Lately I've been giving a lot of thought to author second chances. I'm usually one of those people that, if the first book doesn't work for me, I don't try the same author again. But, what happens if you miss out on something really good because you didn't read another book of theirs. Honestly, if I hadn't given Marissa Meyer a second chance, I would have never found out how great The Lunar Chronicles is because I really didn't like Cinder. So that was a second chance that worked wonderful for me. Then there was the time that I gave Falling Kingdoms a second chance and really started liking the book. Great second chances there. But what about loving the first book you read by an author and the second book is one of the most disappointing reads you've ever come across? Should you give the author a second chance? (Or would that be a third chance?) Or what about hearing amazing things about a different book by the author? Do you give it a go? I honestly love the idea of giving author's more than one book to draw you in and make you a fan - after all, everyone is allowed a clunker and what if the first book I read was that author's? But in practice, I'm terrible at it. I feel that if I don't like one book by an author, chances are I won't like any others - so why should I bother when there's so many books whose authors might be my next new favorite? What do you think? Are you good at giving authors more than one book to impress you? Or are you good at giving authors a second chance when a book disappoints you? Or are you like me and love the idea - but have a hard time doing it? I'd love to know! Tell me how and why and any specific books/authors you've done this with.
So, I won't tell you how many of these books I've already read. Let's just say that there's a total of six days between the time I organized this list (August 1st) and it being posted. That's six days worth of reading and all these books are short. Reread Book
This month starts my The Lunar Chronicles re-read. For more information on that, click here. Which means, I'll be re-reading Cinder this month! I'm actually really looking forward to this because I didn't love the book the first time - in fact, I almost didn't continue the series with how little I enjoyed this book. So I'm really excited to see if things have changed!
Books released this year that I want to read this month:
The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury This was one of the books I was most excited for, but the somewhat less than glowing things I heard about it kind of scared me off. I'm very curious about it though, and excited to give it a go.
A Book of Spirits and Thieves by Morgan Rhodes Very excited for this book. Much to my surprise, I've really started to love reading the Falling Kingdoms series, so this series that's kind of a portal fantasy with Mytica's past is something I'm really looking forward to. Now, the books from my Summer TBR that I'd like to read this month:
Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce Even though I've been warned that this book ends somewhat unsatisfactory and that I will want to continue right on to the other four, I'm looking forward to this. I've been wanting to read something else by Tamora Pierce and, if I like this book, I can totally see buying the other three and reading them soon.
The Swan Prince by Danielle E. Shipley This is a really short book - the start of a rather long series - but I first heard about this author over fairytale fortnight and her writing style sounds like it'll be really great. Very curious about this book. (Already read it, and it was fun.)
I also need to finish reading Vicious by V.E. Schwab - as I started it last month and hate a couple of the characters enough that I had to take a breather. I do like three of the characters though, and that's why I'm looking forward to finishing it. Also, I should be getting These Broken Stars in early this month, (I ordered it when I found out my library didn't have it anymore) and there's a high chance that if I get the opportunity, I'll be reading it this month.
This was a free book that I got from sync last year. I know a little about it (like the obvious things) but I'm curious about it so this should be interesting. Also, it's really short, so it shouldn't take more than a day or two to listen to it.
Next is blue (historical) and it's The Dark Deeps by Arthur Slade
Good. I'm glad I'm finally getting this out of there. I bought this book and the first one in the series together because it was like two dollars and the first one was a dollar. This was the final straw in teaching me to not buy more than one book from a new-to-me author. I'm not looking forward to this book, but I bought it so I will give it a shot. (There's an average shot that I won't finish it because I strongly disliked the first book.)
