Blog 159 - Books Read in 2013

Hey Everyone,

Alisha here. Today's post is going to be about the books that I read in the year 2013. All 35 of them. I'm basically going to listen them off in the order that I read by month and include their book covers. Ready let's get started.

January
1. Fathomless by Jackson Pearce
2. The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
3. Giver by Lois Lowry
4. Rabbit, Run by John Updike

 

February
5. The Liberation of Gabriel King by KL Going
6. Rabbit Redux by John Updike
7. Wings by Aprilynne Pike
8. God Bless You, Mr Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut



March
9. Spells by Aprilynne Pike
10. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
11. Breakfast of Champions



April
12. Blackwater by Joyce Carol Oates

 

May
13. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
14. The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket



June
15. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
16. Professor Gargoyle by Charles Gilman

 

July
17. The Slither Sisters by Charles Gilman
18. Teacher's Pest by Charles Gilman
19. Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout
20. New Moon Graphic Novel by Stephenie Meyer
21. Neferet's Curse by P.C. & Kristen Cast



August
22. Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan



September
23. A Titan at Christmas by Aria Kane
24. Poison by Bridget Zinn
25. Substitute Creature by Charles Gilman

 

October
26. The Lightning Thief Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan
27. Charmed Graphic Season 9 Volume 1 by Paul Ruditis
28. Charmed Graphic Season 9 Volume 2 by Paul Ruditis



November
29. Charmed Graphic Season 9 Volume 3 by Paul Ruditis
30. Locke & Key Volume 1 by Joe Hill



December
31. Charmed Graphic Season 9 Volume 4 by Paul Ruditis
32. The Sea of Monsters Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan
33. Santa is coming to Tampa & St. Petersburg by Steve Smallman
34. Santa is coming to Florida by Steve Smallman
35. The Titan's Curse Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan



So there you have it. All 35 books that I read in the 2013. See you guys in the new year. Until next time, Happy Reading!

Blog 158 - December 2013 Wrap-up

Hey Everyone

As this year (2013) comes to an end, so does that reading challenging that I placed on myself for this year. This year in 2013, I set out to read 35 books. These are those books that helped me reach the end of my goal of 35 read books this year.

1. Charmed Graphic Season 9 Volume 4
2. The Sea of Monsters Graphic Novel
3. Santa is coming to Tampa Bay & St. Petersburg
4. Santa is coming to Florida
5. The Titan's Curse Graphic Novel

 

I am happy to say that I finished my goal for the year, and look forward to upping my goal in the new year. Until next time, Happy Reading!

Blog 157 - The Titan's Curse Graphic Novel

Author: Rick Riordan

Format: Paperback

Pages: 128

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: 10/8/2013

ISBN-13: 9781423145516

About the Book

A new prophecy leads to a dangerous quest.

When Percy receives an urgent distress call from Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies, Annabeth and Thalia, at his side; his trusty bronze sword, Riptide; and a ride from his mom.

The demigods race to the rescue, only to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods, whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up his most devious trap yet, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.

Now, Percy and his friends are faced with their most dangerous challenge-the chilling prophecy of the Titan's Curse. They must rescue the goddess Artemis by the Winter Solstice, or all will be lost including Annabeth.

Rick Riordan's internationally best-selling The Titan's Curse becomes a graphic novel in the hands of comic-book luminaries Robert Venditti, Attila Futaki, and Gregory Guilhaumond.

My Review

The Cover: I really enjoyed the cover of this graphic novel.

Things that I liked: I enjoyed reading this as it picked up where the last one left off. I like that with a new book there is a new quest for the demi-gods (half-bloods). I found it interesting that for this graphic novel (and I don't know if this happens in the book or not) but Apollo's oracle of Delphi comes out of the attic space at camp half-blood. I just though it was interesting that she gave her prophecy but they weren't in the attic to do it. The obstacles that Percy and the others had to face throughout the graphic novel. I loved the vibrant colors throughout the piece.

Things I didn't like: I don't have any complaints on this one.

Overall: I would recommend this to anyone who is reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I rated this a 4 out of 5 stars.

Until next time, Happy Reading!

