Top Ten Tuesday: Kick-Ass Heroines

If figures. The one time I am actually prepared in advance is the one time Cleveland has a hurricane. I am still without power, but I am borrowing my sister’s electricity and getting this post going!

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by The Broke and The Bookish, is all about the ladies! We all know that Hermione and Katniss totally kick-ass and Jacky Faber and all the Gallagher Girls always have a place in my heart for being so awesome. Hat’s off to you ladies, but today I want to spotlight some new (and new to me) leading ladies who also rock.

1. Sabba from Blood Red Road and Rebel Heart. She is tough to like and often hard to relate to, but there is no denying the fact that she is a total bad ass.

2. Annabeth Chase from The Mark of Athenaby Rick Riordan. She is the Hermione of Greek mythology.  Annabeth is smart and tough and in the most recent volume of the Heroes of Olympus she is the star. I ♥ her.

3. Evie O’Neill from The Diviners by Libba Bray. Smart, sassy, and “gifted,”Evie is the elephants eyebrows! She’s my favorite flapper. Have I mentioned that I LOVED this book? I feel like it’s all I talk about!

4. Elvie Nara from Mothership by Martin Leicht. Teen Mom does outer space in this hilarious book and leading lady Elvie is one tough cookie! This is definitely my new favorite teen pregnancy/alien invasion book.

5. Daenarys Targaryen, Brienne of Tarth, and Arya Stark from The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. How could I not give a shout-out to my favorite heroines from my new-to-me favorite epic fantasy series?

6. Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Karou is one of the most unusual heroines I have met in a long time! She is talented, mysterious, and has a dangerous secret life. She is so cool.

7.  Tris Prior from Divergent by Veronica Roth. Well, duh.

8. Cinder from Cinder by Marissa Meyer. This cyborg Cinderella totally kicks ass!

9. Meghan Chase from The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. I love this half-fairy heroine! She is impulsive and strong-willed, but throughout the series she really grows into her powerful role.

10. Samantha Reed from My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. You don’t have to be a fighter or a supernatural creature to kick-ass. Sam is my new favorite contemporary heroine. She is open-minded, kind, and loyal. The grown-up me also loves that she is responsible!

Honorable Mentions: Alex from Ashes by Ilsa Bick, Rory from The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Deryn Sharp from Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, and all of the leading ladies in anything by Rosemary Clement-Moore!

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Monday’s With Megan-Meanie Moms Edition and What Are You Reading?

With Hurricane Sandy wreaking havoc on weather everywhere (even in Ohio!) my Friday off turned out to be the perfect reading day. I was excited to pack up a bag and head to my favorite reading spot for an afternoon of tasty treats and reading. Curled up in a cozy, curved seat with a bowl of soup and a latte I managed to zip through a book and a half! I finished Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate and dove right into My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (I ended up finishing this 400 page book around midnight. Could. Not. Stop.) As I drove home, listening to Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, I realized that these three very different books had one thing in common: meanie moms! Meanie Mom #1 from Eve and Adam is Terra Spiker, a billionaire mad scientist who totally hates her daughter’s BFF and has no problem voicing her dislike. Meanie Mom #2 from My Life Next Door is Senator Grace Reed, a trust fund baby who, from her high horse, refers to the boisterous Garrett family next door as “those people.” Her daughters both know that they are not to fraternize with the Garretts. Meanie Mom #3 from Along For the Ride is Victoria West, a genius scholar and author who frowns upon her daughter’s decision to spend the summer at the beach with her father. Mommy West also frowns upon the new wife, the new baby, the color pink…the list goes on. Thankfully Evening Spiker, Samantha Reed, and Auden West do not blindly obey mommy dearest. What’s the fun in that?! I know I enjoyed watching everyone butt heads.

That is just the beginning of my current reading adventures. Let’s check in with Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts for this week’s It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

I finished a ton of books last week!

