Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

This is the third and final book of the Hunger Games trilogy and this review may contain spoilers.
It is full out war between The Capitol and all the Districts.  After District 12 is destroyed, the survivors all now reside in District 13.  Peeta is being held captive by The Capitol and Gale is actively working in the war effort.  Reluctantly, Katniss decides to be The Mockingjay and be the face of the resistance.  She along with other familiar faces must work together to save Peeta and gain their freedom by defeating The Capitol and President Snow. 


This was a great ending book to the trilogy!  I am impressed by how much I really enjoyed these books; it's a pretty solid series from beginning to end. I liked how cohesive all three books were and each book had a different purpose: the first one was obviously centered around The Hunger Games, Catching Fire was "the aftermath" of both of them surviving the hunger games, and Mockingjay was "the uprising" of the districts and the war truly begins.  These books were very well written and was able to hold my attention throughout.  


Sometimes it doesn't seem fair all the things that Katniss has to go through ... but isn't that indicative of life?  Life sure isn't fair.  One of my friends was upset because (I don't want to spoil it for anyone) but someone(s) dies but isn't death apart of life and in a series such as this, well especially this, shouldn't this be expected?  I am disappointed that certain characters had to die but I would probably complain if no one died.  Tragedy is necessary and helps characters to grow and become stronger, giving them the motivation to keep on fighting.


How can I not mention the whole Katniss, Peeta, Gale storyline.  This time Gale is the one who is present more throughout.  This is what I wanted from the beginning.  I have been waiting to get to know him more since Hunger Games.  Now, that I have more of a feel for him I have to say that I do like him, despite wanting not to because I am such a fan of Peeta.  There is just no way Gale can compete with what her and Peeta went through in the first and second books.  For Gale, I feel sorry for him but at the same time I have much respect for him.  His personality is definitely a little different from Peeta's and I like the edge that he has. I also like his intelligence and how he is able to use his hunting knowledge and apply it to making weaponry.  I like both guys but I did have a gripe with how the whole "love triangle," if you can call it that, was resolved.  In the end, I felt like she settled.  I never felt that she was completely smitten with either guy.  I was expecting her to actually choose but that isn't really how it goes down. 


District 13 was much different that I expected it to be.  The people there were very strict and, ironically, reminded me of The Capitol.  It just seemed like the people were still repressed though they were fighting for their freedom.  It was a definite contrast to the previous books where the settings were open wilderness.  The main focus was on the war efforts but I would liked to have seen more of the action on the front lines.  One thing I will say, the epilogue was not completely necessary.  I probably would have been fine without having read it. There are some things that I wish were different.  For instance, I wish that Katniss wasn't so drugged  throughout most of the book.  I wish that she would have been able to see her mom again.


Overall, I loved this entire series!  From start to finish, it was interesting and the characters were great.  It lacked in the romance department but that minor detail really doesn't effect the enjoyment of the books.  I can definitely see why there were so many rave reviews out there about it.  If you have not yet read The Hunger Games .... Shame on You!! 


★★★★★

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Zel - Donna Jo Napoli

Zel is the retelling of the classic children's story Rapunzel.  Zel lives a pretty secluded life with her mother, only venturing out to the market once or twice a year.  As she gets older she longs for more interaction with people outside her mother.  One fateful day, she and mother go shopping and she runs into a hansom guy.  The witch wants needs her to make the right choice and give up on the idea of marrying and having children to follow in her footsteps and become a witch as well.  However, because Zel can't seem to get the hansom man out of her head, the witch locks her up in a tower.  I'm sure you know pretty much how the rest of the story goes. 


This version holds true to the original but adding more depth and originality to the story.  I really liked that it is told from the three different perspectives of Zel, The Prince, and the witch (her mother).  In this version, I found myself sympathizing not only with Zel but also with the witch / mother.  It was clear that the witch loved Zel and even sacrificed her soul to have her.  I do not approve of her locking her up in the tower, but people do desperate things out of fear.  Her fear was that she'd lose the daughter that she never was supposed to have.  She is definitely my favorite character, as twisted as that may sound.  Another positive about this story was that Zel wasn't just a happy go lucky girl in the tower.  There were some dark moments in this book.  It was presented pretty realistically.  I mean who wouldn't go crazy after being locked up in a tower for as long as she was?  Then there is "the prince."  At first I didn't really like him that much but I guess as the book progressed he kind of grew on me.  I guess I liked his dedication to finding Zel and all of that but I guess his part in the book wasn't as intriguing to me as much as the witch and Zel. 


