"Rumble" by Ellen Hopkins

I have heard great things about Ellen Hopkins' books and I was also fascinated by the fact that she writes entirely in verse. Rumble was the first book of hers that I read and I now see what the fuss is all about. It is the story of a teenage boy - Matt Turner - who is faced with a lot of difficult issues. His younger brother committed a suicide, his parents, whose marriage was always rocky, are on the brink of divorce, and his girlfriend, who has stood by him through the most difficult times, is starting to draw away from him as she immerses herself in her faith, youth group activities and church work. Matt himself is entirely disillusioned when it comes to religious beliefs. He feels there is no God, or else, what God would inflict such misery on His creation?

I thought Hopkins did a great job portraying the struggles of a teenager with such universal and timeless issues as one's purpose and meaning in life, morality, faith and relationships. Matt is a great character. He is smart, sarcastic and witty. He is also ridden with guilt, doubts and anger. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to check out Hopkins' other work.

"We were Liars" by E. Lockhart

This novel has gotten mixed reviews from readers and I was curious to check it out. The story follows a rich New England family that spends every summer on a private island near Nantucket. The family consists of grandparents (who have all the money), their three adult daughters and their children. The story is written from the point of view of the oldest granddaughter and heiress to the Sinclair fortune Cadence Sinclair. She tells us about her summer on Beachwood Island when she was 15. She has the fondest memories of spending time with her cousins and also falling in love with her aunt's stepson Gat. Then, one day something terrible happens. Cadence is found on a beach late at night by herself and appears to have suffered some sort of head injury. She remembers nothing of the accident or the events leading up to it. Long hospitals stays, pain medication and constant migraines are Cady's reality after the accident. E-mails to her cousins remain unanswered and the boy she thought she was in love with never visits her in the hospital or makes any attempt to contact her. Cady is devastated. Two years after the accident she is determined to go back to Beachwood Island to confront her cousins and Gat and finally get some answers.

I loved this book. I ended up getting it as an audiobook from the library and I would highly recommend this format. It is fairly short and beautifully narrated. Some reviewers mentioned that they figured out how the story would end. I was not one of them. The ending was completely unexpected to me and I really liked how the story wrapped up. I am really glad I decided to give this book a go.

My 2015 in Books

It is December 27th so I thought this would be a good time to review the reading goals I set for myself back in January and see how I did.

1. I wanted to read 70 books in 2015. I ended up reading 113! Yes, this is the most books I've read in a year in my entire life (some of my other hobbies ended up on the back burner).

2. I wanted to read more classics. I am proud to report that I read 10 classics this year.

3. My next goals was to read at least one book in Russian. I am happy to say I read 3 books in Russian in 2015.

4. I planned to read a biography. I read Persepolis, Persepolis 2 and Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi, all autobiographical graphic novels. I also read Wild by Cheryl Strayed - also an autobiographical book recounting the author's hike on the Pacific Coast Trail.

5. I wanted to read a book written entirely in verse.  Just yesterday, I finished Rumble by Ellen Hopkins, a heart-breaking and poignant story of a teenager dealing with his brother's suicide and tackling the eternal issues of faith, God, guilt, difficult parents and relationship issues.

6. My last goal was to catch up on some series I had previously started. I did OK in this category. I definitely finished off some series, but I also started a few new ones, so this is an ongoing goal.

Overall, my reading progress is presented in the photo below (courtesy of Goodreads).

Top 5 Wednesday: Series I want to start next year

 

The end of the year is definitely the time to start thinking about plans and resolutions for the coming year. I am planning to do a separate post on my reading goals. However, since this week's Top 5 Wednesday topic is also focused on reading objectives for 2016, I could not pass it by. As usual, if you'd like to know more about Top 5 Wednesday, it is a Goodreads group and the link to the page is here.

Now without further ado, here are the five series I would very much like to start is 2016.


1. Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger

This is a 5-book adult steam punk series that I keep hearing great things about. I own all five books in the series and as far as I know there will be no more books coming out. The thing I dislike about long series in which books do not have self-contained plots is the long wait until the next installment. Oftentimes, I forget a lot of things in the previous books and have to either go back and re-read the series or look up summaries on the internet. In this case, all the books are out so 2016 is a great time to pick them up.

2. Selection by Kiera Cass

This is an on-going series, but my understanding is that the first three books can be read as a stand-alone trilogy. I have seen mixed reviews of this series but at the same time I am interested in it. I don't want to get spoiled on the plot so I purposely have not read much about these books. I only know that it is a Cinderella-type story that also includes royalty and romance. So sounds like a perfect series to relax with.

3. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

This is a young adult fantasy series that is extremely popular and has great reviews. In fact. Lainey from GingerReadsLainey who started the Top 5 Wednesday Goodreads group talks about this series all the time and highly recommends it. I think there will be either 6 or 7 books in the series and 4 are currently out. I am really curious about this series and do hope that I can get to it this year.

4. Angelfall by Susan Ee

This is another series that I hear only good things about. In fact, I don't think I've seen a bad review of this trilogy. It is supposed to be really fast-paced fallen angels books and seems like I should be able to just breeze through them.

5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

I never read these books or watched the movies and I hear it is a really good children's classic. I am not sure i will read the entire series, but I would definitely like to pick up at least the first book.

"Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville

I finally finished this literally "whale" of a book! When I first started reading this famous classic, I knew very little about it other than that it was about a whale... Because it is such a massive and multifaceted work, I am not even sure how to structure a review of it. So I will just list my various impressions and thoughts about it.

First of all, the most unexpected thing about Moby-Dick was Melville's humor. His observations about human nature are on point and often quite funny. In fact, the first line in this review is borrowed from Melville. At one point in the book, he notes that if one is going to write a book about the leviathan, he cannot help but end up with a leviathan of a book.

Secondly, Moby-Dick is so much more than an adventure story about a mad captain chasing a great white whale. Melville includes in his book an encyclopedia's worth of information about whales and whaling. I would say this aspect of the book makes it the most difficult and the most amazing. It is difficult because of terminology and pure tediousness of long and very detailed descriptions of everything from various tools to the actual process of killing a whale and getting its oil. At the same time, the extent of Melville's knowledge and the care he took in organizing and presenting this information is simply mind-boggling. Not only did he use his own experience on whaling ships, he also read extensively on the subject of whaling and whales and attempted to systematize and analyze the existing body of knowledge in regards to the biology of whales, mythology and art work featuring leviathans, and peculiarities of the whaling business.

Thirdly, Melville is a keen observer of human nature and a philosopher at heart. He examines the nature of good and evil, superstitions, and beliefs. He also quotes extensively from and comments on the Bible. In fact, the main characters in the book have Biblical names. The narrator's name is Ishmael. In the Bible, it is the name of Abraham's first son born to him by Sarah's handmaiden Hagar. Once Sarah herself miraculously at the age of 99 becomes pregnant with Isaac, she insists that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away into the desert. God hears the infant's cries and leads Hagar to a well of water. Thus, the boy miraculously survives and fathers the nation of Ishmaelites. If you know this biblical story going into the book, the name does prefigure the ending of the story.

The mad captain in Moby-Dick bears the name of Ahab. In the book of 1 Kings, it is the name of an evil king of Israel, who worships Baal instead of the true God, and whom the prophet Elijah condemns and challenges to a contest.

Thus my overall impression of this book is that it is unbelievably complex. If you are going to read it, I would recommend getting an illustrated version and reading all the footnotes. Melville quotes from many sources and understanding the context will help the reader appreciate the extent of the author's erudition and curiosity. Illustrations are helpful for visualizing the various tools and implements used in whaling.

Now finally to the characters. Melville is a master of creating colorful and unforgettable characters. In some sense everyone on the whaling ship is a quintessential sailor. Like in some other classics, Melville's characters also launch into long monologues expounding on their choices, making philosophical observations or in one case preaching to the sharks.

Sorry about this whale of a review, but it simply cannot be helped. Overall, I am glad I read this book. But I do see that it is definitely not for everyone. If you like classics, you will definitely want to read this one. 

Top 5 Wednesday: Books to Read by the Fire (Winter/Holiday Recommendations)

It is that time of year when book bloggers/book tubers compile lists of winter/holiday reads. I must say, normally I do not associate winter/holiday time with any particular type of books. However, late December/early January for me was always a great reading time because of school break/vacation time. When I was in high school, my mother would often give me a book for Christmas and I would end up reading it during the holiday break (here is my post from last year reminiscing on those good times). So for me, any good book would be great for reading by the fire. However, I did pick out five of my favorites that are bound to put you into a holiday mood:


1. My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories edited by Stephanie Perkins

This is a compilation of holiday-themed short stories by popular YA authors such as Holly Black, Laini Taylor, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, etc. I read it in December of last year and loved it. As with any anthology, there were some stories that I liked best and some were just so-so. But overall, it is a great book to read around the holidays. The stories are heart-warming and sweet, and will also give you a nice sampling of these authors' writing.

2. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

This book was made into a movie a few years back starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis. However, I think the book is much better. It is a laugh-out loud impossible-to-put-down kind of read, and I absolutely love it. As a side note, I used to read everything by John Grisham and this book really opened him up for me as a versatile writer who successfully crosses over to other genres from his usual detective story/legal drama/thriller type books.

3. Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

This is a compilation of three stories by three different authors. All three stories are set in the same location and have common characters, but each individual story zeroes in on a different couple. Reading this book reminded me of watching "Love Actually" or "New Year's Eve", the movies that have several story lines, but the characters all one way or another know each other and all come together at the very end. Overall, I would say the stories get progressively better as you go along. It is a great book to curl up with near a Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate. These are all fluffy love stories with couples finding true love or reuniting on Christmas Eve/Day. It will also make a great holiday present for a book-lover in your family.

4. The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol

This is going to be a different kind of recommendation. Did you know that Carol of the Bells is a Ukrainian folk song? It celebrates the festive season and its traditions such as the pealing of church bells at Christmas and caroling. The Night Before Christmas by Ukraine's greatest comic writer Nikolai Gogol is a fairy tale set in a Ukrainian village on Christmas Eve. It is not a typical Christmas story. It features a witch and the devil who are at their most powerful right before the birth date of Christ. There is also a wonderful Christmas miracle in this tale. The story creates a wonderful atmosphere of Ukrainian festivities, beliefs and traditions. I highly recommend it. 

5. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I was debating as to whether or not include this book in this list. It seems like such an obvious choice. But I do love both watching the movie/theater adaptations of this story at Christmas time and reading the book. Nothing creates a better holiday atmosphere for me except for maybe The Nutcracker. 

"Uprooted" by Naomi Novik

Uprooted is a very atmospheric standalone fantasy novel that reads more like a Slavic fairy tale. The story takes place in a remote village located at the border of an old and dangerous Wood. Villagers who venture too close to the Wood tend to disappear and those who return are corrupted and serve the Wood in sowing evil. The lord of the land is a wizard named the Dragon. He lives in a tower at the edge of the Wood and keeps the surrounding villages safe. In return, every ten years he takes a young girl into his tower. No one ever knows what exactly happens to the young maidens there, but at the end of 10 years none of them return home. Instead, having been transformed into cultured and wealthy young women, they choose to settle in big cities.

The story is told from the point of view of Agnieszka, a young village girl who is chosen by the Dragon to spend the next 10 years in his tower. We learn early in the story, that the Dragon chooses her not because of her beauty or talents, but because magic runs deep in her blood. Agnieszka is a witch and is in need of training.

I really liked the writing in this book. The narrative is slow and very poetic. Despite that the story is also very gripping and unpredictable. I also really enjoyed the magic in this book. Agnieszka relies on her own intuition rather than formulaic spells. She is also very attached to her homeland and draws on the power of nature rather than complex incantations. No wonder she connects so deeply with stories of Baba Jaga, a legendary witch who roamed surrounding forests and used spells no one (until Agnieszka came along) had been able to replicate.

This was a five star read for me. I highly recommend it.

"Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass is the first book in a very popular YA fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas. Earlier this year I read the first book in another fantasy series by this author and was underwhelmed by both the plot and the writing. However, Throne of Glass seems to have much better reviews and a lot of readers really like it so I decided to give it a go. The main character is a young assassin named Celaena who has been sentenced to work in salt mines and that is where we meet her in the very beginning of the story. The King of the land decides to hold a competition and choose a champion to do his bidding. The Crown Prince tracks down the famous assassin and promises her freedom if she wins the competition and serves the King for four years. Celaena feels she was made an offer she could not possibly refuse.

First of all, let's talk about our main character Celaena. I loved her. She is smart, sassy, fiercely independent, an impossible flirt and she is lethal. She sort of reminded me of Rose from the Vampire Academy. I also thought she acted her age which was really refreshing. A lot of times in YA characters seem way too mature to me. I was not that mature when I was 17-18 years old. Making mistakes is part of being young and I like to read about characters who act their age.

In terms of the overall story line, I thought the plot was quite interesting with unexpected twists. I liked the supernatural/fantastical elements of the world. The book is very fast-paced and easy to read. I literally flew through it. The world is definitely not as complex as in some high fantasy novels (e.g. A Game of Thrones), but I also don't think that was the author's intent. This book was just exactly what I needed when I read it, and I really enjoyed it. Needless to say, I will continue with the series. I hear the series gets better with each subsequent book. This was a 5 out 5 stars read for me.

"Ashley Bell" by Dean Koontz

Ashley Bell is a new thriller by Dean Koontz (expected publication date is December 8, 2015). We follow a young writer named Bibi Blair who one day winds up in a hospital and is diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of brain cancer. Two days later she is miraculously healed and is told by a diviner that she was spared in order to save a life, specifically the life of a young woman named Ashley Bell. Thus, Bibi sets out on a quest to find Ashley Bell and save her from the hands of powerful and dark forces.

