Top 10 Tuesday: Most Frustrating Characters Ever

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.  Don't forget to check out their blog!

This week's topic is: Most frustrating characters ever.

This one might get hard for me.  If I'm super frustrated with a character I usually just stop reading a book.  But I'm going to do my best.

1. Dom in The Lantern.  I hated him, I really did.  I thought he was an ass and I really wanted the main character to be done with him and just leave.

2. Tartuffe in Tartuffe.  For obvious reasons.  He's a yucky, weasily dude who thinks he can get away with anything.  He was so frustrating though that it was funny.  Because I'm pretty sure he was supposed to be frustrating.

3. Lucy's boyfriend in Knitting Under the Influence.  He was a big jerk.  I know I was supposed to hate him, but I REALLY hated him. 

4. For that matter then, Lucy from Knitting Under the Influence.  Only because she held on to that guy for too long.  Besides that I loved her.

5. Clay in Thirteen Reasons Why.  I really can't say exactly why, but he annoyed me so much through the whole book.  Maybe it was just a total disconnect from him because he's a boy in high school and I'm a girl who has been out of high school for forever.

So that's that.  I KNOW there are way more characters I've been frustated with over the years, but these are the ones that come to mind immediately.

Review: Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to read and review this book for TLC Book Tours. If I hadn't been approached with this book, I may never have gotten around to reading it, and I am so glad that I did read it. It's about Catherine, who loves going out with her friends, drinking, and meeting men. Then she meets Lee, who at first seems like the perfect boyfriend. But soon he becomes controling and abusive. Years later, Lee is in prison and Catherine is trying hard to move on and get over her OCD, which was brought on by what she had to deal with while she was dating Lee. Helping her is her new neighbor, Stuart. And then one day Catherine gets the phone call she's been dreading. Lee is getting released from prison.

So, the description of the book is definitely something that appealed to me when I first got the book. However, I was assuming that this was going to be just your typical crime novel.  I was very wrong and it ended up being so much better than I had expected.  It flips back and forth between when Catherine first met Lee to Catherine 3 years later and the lasting effects he has had on her.  I loved this format because right at the beginning we see Catherine as a young and happy woman and OCD Catherine who takes different routes home from work every night to make sure she's not being followed.  As the future Catherine starts to heal, we see the Catherine from the past slowly start developing her OCD.  I think this book shows just how messed up she got from the relationship so well.  Also, it shows how unwilling some people are to accept that bad things are going on.

Reading Catherine's story, it is so easy to see how someone can get sucked into an unhealthy relationship.  She tried talking about it with her friends, and they thought she was overreacting.  When Lee first starts to be controling, she doesn't really think much of it, but that's what ends up getting her stuck in her situation.  She didn't really realize what she'd gotten herself into until she was deep in it.  And it's scary to think about because what Catherine went through is so true for many, many really women out there.

I highly recommend this book.  If you're put off at first because you think it's going to read like your basic crime novel, don't be.  It is so much more than that.

Have you read this book or anything that deals with unhealthy relationships?  Do share :)

To see other blogs that are reviewing this book, check out the TLC Book Tours page.

Title: Into the Darkest Corner
Author: Elizabeth Haynes
Date of Publication: Paperback edition: 2013
Number of Pages: 432
Genre: Fiction
Source: TLC Book Tours

Top 10 Tuesday: Settings I'd Like to See More Of

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.  Check them out :)

This week's topic: Settings I'd like to see more of

1. France (obviously).  But less Paris and more other places.  I love books that take place in Paris, I really do.  But there are SO MANY OTHER PLACES OUT THERE!  Little towns on the coast, villages set around old castles, Northern France.  I am always searching for more books that take place in French cities/towns other than Paris.

2. Random cities/towns in Europe, especially like in Ireland or Scotland.  I'm sure there are tons of books out there that take place here, but I want more.  Because part of my family came a lonnnnnngggg time ago from Ireland so the place has always intrigued me.

3.  Also, Poland.  Little farming villages, because the other half of my family is from those.

4. I really love some fantasy books with made-up worlds, if the worlds are believable.  So I'd LOVE more books with settings like the Inkworld, and the world in the Books of Pellinor.  They were SO believable.  I don't read very much fantasy because I worry that I'm going to be bored with it.  So, I mean, if you have any recommendations, let me know ;)

5. I would LOVE a book that takes place in Buffalo, because I live here and would be all like "Ohhhh I know where they are right now!!  I'm going to go stand there just because I can!"

And I only have 5.  But I'm excited to see what everyone else has to say!  And if you have any book recommendations that take place in any of my 5 settings I'd like to see more of, let me know!

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Random Riggs

 

 

 

What a book, and what a pleasant surprise it was!  I honestly had no idea what to expect when I picked it up.  Twin recommended it to me - no, scratch that.  Twin basically brought it over and put it in my hands and said "You need to read this.  You will love it.  I know because we love the same things.  Oh, and also, there's this one part.  I know you'll have the exact same reaction as me.  So I underlined it in the book."