Next is green (fantasy) and it's The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
I just bought this book - the end of June I think. It smells overly perfumed, that bookstore was kind of perfume-y. Uh, anyway, been looking at this book for a long time and it does sound good. (I'm really hoping I'll get a thick book though, because most of these I could easily be through in a dark or two each.) Next is green (fantasy) and it is Witch Hunt by Annie Bellet This is the first of a novella series. I got it free for my kindle and it's less than a hundred pages. It does sound really good though - like it's a fantasy right up my alley, so let's hope. Listen to the description though: 'A mute elven archer known only as Killer. Azyin, a half Winter-orc shaman and his human swordswoman bride, Makha. Drake, the charming, swashbuckling rogue. The fireball-slinging pixie-goblin, Rahiel, and her mini-unicorn, Bill. These are the Gryphonpike Companions.' Sounds like my kind of book.
Next is red (contemporary) and it is The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall This was the other book released this year that I almost grabbed to read - so that it comes up anyway is really awesome. I've heard this book compared to National Treasure (which I really enjoyed) so I'm hoping that, although It's not the type of book I'd usually read, I'll still like it.
While I do truly think I'll be done with these long before the end of the month, I think I better just stop there. It does give me a decent enough selection of stuff to read so I should have pretty good luck this month. I never did get my thick book that I wanted, though. By page count, my thickest book is my reread.
Series: The Descendants #1 Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Retelling Add on Goodreads
Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were banished from the kingdom of Auradon and made to live in virtual imprisonment on the Isle of the Lost. The island is surrounded by a magical force field that keeps the villains and their descendants safely locked up and away from the mainland. Life on the island is dark and dreary. It is a dirty, decrepit place that's been left to rot and forgotten by the world. But hidden in the mysterious Forbidden Fortress is a dragon's eye: the key to true darkness and the villains' only hope of escape. Only the cleverest, evilest, nastiest little villain can find it...who will it be?
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. I love fairy tale retellings, but I've not read a lot of them. And of those that I've read, some I've loved and others...not so much. So, this prompt was easy enough to change a bit that I decided to do five fairy tale retellings that I've read and loved and five that I want to read. (You'll possibly notice that the way I'm doing this is a bit different. That's because there's only so many ways I can say I love a book. You can check out my review on most of the ones I've read, though.)
Where's my year going? I can't believe it's already August. Seriously, this is just crazy. I feel like I blink and that's another month gone. But, you're not here for that - you're here to see what books are releasing this month that I'm excited about.
The end of another month brings my wrap-up post. It also brings a question: where did July go? Seriously, it's over and I can hardly believe it. Books of July
Trial and Temptation by Ruby Lionsdrake - ***** The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace - DNF - I've got a rant/review planned for next month. Probably on the 14th.
Books and Blog Thoughts I actually think I did fairly well this month. Yeah, some of the books could have been better - especially a couple of those that I was really looking forward to - but over all...I did alright. (Except for those DNF's... Some books just make me so angry that I can't read them.) Towards the end of the month, I got a big package of books in that I'd ordered from book outlet. They don't have a ton of stuff I want there, but whenever I can get a big order together, I save a bunch of money. 9 book for 45 dollars is quite a deal if you ask me. Not quite as good a buy as their stuff usually is, but I ordered a couple of 5+ dollar books. But I also had several that weren't even 3 dollars. I was going to post this in the next section but...It's hot. I'm suprised July is over, but also so very glad because that means we're getting closer to autumn and winter. (At least, eventually.) Because we've been so hot, I've been even more lazy than usual and my life has been pretty much comprised of 'work, read, television, sleep'. Sometimes we've been so hot that I don't even want to eat. (And that is plenty unusual for me.) I stand outside for ten minutes and I feel all wilted. What that means is that I've pretty much locked myself in with my AC and, instead of going out, I read.
Also, I am so proud of myself. So far this year I have already posted more here on my blog that I did the entirety of last year! It only took me a year to get my feet firmly planted on the ground. So, I'm very happy about this.
