What Will I Be Reading This Week? 3/23/15 - 3/29/15

Last week was an epic fail with reading for me. I did finish The Secret of Raven Point by Jennifer Vanderbees. Let's see if this week can be better!

Over Spring Break I was able to begin The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Basically, the novel is about an author, who has written 12 novels, telling someone else her 13th tale about her own personal life that includes family secrets and such. I'm about 120 pages into the novel, and I'm just getting to the point where the author begins to reveal some secrets. 

After I finish The Secret of Raven Point I'll be picking up The Soul Thief by Majanka Verstraete. Can we just take a moment for that summary? The typical car crash is there, yes, but what about all the girls dying mysteriously? I definitely want to find out what is going on in that department. 

Last but certainly not least is Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos. This one caught my attention, because it centers around the fashion industry, an industry that we find ourselves constantly wrapped up in, and basically calls us out for being lured in to the "cult" of fashion. I thought it was a unique twist to the novels out there for young adults. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I am able to get through these this week! Let me know what all of you will be reading this week! 

Vacation Time

I am officially on spring break, which is connected to traveling. I'll be on a trip for the rest of the week. I'll be getting back home late Saturday night. Until then I'll be unable to write and post posts. Have a great week and I'll talk to all of you next week!!

Flashback Friday

This week has been a roller-coaster of a week. I have never been more happy to see Friday. Let's flashback to what we did this week at A Book Lover's Corner.

Monday: What Will I Be Reading This Week? 3/9/15 - 3/15/15

Tuesday: Reading Habits Tag

Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday

Thursday: In My Mailbox #2

Friday: Flashback Friday

Saturday: The Secret of Raven Point Review

Sunday: To be announced...

I heard the weather is supposed to be gorgeous in my neck of the woods, so I'll be taking full advantage of that. I hope everyone has a relaxing weekend! You have earned it!

In My Mailbox #2

New This Week:

I hope everyone is having an awesome week so far! I received all these novels from NetGalley. Let me know if you received/bought/borrowed any books this week!

Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel 

Strangled Silence by Oisin McGann

Undertow by Michael Buckley

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a segment created by Jill at Breaking the Spine in order to share excitement for books that are about to be published.

Publishing Date: 24 March 2015

According to Goodreads:

Abram and Juliette know each other. They’ve lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don’t really know each other—at least, not until Juliette’s mom and Abram’s dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don’t speak.

Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, a few months later. Abram decides to say hello. Then he decides to invite her to Taco Bell. To her surprise as well as his, she agrees. And the real love story begins. 

Publishing Date: 24 March 2015

According to Goodreads:

The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices—one still living and one long dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries.

We hear Amber’s story and Violet’s, and through them Orianna’s, first from one angle, then from another, until gradually we begin to get the whole picture—which is not necessarily the one that either Amber or Violet wants us to see.

Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and innocence, and what happens when one is mistaken for the other. 

Which books are you excited to be released this month? Let me know down in the comments!

Reading Habits Tag

Reading Habits Tag

~ The Reading Habits Tag originated on YouTube, and was created by BethJune327. You can visit her video and her channel here! ~

I came across this tag on A & C Book Junkies blog. 

1. Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

I usually read in my room either on the floor up against this back pillow I have, or on my bed. My bed is way more comfortable of the two places. Spring and summer is when I read outside, but there has to be a slight breeze going on or otherwise it's uncomfortable especially when it's like 95 degrees out. 

2. Bookmark or a random piece of paper?

I usually use one of my bookmarks that I have laying around, but I have been known to use other things to hold my place. I have used (clean) Kleenex, straw wrappers, pencils, paperclip, toothpick, plastic fork, ribbon...the list goes on. 

3. Can you stop reading anytime you want or do you have to stop at a certain page, chapter, part, etc.?

I can stop reading after every two chapters, preferably after I have finished an even number chapter. If the chapters are really long, and are broken up by large spaces or four dots or something then I usually stop at one of those breaks no matter if it's an odd or even chapter/page. 

4. Do you eat or drink while reading?

That involves multi-tasking, so no. Even when I do drink or eat while I read, I either spill something on my book or I eat or read extremely slow.

5. Can you read while listening to music/watching TV.

Easily, especially if my dad is watching a football game or golf. If it's just me watching TV, I'll sometimes read during the commercials, but I usually don't. I can't have music playing directly in my room, but if it was in a different room then that's fine. I can read in the car with the radio on, so I don't know. I'm weird what can I say?