 

So I read it.  And I loved it!  It had been a while since I sat up in bed for hours just to finish a really great book, and I was not disappointed.  I thought this was going to be a creepy, creepy book.  Instead, it was a pleasant read into a fantasy world that is held up by magic.  The same day in 1943 before a bomb was dropped on the island where Miss Peregrine has her home for peculiar children.  And peculiar children they are-some can levitate, another is invisible, another can build little living and breathing creatures.  And that is the world that Jacob stumbles into when he goes to that island in present day to find out about his now deceased grandfather's past. 

 

I couldn't help but get that same happy, light hearted, I'm going on an adventure in a different world feeling that I also got when I read the Inkheart books.  I don't get that feeling a lot.  And don't get me wrong, it's not like the whole book is all "ooo, magic and a bubble where time stands still and it is all so cute!".  Because it's not, there are scary monster things that want to take Miss Peregrine for her powers, and kill the kids at the school.  And then of course Jacob needs to come to terms with what he's finding out about his grandfather's life, and also about his own. 

 

And also, U-boats.  Did I mention the U-boats?!  If you've read this blog long enough, you know that Twin and I have a weird obsession with submarines, especially U-boats.  And that of course is what she underlined in the book before she gave it to me to read :)

 

What I really loved too about this book is the PICTURES!!!!  The very, very creepy photos of the peculiar children!!  There is one in particular of Miss Peregrine that creeps. me. out.  It looks so much like an old photo of my grandpa's, of one of his aunts who was a school marm, and she always dressed in black and and least in that photo was creepy.  So creepy.  And that photo of Miss Peregrine reminded me of that photo.  And it was creepy.

 

So, anyway....  I highly recommend the book.  I hear tell that there is going to be a sequal, which I am of course super excited for.  Have you read this?  What did you think?  Do you also like to underline passages about U-boats in your books?  Or do like like to underline other random things?

 

Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Author: Ransom Riggs

Date of Publication: 2011

Number of Pages: 352

Genre: Fiction

Source: Borrowed from Twin

 

 

Peabody! (or, my new dog!)

Boyfriend and I finally got a doggy all our own!  And he is such a sweety!!  Meet Peabody:

Top 10 Tuesday: 2013 Debuts I'm Looking Forward To

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's topic is 10 2013 debuts I'm looking foward to.  I don't think I have 10, only because I really have not paid much attention to what is coming out this year.  I'm trying to clear up my TBR list and focus on those as much as possible.

With that said, though, of course I have some books that I am super excited for!

1. Fearless by Cornelia Funke.  I ABSOLUTELY ADORE CORNELIA FUNKE.  I was introduced to her stories with the Inkheart trilogy, and I was completely blown away.  Since then I've read as many of her books as I can get, and I really loved Reckless, so I'm very psyched to read this, the sequal.  It comes out April 2nd!

2. The Cleaner of Chartres by Salley Vickers.  I can't remember where I first found out about this one, but I need to read it.  I mean, come on.  This is Kelly's France Blog and this book takes place in France.  Also, I love the cover.  This one comes out June 27th.

3. Seduction: A Novel of Suspense by M. J. Rose.  This one looks really, really good!  Once again though, I cannot remember where I first heard of this one.  But seriously-Victor Hugo, seances, ghost story?!  This one comes out May 7th.

And I guess I have only 3 books that I'm anticipating for this year.  So far.  Once I read what's on other peoples lists I'm sure mine will grow wayyyyy too long for my bookshelves and bank account :)

What new releases are you looking foward to??

Top 10 Tuesday: Bookish Goals for 2013

First of all, I keep typing 2012 instead of 2103.  This will probably go on until about November, and then by the time I'm typing 2013 without thinking about it, it's going to be 2014.  Anyways...

This week's Top 10 Tuesday is Top 10 Bookish Goals for 2013.  Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.  Check out their blog :)

1. Read more books.  I really thought I would do a lot of reading in 2012, because it was my first full year out of school.  But I actually read less this year than I ever did in college.  Probably because I had to get used to not having summer and winter breaks.  And the Boyfriend and I moved in together which took away reading time in September and October when we were getting settled in.  And of course when my darling Mocha got sick I didn't really read much for months because I was with her all the time, making sure she was comfortable.  I think at this point I've got a nice reading pace going and I'd like to keep that up throughout the year.

2. Read more French books.  I don't think I finished any French books this year.  Maybe 1 or 2.  Usually every year in December or November I buy 5 or 6 books from France and have them shipped and they last me the year, and then by the time November or December role around, I'm out of French books and I have to order more.  I still have a stack here waiting to be read.  I want to be able to order more soon!!  But I won't let myself until I'm out of French books to read on my shelves...

3. Blog More.  2012 was busy and pretty life changing for me, and at times I just needed to unplug and not do anything, especially after Mocha passed away.  Also moving in with the Boyfriend gave me less time to blog at first.  I'm hoping to keep it steady all year because I know that I disappeared for a month or 2 at a time this past year.

4. Make more blogging friends. I have blogging aquaintances that I like talking to on occasion on Twitter and through comments, and I think I didn't really work hard at making blogging friends this year because of all that went on, as described above.  This year I'd like to focus on "meeting" more of you guys.