This is the first time, in a long, long time that I have read the tale of Rapunzel and I have to say that I was definitely surprised by how much I really enjoyed it.  I loved how all of the things that happened in the original story, happened in this one as well but it was still a little different.  I feel like the witch's part made the book, even though Zel has some crazy moments toward the end. This is truly a romantic story about love at first sight.  Honestly, I thought that I was going to be bored with this fairytale since I hadn't read one in ages but if you're looking for a blast from the past, the more grown-up version -- Read this.


★★★★☆

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WWW Wednesday


W ... W ... W ... Wednesday Hosted  by Should Be Reading 


To play along just answer the following three questions: 
What are you currently reading?
I am reading Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith.  I just started so I'm about 70 pages in.  I've heard mixed thing about this one so we'll see. 
What did you recently finish reading?


Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson.  I actually finished this one late Monday night.  I found that I couldn't put it down even if parts of it were a little sad.  Review coming soon.

Beastly by Alex Finn.  I finished one rather quickly and I do like getting the story from the beast perspective.  I'm also planning on going to see the movie.
Mockingjay b Suzanne Collins.  I am so glad that  I finally was able to read and finish this book.  I got the first two on audiobook but this one I had a hard copy of and it's definitely for keeps. 
Zel by Donna Jo Napoli.  It is a Rapunzel tale and you get perspective from not only Zel but the witch and the prince.

What do you think you'll read next?
If I end up liking Tantalize then I will read this follow up Eternal by Cynthis Leitich Smith.   If  I don't like it, well I'm not sure, I just hope I like it. 



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Teaser Tuesday


Teaser Tuesday  hosted by Should Be Reading
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two "teaser" sentences from that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away)
  • Share the title and author so other participants in TT can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser!
"Spiders hatch and crawl out of my belly button, hairy little tar beads with ballerina feet. They swarm, spinning a silk veil, one hundred thousand spider thoughts woven together until they wrap me up in a cozy shroud." 
Page 43, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson 

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Almost to Die For - Tate Hallaway

Anastajia Parker is not your typical teenager, in fact she is witch and has been her whole life.  The only problem is that she has no powers like her mother and fellow witch friends.  She is worried that she won't pass her initiation and be cast out the inner circle.  Right before the initiation, her father appears at the door and urges her not to go to the initiation and that she is a vampire princess.  Her mom literally throws him out.  Witches and Vampires are mortal enemies.  Secrets that have been kept from Ana are revealed, only to make her life more complicated.  In addition, she is going out with a cute witch and an uber hot vampire.  Will one of them be able to win her heart? 

I found this book randomly at the library while I was looking for something totally different.  Since I haven't read a book similar to this one in while I was excited.  I don't know what I expected, but I was not impressed.  It was just okay for me.  It's just your typical paranormal book with a love triangle you can see from a mile away.  The main character, Ana, got a little annoying at times.  I know this sounds terrible but I hated that her eyes were two different colors.  Was that necessary just because she is a damphyr? Two things in particular made me uneasy about her.  First, her long lost father appears out of nowhere and she immediately starts calling him Dad?  What world does she live in?  Seriously, if my father was absent for my whole life, nothing in the world would make me call him Dad right off.  Second, she goes off on her own with a vampire stranger, Elias, to the underground lair of vampires?  Really? So, it's okay to go off with a stranger, albeit a nice stranger, to a lair full of vampires? That really had me questioning this girl's judgement and intelligence.  


As far as characters, Ana was by far my least favorite.  The fact that she could be crushing hard on one guy one minute and running off with another the next without a bit of remorse really rubbed me the wrong way.  She seemed so clueless. I think that part of my problem is that she doesn't live up to some the strong female characters that I have read in the past, namely Rose Hathaway from VA.  I know I shouldn't compare them but that's how a female lead is supposed to be and I guess it's hard to live up to those standards.  Oh, and I wasn't really a fan of Nikolai.  He definitely has some anger issues.  Since he is a vampire hunter, I'm not sure how a relationship between the two of them would work.  I guess the only character that I actually liked was Elias.  He was polite, kind, honest, and I love the way he spoke to Ana.  He seems to be the perfect guy.  As far as picking a team, I would pick neither.  I don't think Ana and Nik have any chemistry whatsoever and I think Elias is too good for her.