6. One book at a time, or several at once?

I tend to start several at a time, but then my focus usually is drawn to just one. I prefer to read one novel at time now, because it's easier to remember since my schedule has come so hectic. 

7. Reading at home or everywhere?

I read everywhere. I have a book with me at all times. It's also my justification for investing in bigger purses (Shhh...). I read at restaurants, basketball games, football games, in the car, before appointments, before classes, literally everywhere. 

8. Reading out loud or silently in your head?

When I was younger I would pretend I was teaching a class when I would read out loud. I read out loud now when I'm trying not to fall asleep, but I know I have to read this article or whatever for class for the next day. Otherwise, I prefer reading in my head, because reading is my quiet time to relax. 

9. Do you read ahead or skip pages?

Never. Even when the book is horrible, I will force myself to finish it. I think there have only been two books that I have never finished due to my dislike for them. Several years ago, I went through this phase where I would get halfway through the book, and then read the last page of the novel. I don't know why, but I started doing it and then I stopped out of the blue. 

10. Breaking the spine or keeping it new?

I like the look books have when they are new, but sometimes you don't mean to break the spine. It just kind of happens. To me, broken spines means the book has been well loved so I don't mind them too much. 

11. Do you write in books?

I prefer not too, but several of my teachers want us to annotate in our novels as we complete the reading assignments. Outside of books for school I do not write in books. I feel like it's disrespecting the books. I'll sometimes place a post-it note on a page if I want to come back and write down a quote or something. 

What Will I Be Reading This Week? 3/9/15 - 1/15/15

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a nice relaxing weekend! For those who live in the Midwest, I hope you took advantage of the warm weather we were greeted with this past weekend. We may be rejuvenated from the weekend, but are our reading goals rejuvenated? Let's take a look at what I plan to read this week!

I barely started to read The Secret of Raven Point by Jennifer Vanderbes this past weekend. I think I may be 40ish pages in, but I can already tell that I'm going to enjoy this one. I'm loving the way Vanderbes is writing how progression of time is taking place since it is a novel that takes place over several years. Look forward to a review this week on it!

After I finish The Secret of Raven Point I'll be picking up The Soul Thief by Majanka Verstraete. Can we just take a moment for that summary? The typical car crash is there, yes, but what about all the girls dying mysteriously? I definitely want to find out what is going on in that department. 

Last but certainly not least is Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos. This one caught my attention, because it centers around the fashion industry, an industry that we find ourselves constantly wrapped up in, and basically calls us out for being lured in to the "cult" of fashion. I thought it was a unique twist to the novels out there for young adults. 

I'm excited to begin and finish all of these adventures in the coming week. Look forward to reviews on all of these in the coming week or two. I look forward to hearing about the books you all plan on reading this week! 

Four Rubbings Review

Four Rubbings

Author: Jennifer Hotes

Average Rating: 4.35/5.0

Personal Rating: 3.5/5.0

Page Count: 372

Finished Reading: March

Published: 26 August 2013

According to Goodreads:

Halloween. The night the barrier between the dead and the living is as thin as muslin. Fourteen-year old Josie, haunted by the death of her mother, leads her best friends to an ancient cemetery to rub graves. Convinced she will come away with proof of her mother’s spirit at last, the evening takes an unexpected turn as the teens gravitate four ways into the haunted grounds. Set against the backdrop of the rainy Pacific Northwest, four graves will be rubbed, touching off a series of events that will rattle their once mundane lives. From the lonely World War II hero to an accused witch, the people buried beneath the stones have stories that need an ending. The journey to unravel the mysteries leaves the friends wondering if the graves would've been better off left alone.

My Opinion:

I received an e-copy from the author, but in no way does that impact my opinion.

I was really excited to begin reading Four Rubbings, because all the paranormal books out there for young adults are about vampires, angels, demons,etc,...but barely any that center around a simple ghost story. So, I had high expectations for this novel. 

I loved the fact that the story began with four friends meeting at a cemetery to rub gravestones on Halloween night. Right off the bat the reader gets the feel that the four friends (Josie, Casey, Seth, and Blaze) have been friends for forever...which they have been. They met when they were babies when their moms attended meetings at the hospital. You are constantly reminded about that fact throughout the entirety of the novel.

They go their separate ways to find graves that call out to them, and then proceed to rub that gravestone. The rest of the novel focuses on the back stories of the people whose graves the kids rubbed. The back stories of the deceased and the connections of fulfilling their last requests were probably the most exciting parts of the novel. The other part of the novel I found highly interesting were the ghost stories that Grace, the cemetery's caretaker, told the kids. There were some stories that sent chills down my spine, and had me glancing over my shoulder.