5. Start a book club.  My friend and Twin have already decided that we are definitely starting a book club, and we've got a few other friends excited about it.  We just have to sit down and plan it and decide what to start reading and then we will be a real book club :)  I'm so excited!

6. Shop more at local bookstores.  This I have always done to an extent, but now that I'm living in the city and not right near a Barnes and Noble, I think I will definitely be buying more at local bookstores.  There's 2 right down the street from me actually.  With this, I'll also be starting up my Shopping Indie again.  So yay!

And that's all I can think of at the moment.  I can't wait to read what everyone else's bookish goals are for the year!

Review: Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross

So....blogger isn't letting me upload any photos this morning, so we are without a cover of Mr. Peanut.  Which is sad because I really like the cover..

I read this when I was pretty busy moving in to the apartment and whatnot, so I didn't write my review when I should have, and now I've gone and forgotten bits of the book, and character names and the like.  So this is going to be a pretty dumbed down review.  I think I'm going to make it a priority to write my reviews within a week or two of finishing books from now on.  I can't write them right away because I need time to let the book sink in and to gather my thoughts, but a few months definitely makes it hard to write a good solid review.  I definitely know that I loved this book.

So basically, the main character, David, really loves his wife Alice, but he can't stop thinking about different ways that she could die.  Then she does die, and the rest of the book is the story that led up to her death.  Then there is the story of the detective on the case, whose own wife was murdered decades ago. 

I thought this was a sad book because it's obvious that the married couples (both the detective and his wife, and David and Alice) love each other, but things are complicated.  So I really felt for everyone, especially the women.  I felt for David when Alice became distant after having a few miscarriages, because it wasn't his fault.  I also felt for Alice because of what she was going through.  It's sad to think that 2 people who really do love each other can treat each other like shit a lot of the time.

What I still remember very vividly from when I read this was the quality of the writing.  I think Ross is a super great writer and I think I would honestly read anything else by him just so that I can read his writing.  So good.

The only warning I have for this book is that it is full of sex.  I have no problem with sex in books, and even I was to point where it was like "how much more of this is there going to be??".  The scenes were pretty graphic.  So if you don't like reading about sex, then maybe this isn't for you because there is A LOT of it in here.  It was, however, well written sex :)

Title: Mr. Peanut
Author: Adam Ross
Date of Publication: 2010
Number of Pages: 448
Genre: Fiction
Source: Personal Copy

Les Mis, the movie!

I just saw the Les Mis movie with my mom and sisters, and OMG IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!  I have never seen the musical, ever.  I knew a few of the songs and I knew the story (because what French grad doesn't?).  Seeing it was such an experience.  I was so emotional the whole time.

I need to see it again.

I am currently half way through the book and have downloaded the Les Mis movie soundtrack to keep me company while I continue :)

Have you seen the movie?  Have you seen this live?  I would LOVE to!  Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Oh and PS, the guy who plays Marius, OMG THAT VOICE!!  Highly recommended.

Top 10 Tuesday! And Happy New Year :)

Happy 2013 everyone :)  I decided to start the year off by posting my first Top Ten Tuesday post, hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.  I'm not a big meme person, but I do love lists, and I love seeing what other bloggers include in their weekly lists.  It gives a glimpse of the person behind the blog and what she/he likes to read.

So, without further ado, this week's list is: Top 10 Books I Resolve to Read in 2013.  This is easy for me because I have a huge pile of unread books on my shelves, and I'm trying to get a good chunk of those read this year.  So here are 10 of those that I'm planning on getting to soon:

1. Sepulchre by Kate Mosse.  I actually was about 150 pages into this one when I started moving into my apartment, and I misplaced it.  I found it recently at my mom's house, so I'm planning on finishing it asap.

2. The House of Velvet and Glass by Katherine Howe.  I loved The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, and I bought this one the day it came out, but I still haven't gotten around to reading it..

3. Midnight on Julia Street by Ciji Ware.  I really love Ciji Ware's stories, and my sister got me this book last year, and she already read it and keeps asking me when I'm going to read it.  The answer to that is soon.

4. House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday.  I bought this when I was taking a Native American Lit course in school because we read an excerpt and I adored it.  It's about time I read the whole thing because I've been out of school for a year and a half now (which is a scary thought..)

5. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.  I adore everything I've read by her so far, so I am super excited to read this one!  Then one of these days I should finally read Pride and Prejudice..

6. L'amant by Marguerite Duras.  I spent very little time reading French books in 2012, and I'm going to resolve to read many more this year, starting with this one.  Because it looks really good.

7. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray.  I was so excited to get this one last Christmas, and I haven't read it yet. 

8. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.  I've wanted to read this one for forever and have had it on my shelves for years.  I think it's time.

9. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  I actually read the first chapter or two and then decided I wasn't in the mood for this one a few months back.  My coworker and friend who always gives me superb book recommendations just finished it and was raving about how much she loved it, so I want to start this one over.

10. Enchantments by Kathryn Harrison.  I got this one when it first came out and I know I'll probably love it because of the subject matter, I just never remember to pick it up when I'm deciding what to read next.

So there you have it!  I'm hoping to spend the first bit of 2013 tackling these lovelies.  What are your reading plans for 2013??