Finished:

I am a little off my pace with my reading goal this year *shake fist at George R.R. Martin and amazing and looooong books* So I am trying to boost my numbers with graphic novels. Chi’s Sweet Home is totally adorable. I really loved the illustrations in Hope Larson’s adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time.

I managed to get a few walks in last week and so I finally finished my Playaway. This book was a surprise. It’s charming and lazy and then…BAM…crazytown.

I also finished three novels. Loved them all, especially My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. Fast, fun reads!

Currently Reading/Listening to:

I LOVED Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride and I am excited to have the sequel, Necromancing the Stone, but it might be slow going because I am going to start A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin and it might take over all my reading time!

That’s all for me! Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Along for the Ride

started

necromancing the stone

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian Review

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Simon & Schuster
September 18, 2012
368 pgs

Kat, Lillia, Mary are three very different girls with one thing in common: they are out for revenge. Kat is tired of the jokes and insults that come from being from “the wrong side” of Jar Island. Lillia is fiercely protective of her little sister and one guy is going to find out the hard way not to mess with her. Mary actually left the island four years about after a traumatic experience with a classmate. Now she’s back and ready to prove to her tormentor that she is a different person and ready for revenge. These three girls have no reason to be friends, but they’ve formed an unlikely alliance in order to exact revenge on the people who have hurt them most. They are united, determined, and will stop at nothing. Will revenge be sweet or will they go too far?

I read tons of YA books and for the most part the fact that the characters are teens does not affect how I enjoy the story. That was not the case with Burn for Burn. As an adult I felt really uncomfortable with the girls’ plans for revenge. That being said, I do understand why the girls thought they deserved to exact revenge. Their stories bullying are not groundbreaking, but they are powerful and painful. Teens will be able to relate to and want to read this book, and ultimately that is the goal. This book will certainly resonate with its target audience. The subtle supernatural element surprised me and I am definitely interested to see how things will play out in the sequel.

Readalikes: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers, The Hate List by Jennifer Brown, and Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Material by Rosalind Wiseman

This book was provided by the publisher and NetGalley.com for review.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Top Ten Tuesday: Halloween Spooktacular

Despite my growing aversion to scary movies (total wimp), I do love a good creepy book. This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by The Broke and The Bookish, is all about books that will get you in the Halloween spirit. This week I am including books that I haven’t read yet and it will definitely be longer than ten. It happens. I have recently read two super creepy books and I definitely recommend them! Ten by Gretchen McNeil is terrifying murder mystery that I compulsively read in one sitting. The Diviners by Libba Bray continues to haunt me, weeks after finishing it. It’s the song. Oh, that song. And the good old-fashioned occult murders, of course. So. Definitely read those.

How about some ghost stories?

1. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. I read this last year around Halloween and it was certainly spooky. I still need to read Girl of Nightmares.

2. Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey. Historical paranormal romance. BUT-there is a scene with the ghost that is super creepy.

3. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. Jack the Ripper is back and terrorizing London! Or is he? I cannot wait for the next Shades of London book.

4. Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender. Don’t you just hate it when you have to live with a bratty and possessed little sister? Ugh. I really enjoyed this one and need to read the next two, From Bad to Cursed and As Dead as it Gets.

5. Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore. This is a Scooby-doo-esque ghost story. Lots of fun! Another great ghost story from this author is The Splendor Falls. That one is more of a southern gothic ghost story.

Now for the ones that I haven’t read, but really should. Also, some non-girly ones.

6. The Light by D.J. MacHale. From the author of the Pendragon series (also need to read!), comes the Morpheus Road Trilogy, starring a sixteen-year-old boy who finds himself haunted and hunted by ghosts.

7. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I can’t believe I haven’t read this one about the boy raised in a graveyard by ghosts!

8. On the Day I Died by Candace Fleming. This collection of short stories is on my TBR list!

9. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. I lied, I read this one and really enjoyed it. I was totally surprised by the ghost. Did not see that coming.