This book was the first of Dean Koontz' novels I've ever read. His writing is beautiful. I could read it forever. The book was also quite spooky. So if you like ghost stories, mysterious visions, etc, this book is definitely for you. The plot also has an unexpected twist after you get through about 2/3 of the book. I completely did not see it coming. I also found the twist a bit disappointing (those who read the book will know what I mean). Bibi's story was very nicely wrapped up at the end, although I did feel that the final part of the book was unnecessarily long and dragged out, and the ending was too neat for my taste. This book is also perfect for book lovers. Since Bibi is a writer, there are lots of literary references, and I enjoyed them immensely. Overall, I enjoyed the book and if you like suspense and thrillers, definitely check it out. I read an electronic advanced copy of the novel sent to me by NetGalley.com.

"Cress" by Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles Book 3)

Cress is the third book in Marissa Meyer's sci-fi fairy tale series called The Lunar Chronicles. I read the first two books Cinder and Scarlet earlier this year, and finally got to book 3. Cress is a retelling of Rapunzel's story. Since this is a sci-fi novel, instead of being held in a tower, Cress is a prisoner on a satellite that orbits the earth. One of the Lunar Queen's thaumaturges brings her food and supplies and in return, Cress hacks into earth's networks and spies on the most powerful people, in particular Prince Kai whom we met in the first two novels. Cress is different from both Cinder and Scarlet. Even though she is extremely good at the high-tech stuff, she is awkward socially, shy and is a hopeless romantic. I really liked this character. The book itself is considerably longer than either of the first two installments in the series and the plot is also much more complex. You can definitely see how Meyer has grown as a writer since the first novel. We got glimpses of Cress in the first two novels and both times she helped Cinder and her friends. In Book 3, we learn about just how much Cress was helping them to stay invisible from both the earthen and lunar law enforcement. Cress is a very likable character and I really liked reading about her adventures as she joins Cinder and her crew in their efforts to overthrow the evil queen Levana. 

"Soundless" by Richelle Mead

Soundless is Richelle Mead's newest book. It is a standalone fantasy novel set in a world resembling ancient China. The main character Fei is an artist living in a gold mining village located  high in the mountains. The villagers have been cut off from the outside world for several generations and do not have access to any farm land, pastures or hunting/gathering grounds. The people survive by sending gold and silver down the mountain via a rope mechanism and people at the base of the mountain send up food and other supplies. The isolation of the village is further exacerbated by the fact that the entire population mysteriously lost hearing generations ago and now some of the villagers are also going blind. Moreover, whatever food and supplies reach the village are not sufficient, and people are always underfed and have to ration everything. When Fei's younger sister starts loosing her sight, Fei is desperate to save her and find the cause of this plight. At the same time, one night, miraculously Fei regains her hearing. She is the only one in the village this has ever happened to. After her childhood friend's father dies in the mines, he and Fei resolve to get down the mountain and find a way to get more food and supplies for their people.

Richelle Mead is an excellent writer. Because most of the characters in the book are deaf, all communication between them is in sign language. Mead does a great job describing what it would be like to be deprived of one's hearing or suddenly regain it. I enjoyed the book and liked how it ended. However, at just under 270 pages it is way too short for a standalone fantasy novel. I really think she could have made the plot more complex and fleshed out the characters and the world a bit better. As it is, it reads more like a fairy tale or a myth and lacks complexity and depth. Nonetheless, it is an enjoyable and fast-paced book. I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.

A Series Review: Lux by Jennifer L. Armentrout

          

Here is another recommendation for those who might need a book to lose oneself in on a long airplane ride, or looking for something quick to read over a weekend. Jennifer L. Armentrout's books are insanely popular. She writes both young adult paranormal/sci-fi novels and adult romance. Her Lux series consists of five full-length novels and a prequel novella. It is a young adult sci-fi story but romance plays a very prominent part in the books. So if you are a sci-fi fan, this might not be for you. I'd say the series is perfect for Twilight fans. The first book especially has the same sort of feel: a girl moves into a small remote town and meets a beautiful enigmatic boy who appears to have some extraordinary abilities. There are no vampires or werewolves in the book. Instead our heroine's love interest is an alien.... In terms of the overall sci-fi plot, the series gets better and much more original with each successive book. The romance in the story is of the fairy tale variety: intense, steamy and all-consuming. Katie and Deamon are completely in love with each other and ready to sacrifice everything to be together. Overall, I enjoyed the series. Armentrout is a talented writer and her books are currently in my "guilty pleasure" reading category. I will plan at some point to pick up her other series. They are quick and addictive reads.