Besides Elias, this books saving grace is the ending.  I liked how she finally came into her powers but it was definitely rushed and went by too fast. I am more interested finding out about how things will turn out between the witches and the vampires than seeing what happens with the Ana love triangle.  


 Sadly, this one was terribly unoriginal.  Luckily, it wasn't that long and I would consider it a somewhat fun read, nothing too thought provoking.  .  Looking at it that way, it's possible for you to enjoy the book.  One downside is that it's very predictable.  I will consider reading the next book solely because I want to see what will happen between the witches and vampires now that Ana has tapped into her powers.  I also really like Elias and wondering if there will be a werewolf dynamic added to the story.  


★★★☆☆

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I hate being away!!

So ... without warning I had to take a leave of absence from blogging.  I just wanted to post a little something for all you wonderful people who have decided to follow me!  I have had some personal setbacks .... I'm sure you all know how that goes.  I have been reading though!  Today I do plan on posting reviews for about three books.  Tomorrow I will be participating in Teaser Tuesday!  I'm back .... hopefully I don't run into any other issues.  I look forward to visiting the sites I follow to catch up on what I missed.  Thank you for following me guys!! 



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Follow Friday

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com} and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
  3. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  4. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  5. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  6. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog
Today's Question: What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done on cold medicine? 

Usually, when I get sick, it hits me pretty hard.   I wish I had some spectacular story to share with you guys but, honestly, the only effect that cold medicine has on me is to knock me out. lol.  My sister has tried talking to me in this state of "knocked-out-ness" with no success.  I just incoherently mumble and remain sleep. 

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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See

Now an old woman, Lily looks back on her life.  She tells of her family, the happiest times of her life and times of her greatest sorrow.  She lives a long life and looking back she has many regrets.  Lily is one of the lucky few girls that are paired with a laotong, "old sames"  which is a lifelong friendship that has the same importance as marriage.  They communicate using a "secret women's language" called  nu shu.  With the arrival of a message written in the language on a silk fan from Snow Flower their bond is sealed and their friendship begins.  They share  a lifetime of memories from when their feet were bound, to their marriage, to the birth of their first sons.  However, as things in their lives begin to change a misunderstanding just may break what is supposed to be an unbreakable bond.

I don't think I would normally pick up this book but my best friend, Toni, picked this one for this month's book club read.  Like a lot of books that I've read recently, I was surprised by how much I liked this one!  It was such a good yet tragic story of two friends.  I thought, because it is set in nineteenth-century China, that I would have a hard time getting through it, but I didn't.  The author did a great job at making it a story that anyone can easily read and understand.  It was great learning about the customs from a different culture and time period.  I feel like I have a new understanding of how the women thought, what they believed, and how they lived their lives.


One of the things I loved most about this  book was Lily's voice.  It reminded me of a grandmother telling the story of her life as the tone was more conversational.  I can honestly say that I was hooked from beginning to end.  I felt connected to Lily and the author did a great job at evoking emotions from the readers.  A lot of the customs were unfamiliar to me and it was clear that a lot of research went into the telling of this story.  Because of my connection with Lily, I was on her side when she found out the lies she had been told from those closest to her.  She should have been angry and hurt but what she does with those feelings left a bad taste in my mouth.  My feelings for both Lily and Snow Flower kind of reverse as the story progresses.  Despite my change of heart, I still liked the way it ended. Lily goes through many changes in her life and we are there every step of the way.  My only complaint is that we were able to get a look into Snow Flower's marriage but not much was mentioned about her own.  I wish that things could have turned out differently but, if it had, I don't think I would feel as strongly as I do about the book.


