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Reading progress update: I've listened 505 out of 972 minutes.

Red Rising - Pierce Brown book

Tim Gerard Reynolds is my favorite narrator ever. I am completely in love with this edition of Red Rising, because he is bringing the whole story to life for me. Especially the characters. Especially Darrow and Fitchner and Sevro. They were always kind of my favorite characters, but now...they are real to me like never before.

The narration in this just captures these characters in a way that my imagination never could, and I have read this book twice. They are more sarcastic, more witty, more angry, more...everything when he is reading them. It is simply fantastic.

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Reading progress update: I've listened 348 out of 972 minutes.

Red Rising - Pierce Brown book

I have read this book through completely twice, and now I am listening to it on Audible. No matter how many times I am exposed to that fight scene between Darrow and Julien, it still shakes me to the core.

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Jack, by Liesl Shurtliff

Review: 4/5 Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk - Liesl Shurtliff book

So, this is the 2nd book in the non-series of fairy-tale books by Liesl Shurtliff. At least, as far as I can tell, they are not in a series. And, honestly, this book could easily be read alone, and I don't know that you would be too lost if at all. Personally, I like to read in order when there is an order, and I liked having the back story knowledge. But in a lot more ways than I expected, Rump and Jack are not really related.

Nor was this book, I think, as strong from the start, as Rump was. Rump had me hooked right away (at least the second time around reading it), while Jack took a bit before I really was enjoying myself completely. Once I got into the book completely, though, and was really enjoying it, I really had a good time with this book.

I think there was just something about Jack and Tom and especially Martha at the beginning that was not terribly genuine. I couldn't connect with Jack and Tom especially, so I felt kind of like I was missing something from the story. But then somehow Jack and Tom both became more open and genuine, and I was able to connect with them.

Overall, still a really interesting book, and a fun look at the world of Jack and the Beanstalk. These books are really fun if you like twisted fairy tales and fables, and I'm really looking forward to diving into reading Red next.

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Reading progress update: I've read 81%.

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk - Liesl Shurtliff book

Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems like kind of a waste of resources how they're doing things.

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Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard; Narrated by Amanda Dolan

Review: 5/5 Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard, Amanda Dolan book

This review is for the audiobook edition, narrated by Amanda Dolan.

Story Review: I loved this book. There are Reds and there are Silvers. And I'm still not totally clear on what happened way back when to set the two apart, but at some point, the Silvers came into having silver blood, and powers, and the Reds are just normal people, and therefore less.

I can see how possibly this idea would be grating to some, because in a way it is to me. But, the overall story made up so much for it, that I have to forgive that. The way the story is written, it is not just about Reds and Silvers, it is about Mare and her family and Mavin and Cal and Julien and all the other characters along the way. Ms. Aveyard wrote her book in such a way that you get to know these people as if they are living on your block, or in your house. When they are happy, you rejoice with them. When they are not, you feel their pain. At least, that's how it went for me.

Because I listened to this as an audiobook, I saw the world in perhaps even more detail in my head than I normally would have, because I was only listening, not reading and imagining. This let my imagination run away with itself and show me all about her world that she had created.

Audio: Ms. Dolan did a fantastic job narrating this book. She really made the book come alive for me, and she has the perfect voice for this book. I only listened to the book, I didn't read it, so it was a deeply immersive experience for me, just listening to the book.

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Rump, by Liesl Shurtliff

Review: 4.5/5 Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin - Liesl Shurtliff book

I started reading this series because I have the opportunity to read the 3rd book in this series, Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood. And I'll be honest, it took me 2 tries to get into this book. But, I think that the failed first attempt was because I just was overwhelmed with books at the time, and didn't have the focus for it.

This second time around, I devoured the book, which was not hard, because it flows very nicely, and moves very quickly. It felt like I hardly had spent any time at all reading before I realized I was halfway through. This does not mean the story is rushed or incomplete in any way, though. I found the story to be very thorough and a nice behind-the-scenes look at Rumplestiltskin.

This book is safe for youthful readers, but I happily recommend it to readers of all ages.

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Seduction in Death (In Death, 13) - J.D. Robb book

If it's too good to be true, it's probably a big, fat lie.

