you-re-never-weird-on-the-internet?ac=1

Title: You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)

Author: Felicia Day

Publisher: Touchstone

Release Date: August 11, 2015

From online entertainment mogul, actress, and “queen of the geeks” Felicia Day, a funny, quirky, and inspiring memoir about her unusual upbringing, her rise to Internet-stardom, and embracing her individuality to find success in Hollywood...

...Hilarious and inspirational, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is proof that everyone should embrace what makes them different and be brave enough to share it with the world, because anything is possible now—even for a digital misfit.

(www.goodreads.com)

First off, I have to say that I just love Felicia Day. I have for years, ever since I was killing some time and tried The Guild on Netflix one day. I watch her on Geek and Sundry, and I participate in the Vaginal Fantasy Book Club on goodreads when I can, even watching their monthly Vaginal Fantasy Google+ Hangout. Basically, I’m a fan.

Last night I finished her new memoir You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost). I quietly put my iPad down, got ready for bed, and instantly burst into tears. Needless to say my husband was alarmed and didn’t expect this reaction from me after finishing Felicia’s book! There were many levels to these tears, but I can tell you the immediate source of the tears was anger.

http://www.brokeandbookish.com/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html

This week's Top Ten Tuesday (brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish) asks:

What (Top 10) finished series have I yet to finish?!

Blogging Pains

Blogger Problems, 2015, yo.

So to increase my blogosphere (wow you can actually spellcheck that…) I decided to join up with Top Ten Tuesdays and Waiting for Wednesday to share my views and also take a look at what other book bloggers be bloggin’.

And there are SO MANY awesome blogs out there! Great names, designs, colour schemes, etc. And I realized that I could click their little chicklet-buttons for Facebook or Twitter to follow them, but I didn’t have that option for MY follower! (Not a typo.)

Quickie Review: Magic Rises

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You know those books that have you bargaining with yourself late at night? "It's midnight? I'm sure there's not much left to this chapter... Do I really need 6 hours of sleep..." etc. I find this whole SERIES like that.

Also, whilst reading in bed, I actually shouted, out loud, "Whaaaat?!" at a certain reveal in the plot. My husband asked if I was okay, and I assured him that I was okay, but was KATE going to be okay?!