10. Beyond: A Ghost Story by Graham McNamee. This is a new one that I want to read. Jane’s shadow is trying to kill her? Sounds creepy! And look at the cover:

Well, that’s all from me today. It’s weird to not include zombies or demons or vampires on this list, but I am pleased with my ghost story list. What spooky books are you reading?

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays With Megan Confessions of an Audiobook Junkie and What Are You Reading?

So, I am afraid that I have become incapable of driving a car unless there is a book on CD playing. True story. Last week I knew the library would be closed on Thursday and that I was going to be off Friday-Sunday, so on Wednesday night I made sure to have all the reading and listening materials that I would need to get me through the weekend (sometimes I do actually think and plan ahead). Well, imagine my distress when on Thursday afternoon I discovered that the new book I intended to start DID NOT WORK. It happens, I know, but what was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to drive my car? Was I destined to listen to the radio? Let me tell you. I went to a different library. I so lucky to live in such a library rich environment (YAY Ohio!). We have two major library systems with branches all over the place and plenty of independent libraries (like where I work). This mini-crisis was just the kick in the pants I needed to explore the little branch library that is within walking distance to my house. So, now that my crazy is all out there, let’s move on. Would you like to know what book I ended up with?

As always, thanks to Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts for one of my favorite list making memes, It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Finished:

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater-Superb. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin. The fourth volume in the series, this one wasn’t a fan favorite, but I really enjoyed the change in perspective and different character POVs.

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin. Ruby Oliver with lots of booze. Cute and fun.

Currently Reading:

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen-This is the BOCD from a different library! I was just saying I haven’t read enough Sarah Dessen. Win-win!

Breathe by Sarah Crossan- I picked this up yesterday and will probably finish today. I picked it for our science fiction genre discussion and I am really enjoying it. It’s fast-paced and not fussy. Does that make sense?

To Start:

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate-Super excited about this one. Love me some M.G.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin-I want to pause and read other things, but darn it, the characters just won’t let me! There’s no turning back now. I MUST know where [redacted] has been! I will take the plunge this week and get started.

On Hold:

Unwind by Neal Shusterman- I started this over the weekend and realized that I must have started it sometime in the past. And I seemed to have set it back down at about the same spot. Not sure why this one is clicking. I am going to keep working on it because I really want to know more about this crazy post-civil war U.S., but it’s not going to be my main book this week.

I am excited about my reading week. What are you reading?

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Top Ten Tuesday-Favorite Authors in Genre X

 

It’s been a long and busy day and I just now starting to think about this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, sponsored by The Broke and the Bookish. I don’t really think humor is an official genre like science fiction or mysteries, but that’s the list I want to make. For everyone looking for an anti-Halloween read, this is the list for you! No spooks here, just lots of laughs. Come back next week for spooks!

1. Rick Riordan-  Sure he has the action/adventure thing down too, but for me the real treat is the humor.

2. E. Lockhart- Frankie Landau-Banks and Ruby Oliver are both good for a laugh!

3. L.A. Meyer-Jackey Faber, my favorite heroine is hilarious.

4. Kiersten White- Evie from Paranormalcy is a bleeping riot!

5. Gordon Korman- Laugh out loud moments in No More Dead Dogs, Pop, and Born to Rock. He’s a funny guy!

6. Rosemary Clement-Moore- I will read anything and everything she writes!

7. Libba Bray-I mean, have you read Going Bovine or Beauty Queens? HI-larious.

 

8. Markus Zusak- Are you wondering if I have lost my marbles? The Book Thief is not funny. I know, but Ed Kennedy, hero of I am the Messenger is!

9. Lish McBride- I just finished Hold Me Closer, Necromancer and there is a witness to the fact that I was laughing out loud in public while reading this one.

10. Martin Leicht- This is one to watch guys! His debut, Mothership, is the funniest thing I have read in ages. Could. Not. Stop. Laughing.

Ok, brain is mushy. I go now.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays With Megan Teens’ Top Ten 2012 Winners and More!

Happy Monday! I declare today The Day of Lists. Seriously. I will begin with a list of the Teens’ Top Ten 2012 winner.