This story is very well written and dare I say beautifully tragic.  The symbolism, songs, and stories added depth to the story.  Here we have an old woman looking back on her life with regret as I'm sure is the case with a lot of women from many different backgrounds and time periods.  We all have regrets, lost loves, and things that we wish we could've done differently.  I felt like I was transported to this unfamiliar world and gained an understanding of what it must have been like for the women of the time.  I definitely can appreciate my life as a young woman living in today's world much more.  We can all learn from these two friends: forgiveness.  Though it can be a hard lesson to be learned, it's good not to hold grudges.  I recommend this book to women of all walks of life to take a look back in time and be grateful for the lives they have today. 


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Teaser Tuesday


Teaser Tuesday  hosted by Should Be Reading
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two "teaser" sentences from that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away)
  • Share the title and author so other participants in TT can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser!
I feel knives in my heart as I write to you.  We promised each other that we would never be a step apart, that a harsh word would never pass between us.
Page 112, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See 

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Taurus Eyes - Bonnie Hearn Hill

This is the second book in the Star Crossed series. 
Logan has overcome her first set of obstacles and has made it into the writing camp in Monterey.  Now, with the help of her trusty Fearless Astrology, she is ready to boldly face a whole new set of challenges.  She wants needs to impress her instructor, famous writer, Henry Jaffa not only so that she can get her work put in the school's anthology but ultimately she wants him to be her mentor.  As quickly as she arrives to camp, she finds that things are not going to go according to plan.  Already she has an Aries for an enemy and a sexy Taurus to distract her.  She is determined to blow Jaffa away and write the anthology that will get published but at what cost?


I don't remember how I heard about this series but after I finally got my hands on the the first book, Aries Rising, I was definitely intrigued.  Once I finished said book, I hadn't been too eager to go out and get this one.  The author, Bonnie Hearn Hill, had come across my review and sent me this book.  I was very surprised and thrilled to have had the book sent to me and an opportunity to have an e-mail conversation with her.


Like I said, I wasn't in any rush to go out and read this book.  Logan is a little older in this book and one of my complaints from the first one was that I felt she was too young for me to relate to her.  Because she has matured in this book, I did not have that same feeling.  In fact, I really enjoyed this follow-up.  There are several reasons why I liked this book.  Again, the author does a great job at infusing astrology into the plot! I have always been interested in astrology and this has deepened that interest.  I loved getting to know a little more about each sign.  "The sun definitely is not the sum."  


Logan came across differently in this book.  She seems more confident and sure of herself, which is a wonderful thing.  She is more willing to take chances and stand up for what she believes without backing down.  For example, I loved the way she took on that Aries and even that Taurus!  I also really liked how things developed between her and Jeremy.  He was a lot more likable than her previous boy interest Nathan.  I didn't really care for Nathan and I'm glad that Logan is over that.  The way she deals with her crush on Jeremy is much different from the way she dealt with Nathan.  She is more guarded despite the fast pump of her heart and she doesn't let his gorgeous eyes fool her more than once.  The only negative thing I can say is that once she and Jeremy finally get past their issues, it seems like their relationship develops a little too quickly.  I still want see him in the next book though.  


Despite her relationship with Jeremy, she is focused more on her writing than on what guy she is dating which is such a good thing.   As with the first book, there is a mystery, only this time it surrounds the ghost of a singer who died in the late 60s.  This ghost also happens to be the subject of Logan's paper.  This aspect has to be one of my favorite.  I liked how Logan has to again do some investigating and the story is deeper than the mystery from the first book.  It seemed to have more layers and I liked trying to guess how it was going to end.  It gets Logan into a lot of dangerous and sticky situations.  She handles all her challenges very well and I look forward to seeing her grow even more.


This is a short fun read.  I read this whole book in only one evening.  There was mystery, boy issues, and of course astrology! There is no doubt about it, I am definitely going to read the next book in the series entitled Gemini Night.  And, this time, I'm excited to.


★★★★☆

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The Giver - Lois Lowry

Jonas lives in a world that is perfect by most standards.  The people live in peaceful, controlled communities without worrying about fear, pain, or war.  When they turn Twelve, The Elders give each person their assigned jobs and they begin their training.  For Jonas, this is a much anticipated event because turning twelve is the last age that is celebrated and acknowledged.  This ceremony is different and Jonas is given the honor of becoming the new Receiver of Memories.  The old Receiver, now called The Giver, for his task is to pass along the memories of generations past of true love and happiness, sadness and pain to the new Receiver.  The new knowledge helps open his eyes to the truth about the world of Sameness around him.  It is his honor and duty to accept this challenge and his world is changed forever.  How will he handle this new truth?

I was at one of my best friend's house talking about books. (hhmm imagine that!)  She pulled out The Giver and asked me if I'd read it.  I had heard of it and that for some people it was a required reading for school.  I groaned and told her that I had not read it.  She then gave it to me and told me that I must read it, that it was good.  Obediently, I took the book and put it at the bottom of my TBR pile.  Needless to say, I wasn't too eager to read a book that was required reading for some.  Finally, I picked it up, especially since it's not very long at 179 pages, and discovered that it is AMAZING!  I really should have picked it up sooner. 


This book is brilliant from beginning to end!  For such a short, quick read it raises a lot of thought provoking questions.  I know I'm guilty, as are most people, of taking my life for granted, wishing that things were more like Jonas' world.  There positives and negatives to every situation.  Nothing is perfect even if you are ignorant to the negatives.  In the society described in the book, things seems perfect on the surface but when you learn the truth you understand how sad it all is.  There may not be any war but they know nothing of true love and the freedom to live as you like, choose your own mate, and things as simple as colors, snow, nature, and sunshine.  As Jonas slowly is able to understand these things and more including pain, he grows as a person and wants to help others see but that is forbidden.  This book has given me a new sense of appreciation for being able to live my life the way I want and being allowed to make my own choices.  


The ending did not disappoint and it is left open.  Normally open-ended ending irritate me but this time I was glad for it.  It gave me a sense of hope and optimism about Jonas' future.  I highly recommend this book to people of all ages and walks of life.  I didn't think I would like this book at all but I was thoroughly surprised.  It's an easy and quick read that won't leave you disappointed. 


★★★★★

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The Optimist's Daughter - Eudora Welty

Laurell McKelva Hand has to return to her home in the south to see about her father who has to get surgery.  Tragedy comes in the form of death and she is the only person in her family left besides her father's new, younger wife.  She must deal with the death of her father, revisit the death of her mother, and accept her father's wife.  


I read this book because of The Take a Chance Challenge.  This is definitely nothing like the type of books I normally like to read.  It was a short but long 180 pages.  I read this in only a couple of hours but it was very boring.  This isn't a bad book if you want to read a sad story.  I hated Judge McKelva's wife Fay.  She was very insensitive, selfish, and rude to Laurell.  Then the people that live in the town are very annoying.  I had a hard time keeping up with who was saying what.  There was a point in the book where they were going back and forth talking about Fay, Laurell's mother, and her father that I thought was completely unnecessary.  In fact, they were insensitive as well to Laurell's feelings.  I feel bad for Laurell and all that she has to endure.  For a woman in her early forties, it has to be hard to have lost a mother, father, and husband.  There were parts that was interesting, like finding out how she lost her mother and husband.  I suppose I'm glad that she came to a point where she had to accept her losses and move on with her life.  


This story is one of death and loss and I found it depressing.  I do not suggest this book to anyone who likes books with action.  I kept waiting for something exciting to happen and it never did.  I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately it just wasn't my cup of tea.  



★★☆☆☆

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Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Playing Time: 11 hours 37 mins
Read By: Caroline McCormick


This is the second book in The Hunger Games series and this review contains spoilers.  Both Katniss and Peeta have achieved the impossible: they both survived The Hunger Games.  Once you are declared the winner, there's no going back.  However, the incident that lead to both of them winning is seen by President Snow and some of the districts as an act of rebellion against The Capitol instead of an act of love. Without even knowing it, Katniss has become a symbol for hope and a target for The Capitol.  They get the biggest surprise of their lives when they are thrown back into the games for the Quarter Quell and the results are much different from the first time they went in.  Can they both come out alive, again? 


I have really enjoyed listening to these books.  I loved learning more about the world they live in.  I anticipated the love triangle that would play out between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale.  I was looking forward to learning more about Gale since he wasn't really a presence in the first book after she went off to the games.  I like Gale but I still feel like I want to know more about him.  It's obvious that he loves Katniss and I think she's leaning more towards him because of their history. However, I am Team Peeta all the way!  I can't help but love him and I found myself wanting to scream at Katniss.  I don't understand how she can be so clueless and it's borderline annoying.  Their "fake" relationship was kind of painful knowing that she doesn't love Peeta back.  The only thing she can think of to convince President Snow that she is in love is to kiss him a lot.  She doesn't seem to really love either guy, in fact, it seems like she's confused because she feels sorry for both of them for liking her.  So, I was disappointed in that aspect of the book.


I have to admit I liked the first book a lot more than this one.  For a middle book, it delivers.  There is action but not as much as the first book.  We learn a lot more about the districts and what's been going on outside of District 12, which is nice but some of it was a little unnecessary.    Katniss was ignorant to how much her performance at the games affected the world as she knew it.  Also, I didn't like how she was left out of some key bits of information though I understand the reasoning behind it.  Katniss is still a likable character but can be annoying at times especially when it comes to Peeta and Gale.  The plot twists are a little far fetched.  Like, first they have to get married because of President Snow, then they are already married, and then Katniss is pregnant?  Lies on top of lies on top of more lies.  Despite my gripes I still really enjoyed the book.  There was more I needed to look past in the book though. 

Since Caroline McCormick also read the first book, I knew what to expect going in.  Still, it did bother me that Katniss sounded much older than I would have imagined her sounding.  It wasn't too bad listening to her this time around and she does an okay job.  


Catching Fire does a good job at setting up the final book Mockingjay and I can't wait to read it.  The book ended with a cliffhanger but no type of wrap up.  It just stops which I didn't like too much.  If you're going to read this one I suggest having the next book handy.   


4★s


Side note: After thinking about it, this series reminds me of  The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld which isn't a bad thing.  District 13 = The New Smoke, The Capitol = Special Circumstances, secret rebellions and people/animals being genetically altered.  

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Follow Friday


To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules
  1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://missiontoread.blogspot.com
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!  
  8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
Today's Question: If you are a fan of science fiction, what is your favorite book? If you haven't read Science Fiction before any inkling to? Anything catch your eye?
I can't say I'm a big fan of Science Fiction.  Of all the books I've read, Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld and I have to say it was pretty good.


I recently finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and  I absolutely LOVED it! 



I really don't think there are any other ones that I have my eye on but hopefully the blog hop will change that! I am about to start reading the last book of The Hunger Games series ... Mockingjay. 


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Snowmegeddon came and went and left me sick.

Almost everyone I know has been sick this winter, except me, until now!  Being sick has to be one of the worse feelings in the world.  I'm not a sickly type of person so when I do catch something, it hits me HARD.  There was a time, in the not so long ago past, when I could proudly say "I haven't been sick in years."  Well, today, I am eating those words.  


These colds really can sneak up on you!  On Saturday, I was fine, even went out and celebrated a friend's birthday.  Oh!  It was fun but I'm sure bar hopping and drinking all night then ending up at a Coney devouring chili cheese fries, didn't help my situation.  By the early hours of Sunday, I couldn't move.  I thought, well I'm just sore from all that dancing.  Denial. Isn't it lovely?  Shortly after that thought the coughing began.  Follow that with a fever, sore throat, stuffy/runny nose, cold sweats, and a headache and that just about covers all my symptoms. The worse is not being able to stay warm.  I had a heavy blanket, on top of flannel pajamas (don't laugh they're warm), with the heater going and still feeling cold to the core despite being soaked in sweat.  This was an ordeal folks!!  Now, after three days of being bedridden, I am able to sit up somewhat comfortably and communicate with the world.  


Some of you may ask, "Sunshine, did you take medicine?"  Normally, I don't take meds unless it is absolutely necessary.  Headaches, I usually sleep off.  This, I definitely couldn't just sleep off.  So, I forced myself to take some NyQuil, which has to be some of the most disgusting stuff ever! I also took a muscle relaxer, a prescription I still had from the car accident. (oohhh .... I guess I shouldn't have done that but they weren't expired and they helped a bit)  The real star of this story is a home remedy.  It's called a hottie tottie.   I owe you one KR-H!  I will share it with you all: a shot of brandy, tea, honey, and lemon.  Drink while hot, get under the covers and sweat it out.  I did this last night and lo and behold I am coherent today!

