Music and Books

Many authors have song playlists they listen to while they write their masterpieces. I am a fan of many genres of books, as well as many genres of music. Luckily, both of these go hand in hand and create (at least for me) an unforgettable reading experience. I love to listen to songs while reading, so it seems more alive. It is a bit like watching a movie in my head--thank you power of imagination!

Here are a few songs and books I have listened to together in the past:

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
• Swan Song by Within Temptation (first half of book)
• Angels by Within Temptation (first half of book)
• Splintered Series by A.G. Howard 
• Give You What You Like by Avril Lavigne
• The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare 
• Clarity by Zedd featuring Foxes

I will list more as I remember them/begin new books. Let me know in the comments: Do you have a music playlist while you read or do you need it to be absolutely quiet?

Happy National Reading Day!

Today is National Reading Day, the day where reading is encouraged among all ages! What have YOU been reading? Let me know in the comments or via the hashtag #currentlyreadingblog. I have been bouncing back and forth between different book series and catching up on the 75th anniversary of Archie comics. Why comics? Well, they are a quick outlet of reading fun, great for bedtime (since you don't have to keep reading "only one more chapter" and end up staying up all night). Also, the new show Riverdale is going to air soon on the CW. As a fellow Archie fan (the early Sabrina shows helped play a part), I am excited! Also, the entire series has been rebooted and I am liking the new Betty and Veronica and can't wait for the new Sabrina special I am hearing rumors on. As for "real" books--I have started a new paranormal series based on a puzzle video game. Rather, the game is based on the book and intrigued my interest in the series. It is called Tiger Eye by Marjorie Liu. I do not have a review on it so far, as I have only played the video game-which is only part one, I do not think there is a part two-and have just started the book today. I do recommend the game, as it is a cute, quick play, and it may spark your interest in the series, too. That is all I have for now. Happy reading!!

First Read of January 2017

Originally posted on January 8, 2017.

Happy new year! What have you been reading?

I myself have just finished a book that is considered one of the best of 2016: The Vegetarian by Han Kang. I honestly thought the story would have been different by the synopsis, but it was an interesting read nonetheless. It had multiple character viewpoints--three to be exact. The main character is a woman who had a disturbing dream and decided to become a vegetarian. Her husband, the first character we hear the story from, is abusive and the story seems a bit like a horror film in slow motion. The main character's brother-in-law is the second perspective, where things become more perverse and at this point, I really didn't want to continue reading. The third point of view, the main character's sister, showed the most depth, in my opinion, and showed the sadness and despair that she herself felt and the main character's insanity (technically schizophrenia, but the things that go on in this book do borderline on insanity at times). The story was first terrifying, then disgusting, then, just sad. It was interesting how it was more about mental health than actual vegetarianism. It was a quick read, but not something I recommend unless you like fiction with a heavy dose of reality (and not the fun parts of reality). A bit heavy for such a short book.

The reason I finished it was to give adult fiction another try and also because my local library is hosting a contest each month this year. They choose a list of books to read and you challenge yourself to read it during the month. It is a fun, quick challenge that definitely inspires different viewpoints. But, I do prefer young adult/younger reader fiction. It can be heavy, but not so much that you feel the need to find another escape route than reading. Reading is the best place to use your imagination, so why imagine the worst?

Let me know what you are reading and if you are feeling up to the challenge of reading a 2016 book! I am quite curious about The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman. It sounds quite less statement piece and more lose yourself in an adventure, which I am now in need of after this last book. 

Happy New Year!!

Originally posted on December 31, 2016.

My goal this year was to read 100 books. I have made it to 91. So close!

That said, here are my top 5 books for 2016 (in no particular order):

1. 23 Minutes by Vivian Vande Velde
2. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
3. The Boy is Back by Meg Cabot
4. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
5. Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

My top 5 to look forward to next year:

1. RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
   1. Yes, technically I read it already, but I really do recommend it! It is sure to make phans of all ages happy and it is a sequel-esque book to the Phantom of the Opera, but with a whole new twist!
2. Arcana Rise (Arcana Chronicles #5) by Kresley Cole
3. A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Rose and Thorns #3) by Sarah J. Maas
4. The Dragon With A Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
5. By Your Side by Kasie West

I hope you all have a happy new year filled with many good stories to come! Leave a comment below with what book you look forward to in the new year.  :)

Book Contest! (NOT hosted by me)

Originally posted on December 16, 2016.

