Review: Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Series: Kingdom of Xia #1
Published by Greenwillow Books
Pages: 338
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
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Ai Ling can see into other people's minds and reach into their spirits. But she doesn't know why this power has awakened inside her. She only knows that it is growing. It leads her on an epic journey—one that brings her to the edge of the deepest evil.

Chen Yong has a quest of his own, but then his path crosses Ai Ling's. And there's a connection so strong that neither can ignore it.

Now they must face terrifying demons determined to kill them, and battle through treacherous lands. It is their destiny. But can destiny keep them together?
(goodreads synopsis)

*Warning*
This review will contain some light spoilers. I've tried to keep them as vague as possible, but there is a spoiler

Blogger Thoughts: But I Can't Review All Of Them

When I started this blog, I had the completely insane notion that I'd be able to review every book I read this year. Now, that might have worked out just fine - if I actually had any reviews already written. Basically, I was sitting there for my first few weeks with no cushion, trying to turn out two or three reviews a week along with a full line of other posts.

I quickly (though not quickly enough, honestly) found out that this would never work for me. So, I was left scratching my head going 'what do I do now?'

For some bloggers, I know, they could probably review ARC's for the rest of the year and never run out of reviews to post once or twice a week. I've never received an ARC for review - or, actually, any free book for review. (Not that I've really tried though either.)

But the point is, if I don't have required books to review, what books should I review?

Then I realized, I have certain challenges I joined that require reviews of every book read for the challenge. Well, that helped me out somewhat, but that's only maybe two, at the most three, books a month. I want at least one review every week and if I start being able to plan out reviews till the end of the year, I'll up that to two reviews a week.

Finally I realized what worked the best for me would be to review books I actually have something to say about. Whether that be positive or negative, it's so much easier reviewing books that I want to talk about.


So, what works for you? Do you review every book you read? Only the new ones, to help readers decide if the book is for them? Only the older ones, to draw attention to books that might have slipped through the cracks? Or do you have a completely different system? Maybe even no system at all?

Review: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Poison by Bridget Zinn

Series: N/A
Published by Hyperion
Pages: 276
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
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Kyra, at sixteen, is a self proclaimed Master Potioner - along with ex-boyfriend Hal and friend Ned. However, when Kyra decides to kill her best friend, also known as the Princess, her world falls apart. For the first time, her poison dart misses and now Kyra is on the run from the military and her friends.

How had it come to this? How had she ended up a hungry, friendless fugitive in the middle of a frigid river wearing completely ridiculous underthings?
With a pig balanced on the top of her head?

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

I actually had some difficulties with this list. At first I was just going to list all the books, regardless of series. Like if I read three books in a series and I loved all of them, they would all be on this list. Then I decided that really wouldn't be fair to all the other awesome books I've already read this year. (I counted them and I had seven books from three series on this list.) So, if I read more than one book in the series, I just selected my favorite one. These books are in rough order from least favorite to most favorite.

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Series: The Lunar Chronicles #2
Published by Square Fish
Pages: 452
Genre: Sci-Fi/Romance (YA)
Add on Goodreads
My Cinder Review

Scarlet Benoit's Grandmother is missing. While the police claim she has either ran away or killed herself, Scarlet knows better. She knows someone kidnapped her Grandmother. Determined to figure out who, she sets off to rescue her - and gets help from the street fighter Wolf. However, not everything is as it seems, and Scarlet discovers an unexpected connection to the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive, Linh Cinder.

"We're having another moment, aren't we?"
"If by moment, you mean me not wanting to strangle you for the first time since we met, then I guess we are."

Top Ten Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

I'm really particular when it comes to 'beach' reads. Okay, it's not like I've ever actually been to the beach - but to me a 'beach bag read' is usually lighter than any other books. It's not something that really makes you think, it doesn't shake your ideas. It's just fun, fast reads. Things that can be devoured like popsicles.

Top Ten Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag

June Schedule

After trying this for the month of May and it actually making me post when I said I would, I decided to keep this around for June as well. I guess you could view this as an agreement between me and my readers that - barring unforeseen complications - I will be posting what I say, when I say. I'm still not planning on posting on either Saturday or Sunday - so I've just left those days off this schedule.

Monday - June 2nd - Schedule for June (This post)

Tuesday - June 3rd - Top Ten Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag

Wednesday - June 4th - Free

Thursday - June 5th - Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Friday - June 6th - Free

Monday - June 9th - Free

Tuesday - June 10th - Top Ten Favorite Book's I've Read This Year

Wednesday - June 11th - When I'm Not Blogging (Movies)

Thursday - June 12th - Review: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Friday - June 13th - Blogger Thoughts (Review Books)

Monday - June 16th - Free

Tuesday - June 17th - Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List

Wednesday - June 18th - Afternoon Tea

Thursday - June 19th - Review: Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey

Friday - June 20th - Untitled Feature About Tropes & Such in Books

Monday - June 23rd - Tips & Tricks (Blogger Organization)

Tuesday - June 24th - Top Ten Cover Trends I Like/Dislike

Wednesday - June 25th - When I'm Not Blogging (Cooking)

Thursday - June 26th - Review: Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Friday - June 27th - Blogger Thoughts (Comments)

Monday - June 30th - Early posting of the July Schedule

So that's a quick overview of my plans for this month. Last month I managed to post exactly what I was supposed each day - somewhat surprising myself - so I hope I can keep it up for this month also. One reason I don't have much to post at the start of this month is because I'm hoping to re-organize my blog a bit and get things straightened up a little.