At first, I thought I could use this time off work confined to my bed and read to my heart's content.   Yeah, that's didn't happen.  I wish I could insert something spectacular here but alas it would not be true.  Truth: I slept for the better part of three days and when I wasn't sleep I was coughing or listening to music in what felt like a drunken stupor.  I guess the moral of this tale of mine is get a flu shot if you haven't already.  There, I said it, my good deed for the day is done.  As for now, I'm going back to bed. 

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Follow Friday


To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:
  1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://missiontoread.blogspot.com
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!  
  8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
This week's question: What is your favorite romance hero-type? Stereotype wise. Do you like the strong silent type or the brute macho man?

I like the brute macho man.  I like for him to be confident and somewhat aggressive.  Stories where he will say the sweetest things but if a fight breaks out he will kick some butt. 

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Stylish Blogger Award

WOW!  I am completely surprised by this award!! People actually visit my blog?  When did that happen? LOL  I would like to thank Laugh Love Write and A Bird's Eye View for giving me this award. I was just talking to my friend the other day about changing the look of my blog, but I think I leave it be for a while longer.  


Now, I guess I need to tell you 7 random facts about me:

  1. I never was the girly type, in fact I hung out with boys most my life, but I LOVE getting my nails and feet done.  Especially pedicures, there is nothing like it!! 
  2. I LOVE tattoos on guys, of course it depends on the tattoo. I can't bring a guy home with a spider web on his face. 
  3. I LOVE piercings!! I have 4 not including my ears.  2 studs in my nose, a lip ring, and a belly ring.
  4. I'm going to school for nursing --- so eventually I'll have to say goodbye to #3. 
  5. I adopted a cat named Daisy and even though I'm supposed to be allergic to cats, she doesn't make me sneeze! 
  6. I like mustard!! Don't say eeewww!  I like it the way most people like ketchup.  I like to dip my potato chips and french fries in it. YUM! 
  7. I can sleep any place, anywhere!  I kid you not I have been known to sleep through A LOT of noise and I don't snore either. LOL 
There you have it 7 things about me.  I hope you liked getting to know more about me! Now my final task is to award 15 other bloggers with this award! Here goes: 
  1. Bookworm Bookeater My little sister's blog.  I remember when she was the only one who read my blog.  Besides reading, school takes up most of her time. Though she doesn't update as much as she'd like I still LOVE her blog.
  2. Preternatural Primer Carissa's blog is so amazing!! She has the best Teaser Tuesday  ever and I have added a lot books to my TBR from her site.
  3. The Little Bookworm I love this blog! I love reading Andrea's reviews and her site inspired me to try more book challenges this year than I expected. 
  4. The Book Worms Such a cute blog! I love Cover Crazy!
  5. The Unread Reader I do enjoy visiting this one.  One of my favorite memes (though I have yet to participate) is My Book Boyfriend.  I love all the ones I've seen so far!
  6. The Small Town Book Blog I recently discovered this blog and I have to say I have really liked what I've seen! 
  7. Geeky Blogger's Book Blog I really love the design of this blog very stylish! Love how the rating system uses wine glasses! 
  8. Reading Lark One of the cutest blogs I follow.  I really enjoy reading this blog!
  9. Between The Covers This blog is very cute and purple is my favorite color! I like the background and the button so very much. The contents don't disappoint either!
  10. All Things Urban Fantasy This is a great blog ... very nice!  I am also a fan of urban fantasy so this is the perfect blog to get new book ideas. The bat rating is awesome!
  11. The Story Siren I love the simplicity of the background of this blog! Very nice! 
  12. Steam Punkery & Book Reviews I am also a book addict. My apartment has books everywhere too.  I really like this blog! One of the most unique blogs I've seen. 
  13. Alison Can Read This blog is sooo adorable. I think we are interested in many of the same books.  I also think it's AMAZING that she likes manga!
  14. The Book Vixen I can't say what a great site this is! I really heart everything about his blog, especially the frogs :) I also love reading her reviews
  15. Life As We Read It Another blog I have recently discovered and I'm excited to see what the future holds. 

Here's what needs to be done if you receive this award:

  • Thank the awesome person who gave you the award
  • Post 7 random things about yourself
  • Give the award to 15 other blogs
  • Contact the blogger and let them know they have won!

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