Off the Blog
So, remember those lilies I planted? I've actually gotten a few blooms off them but...They're not doing so well. One of the plants turned brown and died already, five or six others are turning yellow and I can't figure out why, they have bugs eating their leaves (I bought some different bug spray) and all four blooms were the same type (I planted three different colors and of all eighteen bulbs, (I planted nine of each) none of the others looks like it's doing anything). I don't know what's wrong with them besides this being the reason that I don't have plants inside: I always accidently kill them. If there is truly such a thing as a 'brown thumb' I have one. I think next time I decide 'oh, I want to plant something' I'm going to get a farm simulation game. I'm good at those.
One of my all time favorite bands (we'll ignore the fact that, technically, 'they' are no longer a band, m'kay?) released their new CD at the beginning of the month. That's Breaking Benjamin, for those of you that...well, for everyone ;) So, I think that the longest stretch that CD has been out of my stereo since I got it has been less than two days last weekend when I listened to some Kelly Clarkson. Even though I've loved all BB's other CD's, this one is even more amazing than usual and I actually love every song. However, I have a new addiction:
This song is one of my favorites of theirs - right up there with Home and Into The Nothing. Everytime I listen to the CD, I have to listen to this song. Heck, even if I don't listen to any other song off this CD, I have to listen to this one.
On TV
I finished rewatching season 3 of Babylon 5. And I read Valor's Choice just as I was wrapping up with B5 and it worked perfectly. Made me hungry for sci-fi though. (If you've got any show or book suggestions for sci-fi, I would love to get some!)
I finally finished a couple of shows that I'd been working on for ages. 1) Season 5 of Vampire Diaries. I took a long hiatus during all the Katherine/Elena stuff because I hate those storylines, but it really wasn't as bad as I had expected. And then I got sucked back into it. & 2) Blood-C. I really wouldn't recommend the show. I had my doubts about it before I ever started watching it, but it is from CLAMP and, even if I don't love all their shows, I watch them. This one wasn't even my least favorite of theirs, but I didn't like very many of the people. There is a pretty awesome storyline there and I love that we finally get some typical CLAMP weirdness. It only took until episode 11.
I also watched Devils & Realist and Girls Und Panzer. Both were quite a bit of fun. They're both really light and I loved watching them together because you've got the one that's (basically) all guys and the one that's (essentially) all girls.
So, that's my month. Over all, it's been a good month for me and I hope everyone else is doing well.
I'm sure all of you know by now that Winter (the fourth and final book in the series) comes out this November. I have got big plans for the week (possibly even weeks) leading up to that release date. (More on that when it gets closer, but I'll be posting posting special topics and such.) However, looking at Cress, I realized something important. It's been almost a year since I read Cress (and I had a cold then so my brain was fuzzy) - Cinder will almost have been two years before Winter get's released. It's not a secret, I've read a lot of books since then. I don't remember much from any of these three books. Just that I like each one more than the last. So I've decided to do something I never do: reread the series in preparation for the next book. Just the main books though. I don't think Fairest will improve for me upon rereading (like I kind of think Cinder might) and I haven't read any of the short stories. (Click here to find out why I'm holding off reading those.) For the next three months, starting with Cinder in August, I'll be reading one of the main The Lunar Chronicles books a month leading up to the November release of Winter. I plan on doing a little post each month where I let you know what I thought about the book this time and if my feelings have changed. I'd like to call it a re-read review, but I doubt it will be that in depth. Especially considering that I actually reviewed all three of them the first time I read the books. I also have plans to do a couple (two or three) special posts each month where I talk about things from the books or what they were inspired by. (I've already got ideas, but I don't want to say what they are in case plans fall through.) Is anyone else going to be rereading these books? Or do you not reread books? (Or, at least, do you not reread for the sequel? I usually don't, but this time I think I better otherwise I might not have a clue what's going one.) Or have you reread them already? Or have you read them so recently that you don't need to? If you're interested in participating in The Book Addict's Guide Lunar Chronicles (Re)Read Along, click here.