"Stitching Snow" by R.C. Lewis

Stitching Snow is another book in the sci-fi fairy tale retelling sub-genre. As you can guess from the name and the cover this one is a Snow White retelling. Princess Snow evaded an attempt on her life by her evil stepmother and is now hiding on another planet in the company of seven droids.

I personally love fairy tales and their retellings. I thought the story was very original and fun despite a Hallmark movie-like ending. Princess Snow (or Essie) is a very likable character and I enjoyed rooting for her. Last month I read Lewis' newest book - Spinning Startlight (here is my review) and quite liked it. At that time, lots of reviewers thought that Stitching Snow was much better. I have to disagree. Stitching Snow is Lewis' debut novel and you can definitely tell that by the writing. The story could be more fleshed out and the ending could be less rushed. But other than that, it is an enjoyable book and I gave it 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. R.C. Lewis is definitely an author to follow particularly if you like the Lunar Chronicles and other sci-fi retellings.

"The Song of the Jubilee" by Raeden Zen (The Phantom of the Earth No. 1)

The Song of the Jubilee is the first book in a five-part series and is unlike anything I have read before. The story is set far in the future (we are talking thousands of years) and the earth by that point has become completely uninhabitable as a result of biological warfare, contamination and other disasters. Human race itself no longer exists in the way we know it. The earth is inhabited by "transhumans" or the way I picture it, they are technologically/artificially enhanced humans. They physically look like people but have chips in their brains and have many abilities normal humans do not. For example, they are able to monitor each other's thoughts or even influence what the other person sees/perceives as reality. These transhumans have to live deep inside the earth because the surface is infected by a deadly virus they refer to as "reassortment".

The world in this book is extremely well-developed and complicated. It took intense concentration on my part while reading to make sense of all the various bio/technological advancements described in the book. I would therefore only recommend this novel to those who like sci-fi. We follow several different characters. One is the lead scientist of the Great Commonwealth searching for a cure that will allow transhumans to come out and live on the surface of the earth. The other main character is the head of a rebel group whose members live in hiding and plot to overthrow the existing regime.

I had my doubts going into this book. I got the bind-up of all five novels from Netgalley for review and then discovered that the e-book is also available on amazon for free. I had also never heard of the author and none of my friends read the book. However, I found myself quickly drawn into the story and this turned out to be an enjoyable read. Despite the complex world, I thought the author did a good job introducing it to the reader. The world-building is subtle without information dumping sessions and the story moves along at a very nice pace. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books and see where the plot goes.

Top 5 Halloween Recommendations

I am usually not a big "thematic" reader, and don't tend to select books based on what season or holiday it is. So when I first saw the subject for this week's Top 5 Wednesday, I was not even sure if I had 5 recommendations that would be perfect for Halloween. Well, it turns out I do, and here they are. I did try to arrange them by the level of "spookiness" if you will.

*Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReadsLainey and the link to the Goodreads group can be found here.

1. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This book was seriously scary. It is a new take on the story of Dracula. Vampires in Kostova's book are neither friendly nor attractive. They are creatures of evil, death, and horror. I do not want to give anything away about the plot, but if you want to read a book about vampires that is not paranormal romance this is the book to check out. It will keep you on the edge of your seat, and if you read late into the night, be prepared to be scared. A great Halloween read in my opinion.

2. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

This is Brown's first book in a series about symbologist Robert Langdon. But like most readers, this was not the first book in the series I read. I started with his more famous DaVinci Code, which I thought was good, but way over-hyped. And then I picked up Angels & Demons... This book does not have anything supernatural in it. But the reason I decided to include it in my list is because of how scared it made me feel. I remember reading it at home on a Sunday afternoon, alone in a quiet apartment and feeling completely terrified. In this book, we follow Robert Langdon to Rome where he investigates a series of murders each of which contains symbolic clues. I think it is Brown's best novel and I highly recommend it.

3. Night World series by L.J. Smith

L.J. Smith is better known as the author of Vampire Diaries. However, I personally really liked the nine-part series of hers called Night World. I cannot say that the books are overly scary but they are quite dark and feature witches, vampires, and shape-shifters. I did quite enjoy all of the stories and I think they  make a great selection for this time of year.

4. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

I feel like I have been mentioning this graphic novel on my blog quite a bit lately, but it is quite an excellent story. I was pleasantly surprised when I read it earlier this year. And since we are talking about Halloween recommendations, what would make a better selection than one featuring a ghost! I also think that the book can be quite spooky particularly for younger readers.

5. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

This was another recent read for me and one that I enjoyed. It reads more like historical fiction and is very atmospheric, but it is also focused on supernatural forces and secret societies. I also like the feminist themes in this book and the message that basically any woman has the potential of being a witch. Halloween is definitely associated with witches, so if you like historical fiction with a supernatural twist, look no further.