Blog 156 - Santa is coming to Florida

Author: Steve Smallman

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 32

Publisher:

Publication Date:

ISBN-13:

About the Book

It's Christmas Eve, Have you been good? Santa's packed up all the presents and is headed your way! With the help of a certain rednosed reindeer, Santa flies over:

• Freedom Tower, Miami
• Florida State Capitol, Tallahassee
• Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral
• Sunshine Skyway Bridge
• Magic Kingdom castle, Orlando
• St. Augustine Cathedral
• Old Tampa Bay Hotel, Tampa
• Main Street Bridge, Jacksonville
• Key West Lighthouse
• Palm Tree and Everglades
• Daytona International Speedway

"Ho, ho ho!" laughs Santa. "Merry Christmas, Florida!"

My Review

This is a close and very similar story to Santa is coming to Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg. But still very cute.

Things I liked: I just the storyline, the illustrations, and the colors used throughout this book. I loved that they even incorporated some of the famous or even well known buildings throughout Florida.

Things I didn't like: Nothing at all for this. I loved it.

Overall: I highly recommend them to anyone with little ones and need a bedtime story near the Christmas holiday season. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Until next time, Happy Reading!

Blog 155 - Santa is coming to Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg

Author: Steve Smallman

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.

Publication Date: 10/01/2013

ISBN-13: 9781402290541

About the Book

It's Christmas Eve, Have you been good? Santa's packed up all the presents and is headed your way! With the help of a certain red-nosed reindeer, Santa flies over:

•Tampa City Hall
•Don CeSar Beach Hotel
•Raymond James Stadium
•Sunshine Skyway Bridge
•St. Petersburg Pier
•Tampa Bay History Center
•Open Air Post Office, St. Petersburg
•Museum of Science and Industry
•Tampa Bay Times Forum
•Salvador Dali Museum
•University of Tampa
•Tampa Theater

"Ho, ho ho!" laughs Santa. "Merry Christmas, Tampa!"

My Review

Cover: The book is very colorful. I know this is supposed to be a children's book, but the color and the title just captured my attention. This book is a children's picture book. I bought it because I didn't have any Christmas books and thought these were cute. I will save them for when I have little ones of my own.

Things that I liked: I really enjoyed that the author was so accurate with locations or parks, and names of everything he mentioned throughout the story. I loved the illustrations as well.

Things that I didn't like: Nothing in this category. I loved it.

Overall: I highly recommend it to anyone who has little ones and are looking for books to share with them close to the Christmas holiday season. I rated this a 5 out of 5 stars. 

Until next time, Happy Reading!

Blog 154 - December 2013 Book Haul

Hey Everyone,

So today's blog post is going to be a book haul post. I have broken it down into three categories: Pre-Christmas, Christmas, and After Christmas. There are quite a few, so let's get started. Enjoy!

Pre-Christmas

1. Dark Life by Kat Falls

2. Misfit by Jon Skovron

3. Vampire Empire (Book One: The Greyfriar) by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith

4. Pushed by Corrine Jackson

5. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

6. Cleopatra: Empress of the Nile by Ron Miller & Sommer Browning

7. Dark Witch: Book One of the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy by Nora Roberts

 

Christmas

8. Dangerous Women Anthology - Edited by George R. R. Martin

9. Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare

10. The Broken Hearted - Amelia Kahaney

11. Department Nineteen - Will Hill

12. Sleeping Beauty Vampire Hunter - Maureen McGowan

13. Cinderella Ninja Warrior - Maureen McGowan

14. Immortal City - Scott Speer

15. The Hostile Hospital - Lemony Snicket

 

After Christmas (with gift cards & Christmas money)

16. Santa is coming to Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg - Steve Smallman

17. Santa is coming to Florida - Steve Smallman

18. Prodigy - Marie Lu

19. Staying Strong: 365 days a year - Demi Lovato

20. Life's a Witch - Brittany Geragotelis

21. How to Love - Katie Cotugno

22. Clockwork Princess - Cassandra Clare

23. Revelations - J.A. Souders (Signed)

24. Olivia Twisted - Vivi Barnes (Signed)

   

I look forward to reading all of these books in the new year. Until my next post, Happy Reading!