Fairy Tale Fortnight TBR

Thank you so much The Book Rat & A Backwards Story for hosting this.

I'll be participating in Fairy Tale Fortnight this month, and I've got three books planned to read for it. After the fortnight is over, I'll have my TBR post up for the rest of the months reading. Click on the covers to be taken to the Goodreads page for the book. If I feel like it and have a bit of extra time, I might read a few fairy tale novellas/short stories.

Review Dates:

A Wicked Thing - Thursday, April 6th
Fairest - Monday, April 9th
Heart's Blood - Tuesday, April 13th

Hope to see you for them!

What books are you reading this month? Are you participating in Fairy Tale Fortnight?

(I'm also re-watching season one of Once Upon a Time in celebration (? Honor?) of Fairy Tale Fortnight.

Review: Webster's New World Dictionary

Webster's New World Dictionary

Series: Standalone
Genre: Fantasy/Historical/Sci-Fi/Contemporary
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Over 60,000 entries -- covering business, computer, and scientific terms; colloquial, idiomatic, and current slang expressions; and more. 

Updated and revised biographical and geographical database -- with 1,600 additional entries. 

Simple alphabetical listing for all entries -- including prefixes and suffixes, abbreviations, foreign words and phrases, and biographical and geographical names. 

Concise, easy-to-understand definitions -- many revised to reflect the latest research on usage and meaning.

Precise and comprehensive pronunciation key -- located on inside of back cover for quick, convenient reference. 

Updated page design and layout -- modern, clear type appeals to the eye and makes for an easier-to-read reference tool. 

Complete A to Z preparation by the permanent lexicographical staff of Webster's New WorldTM Dictionary -- the word pros who prepared the acclaimed Third College Edition. 
The Third College Edition of Webster's New World TM Dictionary is the dictionary of choice for the Associated Press and United Press International wire services, as well as for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and hundreds of other newspapers nationwide.

This book has everything! But, then again, that shouldn't come as a surprise. 'The #1 New York Times Bestseller', as is proudly proclaimed on the cover. (They also say 'over 25,000,000 copies in print'.)

From adventure to romance, drama and even a dash of tragedy and humor.

But I shouldn't get ahead of myself, right?

What begins as a story about a young aardvark just trying to make his way in the world quickly morphs into a tale of good vs. evil with an epic battle.

The characters in this story are fully realized with lots of depth. You have the egocentric, the maid, the heroine, the love interest, and don't forget the anti-hero.

There is a cliffhanger, but don't despair, it's not at the end and you're not left hanging. This book hits all the points you learned in 'writing 101'. There is the introduction, the complication, the climax and the denouement.

Because of the way the story is structured, you might be a little confused, but - never fear -  you won't get lost. Just when you think you knew where the story is headed, there's another plot twist, a dash of character development, or a totally unforeseen consequence.

This book is long, but it never feels unwieldy - and all the little bits of foreign languages just add to the immersive feeling.

All in all, not bad for a little aardvark from Zurich, now is it?

Happy April Fools Day. I hope you enjoyed this 'review'. (And the fooled kitty cat.)

Top Ten Books I Recently Added To My To-Be-Read List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Easy list to compile, but my internet had been running so spastically that it took much longer to get this done than it should have. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading these books and I think it gives you a really good indication as to how much fantasy I read compared to everything else.

March Wrap-Up

March was actually kind of struggle for me. I did actually manage to get most of the stuff published that I wanted to - but it still feels weak. I don't know. Instead of scrounging desperately for something to post, I started work on April's blogging schedule. To make matters worse, the weather finally warmed up. Now, I want to be outside in this gorgeous 60+ degree, sunny weather.



Surprising myself a bit, I managed to get a lot of reading done this month.

I'm also in the process of finishing:

All in all, my reading this month was certainly above average, both in amount as well as quality. In fact:

Books read this month:
3 - *****'s
3 - ****'s
2 - **'s
1 - *'s


The really awesome thing is that all except The Girl in the Gatehouse was pulled from my TBR jar. That book was one that I borrowed and needed to read so I could return it. This month was also a couple of firsts for me. Not only did I use a TBR jar (which I really like how it works for me) I also read my first book on my kindle.


A few thoughts on The Half-Blood Prince.
Halfhearted review for The Hunchback Assignments.
My thoughts on the audiobook of Julius Caesar in a paragraph. (And not even a big one.)
My review/rant about Smarty Bones will be up April 22nd.
My The Well of Ascension review.
My review on Seeds of Discovery will be up April 29th.


I had one more book that I drew from my TBR jar that I didn't get to. (After the initial seven, plus reading the book I borrowed, I drew three more, knowing I'd only get to to of them.) That book will be added to my reading list for next month.

I've got big things planned for April. In fact, I've got some days that I'm planning on posting twice (something I said I'd never do) because I'm participating in Fairy Tale Fortnight and I still have a few of my normal posts that I want to get out. It's going to be a busy month! I'm really looking forward to it though - I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that this doesn't give me burnout.


Honestly, when I first came up with the idea to do a post like this at the end of the month, I thought for sure that I'd have something non-bookish to say... But I don't.

Sigh.

Happy Spring!

Audiobook Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristen Terrill

All Our Yesterdays by Cristen Terrill

Series: No Series
Genre: Dystopia/Contemporary
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"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She's tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called "the doctor" while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend, James, since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America's most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James's life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina's hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win. (from goodreads)

Top 10 Books From My Childhood (Or Teen Years) That I Would Love To Revisit

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Oh, I just knew this prompt would be right up my alley. There were so many books I read as a child that were so much fun and I'd love to re-read. I will admit, you'll probably be finding a lot of series' on here.

Review: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller

Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller

Series: Kiki Strike Book 1
Genre: Contemporary (MG?)
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There's something wrong with the park across from Ananka Fishbein's apartment. A huge sinkhole has opened in the ground and, as she stares out her window, she see's a tiny form, looking like a monkey, climbing out of the sinkhole. By the time she arrives at the park, all that's left is a rope, leading down.

What follows is a discovery about the secret, underground, side of NYC and deposed royalty. Delinquent girl scouts, rats and teen girl super spies abound.