Top 5 Wednesday: Top Authors You Discovered This Year

It is Wednesday and I really like the topic for this week's top 5: top authors you discovered this year. I have already done a post on the top 5 books I read this year. All of them were also my first introductions to the work of those authors. However, I decided not to repeat my selections for this post. Instead, looking over the list of books I read so far in 2015 (ninety-five total), I will pick the authors whose writing appealed to me so much that I would want to read other books by them. I might have not necessarily loved the book I read but definitely think they are an author I would like to follow and continue reading.

*Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReadsLainey and the link to the Goodreads group can be found here.

These are listed in the order that I read them, not in the order of preference.

1. Veronica Rossi

I read Rossi's Under the Never Sky trilogy earlier this year and absolutely loved it. Her writing was very engaging and the story was quite original. I have a full review of the series on my blog here and also on Goodreads. I know that Rossi has a new book coming out early next year called Riders, and I will definitely be picking it up.

2. John Steinbeck

I read Of Mice and Men for the first time earlier this year. This book is quite short and I think it was a perfect place for me to start my acquaintance with Steinbeck. I ended up really enjoying the book and the writing style. I also like the time period he focuses on - the great depression in America. I definitely would like to read more of his books. Perhaps The Grapes of Wrath or East of Eden will be next on my list.

3. Gabrielle Zevin

My introduction to Zevin's books was her most recent novel The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. I ended up really enjoying it. The novel is advertised as an ultimate book for all book lovers. I completely agree. It is filled with references to various books, authors and genres. The main character is a bookseller named A.J. Fikry. AJ is a lonely widower who has pretty much resolved to drink himself to death when a series of unexpected events occur that make him reconsider his decision and propel him to experience the most fulfilling days of his life. This was a very satisfying read. I enjoyed it immensely and will definitely read more of this author's work. I already own Elsewhere by her and hope to pick it up soon.

4. Jennifer L. Armentrout

Jennifer L. Armentrout is quite a prolific writer who has penned both young adult and new adult books. Her various series have quite a following in the book blogging/tubing community, and I finally picked up her Lux series this year. The first book in the series resembles Twilight quite a bit only dealing with aliens rather than vampires. But the series gets significantly better and much more original further along. The books are also much more romance heavy than some other books in the sci-fi genre. But I definitely enjoy her writing. Her books are currently in my "guilty pleasure" reading category.

5. Paula McLain

I had seen Paula McLain's The Paris Wife in bookstores for quite some time now. It is quite popular and has great reviews. However, the first book of hers that I read was Circling the Sun about Beryl Markham, a record-setting aviator. I really liked the book and have a full review of it on my blog here. I am definitely planning on checking out The Paris Wife soon.

"1984" by George Orwell

A lot of readers like to dive into horror books in the month of October. Well, 1984 is a very particular horror story, a tale of what might happen in a world where the system is above the individual.

Orwell masterfully describes the worst possible dystopia - mass thought control. The novel is divided into 3 distinct parts. In the first one, the main protagonist Winston Smith, an ordinary outer Party member, commits a "crimethink" - he questions the reality presented by the Party, desperately yearns to know the truth about the past and hopes that change is possible. He also goes as far as committing outward acts of disobedience: he starts a journal, falls in love and becomes a member of the "Brotherhood", a so-called underground dissident movement. In Part II of the novel, Winston, predictably, gets arrested and goes through interrogation and torture, the final goal of which is complete suppression of any independent thought and total brainwashing. In Part II, he wishes for death and expects to be publicly executed. However, sometimes death is not the worst end. In Part III, we see Winston as a shell of a man, completely emptied of any will, rational thought or human emotion. He is a picture of hopelessness, a person so thoroughly crushed by the system that the only way he can function is by getting drunk every day. He exists in a perpetual state of stupor.

I think Orwell's portrayal of this horrific "what-if" world is genius. It is a standing warning to always beware of any system that discourages freedom of thought/speech, rewrites history or tells people how to think. A must read for everyone.

The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan

This was another book from my most anticipated list for this fall. Those of you who have read Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and Gods of Olympus series know that he is a master of writing addicting and highly entertaining stories. Reading his books to me feels sort of like watching Shrek movies - you recognize the characters and references, but the story is completely fresh and original and filled with great humor and sarcasm. Well, this first installment in The Gods of Asgard series has surpassed all of my expectations. I think this is Rick Riordan's best work yet. First of all, it is based on Viking mythology - I just love that. I don't know much about Viking gods, so it was really interesting to learn the myths along the way. The main character - Magnus Chase - is a sixteen-years old homeless kid who one day discovers his relationship to the Viking gods and is suddenly tasked with averting the Viking version of a doomsday. Just like in Riordan's other stories, Magnus and his friends go on an adventure-filled quest, deal with insurmountable challenges and learn lots of new things about themselves. I also really liked the humor and sarcasm in this book. The book is told from Magnus' perspective who is quite snarky and makes lots of great remarks and observations as he tries to deal with his life-changing circumstances. I greatly enjoyed this book and will definitely look forward to Book 2.