Page 237

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Review: 4/5 The Passenger - Lisa Lutz book

I would like to thank Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a really hard book for me to review. I really enjoyed the book, so don't get me wrong there. But it took me a LONG time into the book to feel ANY kind of sympathy for ANY of the characters in the book. The strange thing is, rather than hating the book because I couldn't connect with any of the characters, I found myself intrigued and couldn't wait to continue on.

This book kept me guessing until the end, and I love that in a book. The characters, too, are well written, and some of them become rather complex.

Overall, an enjoyable book.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I am never compensated monetarily for my reviews.

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Reading progress update: I've read 1%.

Wizard of Oz Omnibus [illustrated] - Eltanin Publishing, W.W. Denslow, L. Frank Baum, John R. Neill book

She had a house in the middle of nowhere...that got swept up by a tornado and dropped on top of a wicked witch. And she actually has a key...and a need...to lock the door when she leaves?

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The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins

Review: 5/5 The Girl on the Train: A Novel - Paula Hawkins book

So, over the past couple of years, I have come to hate it when books are compared to other big-name books. For fans of The Hunger Games, or If you loved Gone Girl, this is the book for you! Very, very rarely have those promises been true when it comes to books I have read that compare a new book to an older one.

However, in this case, when they compare The Girl on the Train to Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn, I feel like the comparison is spot on.

Almost right from the start, it becomes clear that Rachel is not the most reliable narrator ever. And this appealed to me so much, because I love to be surprised by books. This book will definitely keep you guessing...I'd say until about 80% of the way through. This book is full of unreliable people. People that you may very well end up hating by the end of the book. Honestly, I stopped feeling sorry even for Rachel very quickly. My dislike of the characters only increased in volume from there.

But, despite what would normally be a huge turnoff for me, I found this book to be incredible. The twists and turns and general haze of uncertainty really kept me wanting not stop reading until I was finished. I wanted so badly to know what the truth of the situation was, that I actually found myself unable to sleep at night because I was so worked up over the book, rather than relaxed by the act of laying in bed reading.

It seems like this is a book that most people either really like or really don't. In my opinion, if you really enjoyed Gone Girl, there is probably a better chance that you will enjoy The Girl on the Train**.

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Review: 5/5 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Ellen Forney, Sherman Alexie book

I started reading this for class, and finished it up on my own. I have to say this is the most I have ever enjoyed a book I read for school.

This book is YA, but it is easily enjoyable by adults as well. In fact, if you have a young adult reader in your home, I recommend you read this before your young adult reader does. I am in no way saying that teenagers shouldn't read this book. But, there are themes in it that would be inappropriate for kids of certain ages if they are too young.

I totally recommend this book for teenagers, as age appropriate, though. Yes, this book is challenged and banned a lot, and I can see why. But this book deals with things that probably every teenager on the planet goes through at some point, in one way or another.

As a parent, though, I related to a couple of things in this book; not from Arthur's point of view, but from his parents' point of view.

Please keep in mind that this book doesn't pull any punches. Sherman Alexie pretty much tells it like it is, and doesn't seem to be afraid of what anyone will think about it...because, after all, he is just saying it like it is. And I completely respect that.

This book had me laughing and tearing up, and it made me disgusted and angry, and I feel like my feelings were on a roller coaster, but it was worth it for this amazing book.

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Reading progress update: I've read 3%.

The Girl on the Train: A Novel - Paula Hawkins book

Unreliable narrator: check!

This is exciting already!!

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Reading progress update: I've read 24%.

The Selection (Pandora) (Italian Edition) - Kiera Cass, A. Carbone book

The Bachelor...on steroids.

Fantastic!!

This book has a lot of YA Dystopian cliches to it. But I love this book so far, anyway.

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Really excellent book!

Review: 4/5 Mrs. Houdini: A Novel - Victoria Kelly book

I just wanted to share how excellent this book is. I really had a good time reading it, and felt transported into the story.

This book is getting published March 1, 2016, and I highly recommend it!

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Reading progress update: I've read 67 out of 230 pages.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Ellen Forney, Sherman Alexie book

Amazing book. I want to sit down with it and read until I finish it. But I am reading it for school, so I have to pace myself and take notes.

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Reading progress update: I've read 57%.

Mrs. Houdini: A Novel - Victoria Kelly book

I completely love Bess. She is wonderful! Harry, however, is growing annoying.

I love this book COMPLETELY, though! I hate to put it down, but my break is about over.

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