Secret Santa Giveaway contest! Not hosted by me, but author Kate Collins is sponsoring the secret bonus  prize--isn't that enough to make you want to enter? You have a chance to win a stocking full of ebooks and a $100 Amazon gift card!  To enter, visit this link: http://vy.tc/cHwzX57.

If you refer 3 friends, you will get a copy of one of her earlier romance novels for free! Good luck!

Letter from Meg Cabot?!

Originally posted on December 16, 2016.

I recently wrote to Meg Cabot, author of so many great books and series, such as the iconic Princess Diaries and more recently, the latest edition to her Boy series, The Boy is Back. She sent me a letter (see below), with updates on her writing, which includes the third book, Royal Crush, from the series From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess. Also, a signed bookplate and a cute bookmark! Nice! :)

If you would like a cool bookmark and an autograph for one of your Meg Cabot books, Ms. Cabot has information on her website www.megcabot.com on the where to send your fan mail/request.

RoseBlood by A.G. Howard

Originally posted on October 9, 2016.

A.G. Howard is one of my favorite authors! We have the same taste in fantasy literature. The first of her writing that I fell in love with is the Splintered series, a modern punk/goth version of Alice in Wonderland. The series is currently finished, with a total of 4 books and novellas. It is a wild ride of a read, one that will be sure to make all Alice fans ponder "How curious, what will happen next?"

Following the series, Ms. Howard has written two more books, the Architect of Song and RoseBlood. RoseBlood, in particular, is a retelling of the Phantom of the Opera. If you do not know me, I am a big fan of the Phantom of the Opera, whether it be the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the book by Gaston Leroux, or the many other retellings by similar fans of the story. I was lucky enough to win an Advanced Reader Copy (a.k.a. "ARC") that was signed by Ms. Howard and came with a really pretty music note bookmark!

RoseBlood was a great read, it took me about 3 days to finish it (which would have been less if work and other life things did not get in the way). It was fast and exciting to read, I recommend reading with Andrew Lloyd Webber's soundtrack in the background or Lindsey Stirling's Phantom of the Opera melody.

Set in Paris in a school for rising musicians, our young heroine Rune has been sent to study away from home in her mother's attempt for her to overcome her stage fright. Rune, however, knows her condition is more than stage fright, for when she hears certain songs, she cannot help but sing! Upon her arrival to her new school, Rune spies a figure in a black cape holding roses. When she later settles and goes out to see if she was seeing a real person, ghost, or perhaps figment of her overactive imagination, she only finds the remains of dead roses. But, she knows for sure she saw something! Her mother and other students believe that the story of the Phantom of the Opera is getting to her, and that she should rest. But who did she see? And how come she feels that someone is watching her, following her every move through her school and dorm?

RoseBlood is a mix of the Leroux's Phantom and a mix of Webber's musical. It seemed to draw similarities between the song "Don Juan," as when you thought you knew the plot, an unexpected twist occurs! The plot was something I never would have imagined myself, it was great to see a new take on a beloved story. It has romance, paranormal fantasy, and a bittersweet ending. There is no true tragedy in this story, but it will definitely make you feel emotions.

I believe RoseBlood is a great contribution to the Phantom "phan-dom" and I cannot wait to read the Architect of Song. More to come!

Flower Shop Mystery Series by Kate Collins

Originally posted on August 17, 2016.

Fifth in the series, "Acts of Violets" was a pleasant quick mystery read in the Flower Shop Mystery Series by Kate Collins. Abby Knight, our busybody heroine, is a mixture of Nancy Drew and Miss Marple. Set in small (fictional) town New Chapel, Indiana, our story begins with an angry clown, a Pickle Festival, and a variety of characters to set the scene. It seems that trouble seems to follow Abby, or rather she finds it! After a confrontation with an angry clown, Marco, Abby's boyfriend, goes to the rescue. Unfortunately, events take a spin for the worse when Snuggles the Clown is found dead and Marco is the main suspect! Abby must believe in herself and use her newly developed PI abilities to save the day!

The Flower Shop Mystery series is fast-paced and thrilling, a guilty pleasure that is never stale. Each book has a unique story line that is continuous and intriguing. Once you are hooked, you will be sure to be lost in the series! Fans can now watch the two (yes two!) movies from the Hallmark channel that depict the first book, Mum's the Word, and the third book, Dearly Depotted. Do not worry about reading the series and ruining the movies, or vise versa. The movies are more loosely based on plots than true to the series. But, that does not mean they are not worth looking into, either!

I highly recommend the book series, which may get another review as I am closer to finishing the 18 books out currently, and watching the movies if you want a good plot to get lost in for a couple of hours.