"Vengeance Road" by Erin Bowman

Vengeance Road is a young adult western, and was one of my top five most anticipated new releases for this fall. I did enjoy the book. It is very well written, and the story is fast-paced and interesting. One downside for me (and the reason why I rated the book at 4 and not 5 stars) is that it is filled with all the cliches one might anticipate in a western. We have a lone survivor searching for revenge who along the way finds new friends and a romantic interest, earns the respect of Native Americans, and survives against all odds. I did like the fact that the main protagonist is a young girl. There was also a twist in the end that I did not see coming. The romantic story line was a bit weak for me. I tend to not trust love interests that decide to be absent for a while for no apparent reason. Overall, an enjoyable read with a strong female lead and an interesting plot.

"Spinning Starlight" by R.C. Lewis

I got an advanced e-book of this novel from Netgalley for review. The book is coming out next Tuesday, October 6th, 2015. This is a companion novel to Stitching Snow by the same author, but as far as I know you do not have to read one in order to pick up the other. I had not read the first novel, but heard really good things about it, so was super excited to review Spinning Starlight.

This is a sci-fi retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans. I am not familiar with the original fairy tale so cannot really say how the two relate. I did, however, enjoy Spinning Starlight very much. The book is set on a technologically advanced planet where humans enjoy instantaneous interplanetary travel, everyone gets around by hovercraft and celebrities are pursued by ubiquitous vid-cams.

The main heroine Liddi will soon inherit a huge technology firm (JTI) where 8 of her older brothers work on developing tech innovations. Their parents died in an accident when Liddi was only 6 years old. Unlike her brothers, Liddi has not shown any particular talent in technology development, and instead is known throughout the seven planets (or as they call them "the seven points") as a socialite and party goer. What she does not know is that the conduits through which interplanetary travel occurs are rapidly failing, and JTI scientists including her brothers are desperately trying to repair them. Liddi finally learns that her brothers are trapped in the network of conduits and someone is trying to keep her from going public about this.

I flew through the book in 3 days. It is very well written and even with all the technology descriptions, it does not get tedious or boring. I rated it at 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to all who like fairy tale retellings and sci-fi.

Top 5 Wednesday: Banned Books I've read

In honor of the Banned Books Week (September 27 - October 3, 2015), the topic of today's Top Five is focused on banned books. I have definitely read more than five of those during my lifetime, so narrowing down the list to just five books was pretty hard. I do want to point out that I am not including Harry Potter in this list but I am, however, aware of the fact that The Harry Potter series has been challenged numerous times by various individuals and organizations because of its focus on witchcraft and wizardry.

Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReads Lainey and the link to the Goodreads group can be found here.

1. The Holy Bible

This might be the most read book in the world, however, it has also been banned by various governments, regimes and communities. Growing up in the Soviet Union, you could not go to a bookstore and purchase a Bible. Religion of any kind was considered to be "poison for the masses" and the Bible was not read by the population. The Bible is still banned in such countries as North Korea and Saudi Arabia. In many other places it is in very limited circulation and cannot be easily procured or brought into the country. I am yet to read the entire Bible from cover to cover. However, I have read most of it in pieces, and if you are looking for an easy to understand version, I highly recommend J.B. Phillips' The New Testament in Modern English and the New International Version.

2. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Orwell wrote this book during World War II, when criticizing the Soviet Russia (Britain's main ally in the war) was not considered a wise move. He therefore had a lot of trouble getting the book published. He did succeed in publishing it in the West. However, this book would not see the light of day in the Soviet republics for many years. The novel is basically a satire on Stalin's regime. Both Stalin and Trotsky are very recognizable. Orwell's portrayal of the regime is amazingly accurate even though he never actually visited Russia. Animal Farm is still banned in some Muslim countries because of its focus on pigs.

3. "We" by Yevgeniy Zamyatin

I first read this novel in high school, and was completely blown away by it. Written in 1921, it is one of the first books depicting a dystopian society. Zamyatin describes the life in the One State, where everyone lives for the collective good and individual freedom is unheard of. The book warns about the dangers of a totalitarian system and communism. It was banned in the Soviet Union and other countries engaged in "building communism." It is also interesting to note that Orwell (mentioned above) got his inspiration for Animal Farm from Zamyatin's We. I definitely think this book should be read more widely. It is amazing.

4. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

Many of Bulgakov's works were officially banned and unavailable in Stalin's Russia. The author openly criticized the regime and focused on the individual freedom/happiness rather than the collective good. Out of all his works, The Master and Margarita is by far my favorite. It is focused on the eternal questions of good and evil, but also portrays Stalin's Moscow as a surreal place filled with grotesques, vampires, and witches. I am not sure if the book is still banned anywhere but it is a fascinating read.

5. Persepolis by Marjane Satrape

This is a graphic novel depicting life in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. I have a full review of this book on by blog here. When I first read it I had no idea it was on the list of banned books. It was definitely considered controversial in the Middle East. However, in 2013-2015,  it was challenged by some schools in the US and even pulled from some classrooms because of graphic violence and language. You can read the full case study on the ban here.

"A Thousand Nights" by E.K. Johnston

I received an advanced reading copy of this title through Netgalley. The book will be released on October 6, 2015. I just recently read The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh, and was really excited to get my hands on another A Thousand and One Nights retelling. Without going into a lengthy comparison of the two, let me just say this: I loved both novels, but they are completely different. In fact. A Thousand Nights is more to my liking. It does not have any of over-used YA tropes and it is not simply a love/adventure story featuring a kickass heroine who saves the world. A Thousand Nights is more of a literary fiction than YA. It will transport you to the pre-Islam Arabia. The way it is focused on women, their place in life and the magic they carry reminded me of The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. At the same time, the book is also reminiscent of Paolo Coelho's writing. Each of his books is not just a story but a parable about a sacred wisdom or mystery of being. A Thousand Nights is otherwordly and mystical; woven equally from beautiful dreams and terrible nightmares. I enjoyed reading it immensely. It is a very different take on the original fairy tale and I highly recommend it. Definitely one of my favorites for the year.

"Armada" by Ernest Cline

Ernest Cline is better known as the author of the bestselling Ready Player One - a novel which combines sci-fi, virtual reality, gaming and a treasure hunt. I have a review of that book on my blog here. Needless to say I loved it and could not say enough good things about it. Armada is Cline's second novel and also features sci-fi gaming. If you like Carl Sagan, classic sci-fi films and aliens, this is a book for you. I would call it a gamer's version of Sagan's Contact, or a cross between The Last Starfighter and Contact. It has all the elements I loved in Cline's first book: endless quips, pop culture references, and fast-paced story telling. I did notice that Armada has not been getting the greatest ratings. But I really enjoyed it, and I hope Cline will write more books.

Top 5 New Releases of This Fall

We are already half way through September, so I thought I would do a post on my top 5 most anticipated releases for this fall. They are listed chronologically by release date.

1. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

This book already came out on September 1, 2015. I am really interested in it. Not only does it have a cool cover, but the genre fascinates me. It is supposed to be a YA Western/revenge story. The main protagonist is a strong young female.  I purposely have not looked up a lot of information about the book as I do not want to be spoiled on the plot. However, the entire concept fascinates me and I cannot wait to pick this one up.

2. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

This is the first book in Bardugo's new series set in the same world as her bestselling Grisha Trilogy. I personally loved the world of Grisha. It is very unique and different from most other high fantasy novels. The world is inspired by Russian/Eastern European culture and has a very interesting magic system. A lot of book reviewers have gotten advanced copies of this book and reviews have been excellent. I do plan on reading it, but will probably hold off until book 2 comes out. I really dislike waiting a year for the next book in a series. Six of Crows is coming out on September 29th.

3. The Sword of Summer (The Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan

Who writes better middle-grade mythology-based series than Rick Riordan? I don't know of anyone. He certainly did a great job with Percy Jackson and Greek and Roman mythology. Also, who does not like Viking lore and myths? Ever since I first heard about this book almost a year ago, I have been itching to get my hands on it. October 6 is the release date and it cannot get here soon enough.

4. Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) by Robert Galbraith

If you don't know that Robert Galbraith is the pen-name of J.K. Rowling, you've been living under a rock. Also, if you've been reading my blog for a while,  you know that I didn't like Rowling's first non-Harry Potter book Casual Vacancy. I do however enjoy her Cormoran Strike detective stories. They are very well-written, unpredictable and engaging. Cannot wait to read Book 3. It is coming out on October 20th.

5. Winter (Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

Lunar Chronicles is a sci-fi fairy tale retelling, and is incredibly well-done. I read books 1 and 2 Cinder and Scarlet earlier this year and cannot wait to continue with the series. Winter is the last book in the series and is scheduled for release on November 10th.