I found the novel to be repetitive at times. We constantly read about how the kids met when they were babies, or something would be said in one chapter to only be restated with different wording in the next. I also found that the way the kids spoke didn't match up with their age. They are a group of fourteen-year-olds, and at times they were talking like they were in their 20s or 30s. When I was 14 I was definitely not throwing around curse words in the presence of my parents or acting like I was way older than I really was. The kids were written in a way that seemed like they were adults stuck in a teenager's body. 

I enjoyed parts of the book, but Four Rubbings wasn't for me. The ghost stories were fun to read, and the back stories of the deceased were interesting. However, the pace was slow, and boggled down by the extra details of the kids' personal lives as well as their parents' lives. I would have found the novel to be more exciting if there had been more emphasis on the paranormal/graveyard/Halloween/scary aspect of the story. 

Amazon Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Four-Rubbings-Stone-Witch-Book-ebook/dp/B00ETBLG9K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416837085&sr=8-1&keywords=four+rubbings

As I Lay Dying Review

As I Lay Dying

Author: William Faulkner

Average Rating: 3.72.5.0

Personal Rating: 4.0/5.0

Page Count: 267

Finished Reading: March

Published: 30 January 1991 (1st edition: 1930)

According to Goodreads:

As I Lay Dying is Faulkner's harrowing account of the Bundren family's odyssey across the Mississippi countryside to bury Addie, their wife and mother. Told in turns by each of the family members—including Addie herself—the novel ranges in mood from dark comedy to the deepest pathos.

My Opinion: 

Another classic novel checked off my list! I had to read As I Lay Dying for my Modern American Classics course I'm taking. Before we started to the reading assignments, my teacher told us that only three of us would enjoy Faulkner's writing style. As you might have already guessed, I was one of the three. Go figure. 

The novel is narrated by 15 different narrators through alternating chapters. Each of the narrators tell their side of what is currently happening as the Bundrens travel to Jefferson to bury their mother. A distinct voice is given to each of the characters, and a beginning version of the vernacular was incorporated. Faulkner uses train of consciousness throughout the novel to show what the characters are thinking at the time the events occur. 

I think every family has their weird quirks that makes them unique to other families. We also may be guilty of going along with someone, so we can get something out of it too. "Sure dad I'll go to the gas station with you, and while I'm there I'll buy myself a soda." "I'll go to Barnes & Noble for you mom, and that way I can buy a couple of books for myself." Guilty as charged. You have Addie's husband repeatedly saying how he promised to take her to Jefferson to be buried with her family, but all of us readers know he wants to go to Jefferson to buy himself a new set of teeth. Each member of the family has something they want for themselves in Jefferson besides laying their mother to rest and fulfilling her request. Their wants take away from their proper mourning. That's another thing, even though their mother just died none of them seemed to show any emotion throughout the journey. There were a few tears after she first died, and then afterwards it was like she had been dead for years. I believe they were all wrapped up in their own wants that they didn't bother to mourn. 

Vardaman was by far my favorite character. He is the youngest of the five Bundren children, and the most neglected. He's about seven years old, and he isn't too bright. He becomes obsessed with the fact that he thinks his mother is a fish, because she looked like the dead fish he had caught when she died. Throughout the rest of the novel he keeps coming back to his initial thought of how his mother is a fish. He uses analogies during different incidents that compare her to fish-like characteristics. 

The train of consciousness caused some difficulty keeping up with the characters' thought processes. One minute you would be reading about a fish, and the next you would be reading about how Dewey Dell is a great sister. Each chapter was narrated by a different character, which led me to having to stop to check who was narrating so I could get their right speaking style in my head. As I Lay Dying is not a fluffy ready by any stretch of the imagination. It's more on the morbid side. I would recommend this novel due to Faulkner's unique writing style, and for the plot line of how a family uses the excuse of fulfilling a loved one's request in order for themselves to fulfill their own wants. 

Flashback Friday

We have made it to Friday! This has been a busy week for me here at A Book Lover's Corner. I tend to give a sigh of relief when Friday comes around, because school's out, last work shift of the week is on Fridays, and the mere fact that I can relax with a good book or family. Let's flashback to what we did this week!

Sunday: Questions About Books Tag

Monday: What Will I Be Reading This Week? 3/2/15 - 3/8/15

Tuesday: The Ultimate Book Tag

Wednesday: All the Bright Places Review

Thursday: In My Mailbox #1 

Friday: Flashback Friday (Today's Post)

Saturday: As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

Updates:

Usually, Sundays will be a book review day, but this week I was making a bunch of improvements in hopes of creating more diverse posts. Tentatively:  Mondays will be my weekly TBR, Tuesdays will be Tag Tuesdays, Wednesdays will be a review day, Thursday may switch between In My Mailbox and reviews (not 100% sure yet), Fridays will be Flashback Friday where I go over the past week, and Saturdays will be a review.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, and ideas in the comments! Have a great weekend!

In My Mailbox #1

New This Week:

Hello everyone! I received the following e-books through NetGalley this week. I'm super excited about the sneak peek of Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen! Did you receive/borrow/buy any books this week? Let me know down in the comments! 

Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos

Cleo by Lucy Coats

Portraits of Celina by Sue Whiting

Return to Sleepy Hollow by Dax Varley 

Saint Anything (Sneak Peek) by Sarah Dessen 

Skeletal by Katherine Hayton

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie and Alyssa B. Sheinmel

All The Bright Places Review

All The Bright Places

Author: Jennifer Niven 

Average Rating: 4.22/5.0

Personal Rating: 5.0/5.0

Page Count: 388

Finished Reading: March

Published: 6th January 2015

According to Goodreads:

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
 
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
 
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

My Opinion:

First things first, shout out to my good friend. Thank you for putting this book back on the shelf leading me to pick it up myself and reading it. 

I haven't even given myself proper time to process the fact that I have reached the end of Theodore and Violet's journey. All the Bright Places had my attention from page one to the last sentence. The character development and the progression of the plot made me feel like I was right there with Theodore and Violent as they went on their wanderings. I mean, how cool would it be to have a project that made you travel your state to see the quirky things that are unique to your state? I would gladly take that project over a paper any day. 

I couldn't help, but fall in love with Theodore. I got an Augustus Waters vibe from him, but I was drawn more to him than Augustus. Theodore had me laughing and smirking for the majority of the novel. He had a way of looking at things like they were the most beautiful object, scene, person that ever existed, while most people would have found them ugly. He had charm, humor, intelligence, and looks. However, he also had a darkness inside of him that he didn't like sharing. We do see him open up about his darkness a little bit as his relationship with Violet strengthens. 

Violet is still grieving over the tragic death of her older sister, Eleanor. She keeps questioning and blaming herself for the night of the accident. Her one passion was writing, but ever since her sister's death the words have stopped coming to her. She is counting down the days till graduation, and just moving through the motions. As her friendship becomes stronger with Theodore, her world seems to become brighter and fresh again. The words slowly come back to her, and she starts taking control of her life a bit more. Theodore helps her open her eyes, and leave the darkness behind. 

The climax crushed me. One minute I was laughing, and the next I was basically in tears. You all know I'm not a crier when it comes to situations in books. I may choke up, but that's the extent. There were actual tears in my eyes. I feel that Niven has done a wonderful job, especially for her first YA novel, writing about the issue of suicide, bipolar disorder, and the labels that come along with them. All the Bright Places is an extremely powerful novel that I recommend to all teens and adults. A movie adaptation will be starring Elle Fanning.

The Ultimate Book Tag

The Ultimate Book Tag

I came across this tag at the belle lumiere blog.

1. What are you reading right now?

I am currently reading All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and Four Rubbings by Jennifer Hotes. Both are amazing! I hope I am not jinxing myself, because I have been on a run of reading really good books lately. 

2. Do you have any idea what you'll read when you're done with that?

After I finish those two I will probably pick up The Secret of Raven Point by Jennifer Vanderbes. Some of the titles I requested on NetGalley have been accepted, so I might pick up one of those reads. So many choices!

3. What five books have you always wanted to read but haven't gotten round to?

The five books I want to read but haven't taken the time are:

• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• Blankets by Craig Thompson
• The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
• The Archived by Victoria Schwab

4. What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?

None. The magazines I do keep up with though are Seventeen, TeenVogue, and InStyle. 

5. What's the worst book you've ever read?

I would say The Night Children by Kit Reed. That was definitely a book that I struggled to finish. I wouldn't be able to tell you now my reasoning for giving that novel one star. I just remember it being a struggle.  

6. What book seemed really popular, but you didn't like?

The first one that comes to mind is Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Everyone who I talked to about it seemed to love it, especially as the series went on. I felt like I was missing something, because I was thinking the opposite of amazing. I will say the book had it's moments, but nothing that made me want to finish the trilogy. 

7. What's the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Done. 

8. What are your three favorite poems?

   Close your eyes my little one,

    Close your eyes and dream,

    You can be anyone,

    Anyone you dream.

    You can go anywhere,

     Do anything,

     Be anyone,

     Just close your eyes

     And dream your dream... 

~ Unknown ~

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face. 

May the rain fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, 

May God hold you in the palm of His hand. 

~Irish Parting Poem~

If there is ever a tomorrow that we are not together,

there is one thing you should always remember.

You are braver than you believe.

Stronger than you seem, 

And smarter than you think. 

But the most important thing is,

Even if we're apart I will always be with you in the heart.

~Winnie the Pooh~

9. Where do you usually get your books?

I usually get my books from Barnes & Noble or the library. I'll also occasionally borrow or trade with a friend. 

10. Where do you usually read your books?

I usually read in my room on my bed. If it's warm outside, I enjoy reading on my deck. 

11. When you were little, did you have any particular reading habits?

I would pretend I was teaching a class, so I would read out loud and assign reading assignments. I would also read multiple books at the same time. I would read one chapter from one book, then read one chapter from another book. I have no idea how I kept everything straight in my head. 

12. What's the last thing you stayed up half the night reading, because it was so good you couldn't put it down? 

I would say Allegiant by Veronica Roth, but now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I stayed up late finishing I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson...yeah that one is more recent than Allegiant. 

13. Have you ever "faked" reading a book?

Yes, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. And yes it did blow up in my face. 

14. Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?

You all have heard the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover." I go against that probably at least once per week. I have read a lot of books that have pretty covers but zero plot, and I'm sure I have passed up books with mediocre covers but amazing plot. 

15. What was your favorite book when you were a child?

I'm going to say series instead of book (#rebel). I was (still am) a huge fan of the Nancy Drew series as well as the Babysitter Clubs books that were supposed to be mysteries and scary stories. Those books never got old to me. 

16. What book changed your life?

Hmmm. This one is kind of hard, because I tend to take something away from each book I read, rather that by the overall message or just a quote. It's a tie between The Five People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie both of which are written by Mitch Albom. The Five People You Meet in Heaven made me realize how we impact the lives of others and vice versa. Tuesdays with Morrie put death in a perspective that I believe a lot of people could view from. Our society looks at death as a taboo, so obviously we know death is there we just decide not to talk about it. 

17. What is your favorite passage from a book?

There's too many to choose from. One thing I have started trying to do is keep a journal of quotes. That's the place where I will put a passage or a quote that stuck out to me. I guess you could also refer to the journal as an inspiration journal. 

18. What are your top five authors?

In no particular order:

• Sarah Dessen
• Veronica Roth
• Mitch Albom
• Jandy Nelson
• James Patterson

19. What book has no one heard about but should read?

I know it's no where near Halloween, but I'm going to give a shout-out to Trick or Treat by Richie Tankersley Cusick. This is the one book that I can reread numerous times, and still get scared at the same parts or be as shocked as I was the first time I read it when I found out who the person is behind all the mysterious knocking and phone calls. I want to read more books by Cusick, but I never think about it when I'm looking at what to read next. However, I highly recommend this  novel, especially during October. 

20. What three books are you an "Evangelist" for?

• Rebecca by Daphane Du Maurier
• The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
• Divergent by Veronica Roth (I wanted to say the whole trilogy, but I decided to play by the rules for this question)

21. What are your favorite books by a first time author?

My favorites would include Divergent by Veronica Roth and That Summer by Sarah Dessen. I'm a sucker for all Sarah Dessen's books. I'm stoked to read Saint Anything by her when it's published May. 

22. What is your favorite classic book?

Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier. I swear this is like the fourth time I have used this book for an answer. GO READ IT. 

23. Five other notable mentions?

Oh gosh. Let's see. 

• Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson
• I Shall Be Near to You by Erin Lindsay McCabe (tore my heart out)
• We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
• A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Loved the illustrations by Jim Kay)
• Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl 

I tag all of you who have stuck it out through this long tag! If you do complete this tag leave a comment below with the link so I can read your answers. Thanks for stopping by!

        

What Will I Be Reading This Week? 3/2/15 - 3/8/15

It's Monday!!! A fresh start to the next seven days where anything can happen. A little daunting, right? We all groan when Mondays come along, because once Sunday night hits we begin mindlessly thinking up lists of things that we have to do this week. We have to exercise. We have to buy groceries. We have to  complete five hours of homework for the next five nights. The list goes on. BUT. The one great thing about Mondays is that we are given the opportunity to plan out our reading goals for the week. Shall we begin?

I am currently reading All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I'm only a 100 pages in, but I am loving it! Finch and Violet's friendship is just beginning to develop, and just the humor that Niven uses oh my goodness.

Once I finish All the Bright Places, I will move on to finishing Four Rubbings by Jennifer Hotes. Basically, a group of friends go rub gravestones on Halloween night for fun. They keep the rubbings, but soon after strange things begin occurring. Parents start acting weird about the rubbings, but there's something that keep the kids determined to find the meaning behind one of the rubbings. I'm also about a 100 pages into this novel as well. I'm liking it so far, but I am really interested in delving deeper into why one specific gravestone rubbing is so mysterious. 

I honestly do not know too much about this novel, except it's a romance that takes place in 1943 as the main character searches for her brother who is labeled MIA. I am a sucker for historical fiction, especially when they are centered around a war...I know that's morbid. Hopefully, I will be able to start and finish The Secret of Raven Point by Jennifer Vanderbes before the week is up!

I just noticed that all three books that I am going to be reading are written by authors with Jennifer as their first name. I have a pretty busy week, so I don't want to set my sights too high with reading. I hope everyone has a great week, and feel free to share with me what you'll be reading this week!

Questions About Books Tag

I found this tag at Lauren Reads YA

1. What is your favorite book?

My favorite book is tied between The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. 

2. Who is your favorite author?

My favorite author would most likely be Sarah Dessen. I own and have read all of her novels so far. 

3. What genre do you prefer?

I prefer Young Adult, but branches of Young Adult would include suspense, horror, contemporary, paranormal, and historical fiction. 

4. What is your favorite book series?

I could say the popular answer, which is Harry Potter, but I am going to go with the Divergent trilogy as my favorite series. 

5. What books did you hate reading in school?

The books I have hated reading in school would include The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Hatchet. All three novels were filled with symbols, but I felt we were analyzing them way too hard. They were all great books in their own way I just felt that I had to be scouring the pages for meaning, which took away from the enjoyment of the stories. 

6. What is the first book you remember reading as a child?

I don't actually remember, but I assume it's The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. I'm only assuming, because I'm going off of what my mother has told me throughout the years. 

7. Bookstores or libraries?

Definitely bookstores. The bookstores around my house all have a decent size selection of young adult, especially compared to my library.

8. How many books do you own?

I own approximately 158 books as of right now. If I had done this tag in early October, I probably would have had around 350. Fall cleaning, anyone?

9. Do you read before bed?

I try to read at least two chapters before going to bed each night. Reading before I head off to bed helps my mind slow down and relax. 

10. What is your most comfortable reading position?

I prefer laying on my bed while I read, but sometimes I will sit at my desk. 

11. What is the most recent book you read?

I just finished I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, and I am currently reading All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and Four Rubbings by Jennifer Hotes. 

12. What quote from any book will you never forget? Why is it significant?

I will never forget the quote "Stay gold, Ponyboy." This quote is from The Outsiders, and I interpret the quote as a gentle reminder to stay true to ourselves even when the odds are stacked against us. 

13. Science Fiction or Fantasy?

I have read a few Fantasy novels, so I guess I'll go with Fantasy. I'm definitely not a Science Fiction type of girl, but who knows maybe someday I'll fall in love with the genre. 

14. Which books do you regret reading?

I don't really regret reading any books. I have definitely read my fair share of mediocre and terrible books, but I still finished those books as a changed person. That sounds extremely corny reading back over that. Oh well. What I am trying to say here is that even the worse books out there can teach you something along the lines of preferences of writing style, new knowledge about an event in time, or what kind of pace you like to read. 

15. How large is your bookshelf?

My bookshelf is from Ashley's Furniture store, and has four shelves on it to hold my books. I also have two wooden crates/shelves that hold some random books. 

16. On average, how many books do you read per year?

I believe I average around 60 books per year. 

17. What book can you read hundreds of times and never get tired of?

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier without a doubt. 

18. Do you like to read outside?

Yes! Reading outside is one of the main reasons why I get so excited for spring and summer to arrive. 

19. What's the biggest lesson you've learned from a book?

Stay true to yourself, but don't be afraid to grow from your mistakes. 

20. Of the past year, what is the greatest book you've read?

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson by far.