Here’s the deal with the TTT, straight from the YALSA website

The Teens’ Top Ten is a “teen choice” list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! Nominators are members of teen book groups in sixteen school and public libraries around the country. Nominations are posted on Support Teen Literature Day, the Thursday of National Library Week, and teens across the country vote on their favorite titles each year. Readers ages twelve to eighteen will vote online in August and September.”

And the winners are…

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

3. Legend by Marie Lu

4. Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

5. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

6. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

7. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

9. Where She Went by Gayle Forman

10. Abandon by Meg Cabot

What a great list, right? I need to get busy because I have only read half the books on the list (1, 2, 3, 7, & 8)! Sorry, no review for TFIOS. I just don’t have it in me. I couldn’t get into Miss Peregrine, I am considering giving Scorpio Races a try, I own Across the Universe (so, someday!), I haven’t read much Sarah Dessen (I should remedy that), and I am not sure why I missed Abandon!

On to list number two. As always, thanks to Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts for hosting this weekly meme.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Finished:

Pre-Read-a-thon: Wilder Life by Wendy McClure, Walking Dead vol. 15 by Robert Kirkman, and Rebel Heart by Moira Young. Lots of love for each one!

I also finished six other books during the read-a-thon. Did you miss those posts? Here is my event wrap up.

Still working on:

Started: Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

Neglecting: At Somerton: Cinders and Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

Want to get to this week: Unwind by Neil Shusterman

I am most excited to be back to reading A Feast For Crows. My goal is to finish that any anything else will just be a bonus. What are you working on this week?

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

I Survived Another 24 Hour Read-a-thon!

I did it. I made it to 8 am and then I had to sleep before I could even think about stringing two coherent words together for this last challenge! Now that I’ve had a bit of a nap I feel confident in my ability to recap the awesomeness.

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

I have to say, I really rocked it this year and things did not get challenging until hour 23!

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

I found Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride and Ten by Gretchen McNeil to be real page-turners.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

I can’t say that I do. Things seemed very well-organized.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

I enjoyed the very quick mini-challenges. I liked being able to participate by just leaving a comment instead of creating and linking a new blog post every time.

5 & 6 How many books did you read? What were the names of the books you read?

7. Which book did you enjoy most? 

Hold Me Closer remains my favorite of the day. Can’t wait to read the sequel!

8. Which did you enjoy least?

So You Want to Be a Wizard by Diane Duane was the most challenging for me.

9. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

I am eagerly awaiting the announcement of the April 2013 Read-a-thon! I might even talk myself into hosting a mini-challenge!

I had a so much this year. I read some exciting books, had great company, awesome snacks, and plenty of motivating mini-challenges. And I totally exceeded my own expectations!

Novels read: 4
Graphic Novels: 2
Audio: 1 hr 50 min
Walks taken: 3
Coffee consumed: 2 lattes and 2 cups of home-brewed

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Book Sentence Challenge Hour 19 (Better Late Than Never!)

Midnight Book Girl is hosting this fun mini-challenge. The object is to create a sentence using book titles. This one was tricky!

Mmm. Five Flavors of Dumb, ten of lamb.

3 more hours!

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

We’re Half Way Through! Hour 13 Mini-Challenge

Wow! Twelve very productive hours in and it’s time to pause for a mini-challenge.

1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?
2) What have you finished reading?
3) What is your favorite read so far?
4) What about your favorite snacks?
5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!

 

1. I am on a roll, not sleepy at all and the old peepers are just fine so far!

2. I have finished three books! Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride, Of Lamb by Matthea Harvey, and Pilgrims Don’t Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm

3. My fav so far is definitely Hold Me Closer, but I will also admit to laughing out loud many times while reading Pilgrims.

4. Favorite snack-peanut butter covered pretzels, but I am totally looking foward to some bruchetta in a bit. And peanut M&Ms. Obviously

5. I am going to confess that I have not been doing much blog visiting yet. Sorry guys!

Now I have to pick my next book. Decisions, decisions.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan