Always Me

❋  ❋  ❋ I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Frank is a forensic sorcerer with powerful gifts. He's pulled into a murder investigation when a bishop gets beheaded. If Frank wants to solve the mystery behind the murder, he's going to have to do some very dangerous magic. When I discovered this novel on NetGalley, I thought it sounded so promising - just the kind of urban fantasy I needed in my life. In the end, though, I have it admit, it was quite underwhelming in comparison to what I was hoping for. While I liked being thrown right into the world of the characters, and some of the background, I had a difficult time connecting to the characters. I didn't really care very much about anyone at all let alone our leading fifteen year old. Partly that may be because the story jumps around so much, possibly in response to the type of kid Frank actually is. Overall, this novel has several good things going for it, but it didn't live...

From August 6th - August 13th, I took part in the Make Me Read It Readathon , hosted by  Ely @ Tea and Titles  and  Val @ The Innocent Smiley .  I selected five books to try to get through in that week span which you all voted on, and big surprise - I actually completed all five books for the readathon!  I'm so proud of myself! Before I get to my mini reviews, I'll share the results of your votes : The Way Through the Woods  ( Doctor Who: New Series Adventures  #45) by Una McCormack  - 6 votes, my first read Ex-Heroes (Ex-Heroes  #1) by Peter Clines  - 6 votes, my second read The Ballad of Black Tom  by Victor LaValle  - 5 votes, my third read Nevermore  ( Supernatural  #1) by Keith R.A. DeCandido  - 5 votes, my fourth read Ghost of Manhattan  ( The Ghost  #1) by George Mann  - 2 votes, my fifth and final read Mini Reviews: ❋  ❋  ❋  ❋ Th...

Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let's share some songs we've been enjoying lately!  If you would like to play and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below. Rules: Every Monday share a few songs you've been enjoying lately.  It doesn't have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites - just something you'd like to share with others.  If possible, share a music or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s), and/or music video(s). If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post's url. This week I'm spotlighting Alberto Rosende performing as Simon Lewis in Shadowhunters .  I've got myself caught up on this tv show and I must say I was pretty impressed by "Fragile World" (from season two, episode thirteen) and "Royal Blue" (season two, episode seventeen).  Rosende has been one of my favorites on the show ...

Thanks very much to Erica @ Erica Robyn Reads for tagging me to complete The Longest Book Tag!   This tag was created by Ditsha @ Betwitchingly Paranoid .  I already know I've read some pretty huge books, so let's get on with it and see how I stack up! The Rules: 1. Make a list of five of the longest books you’ve read. 2. Select two of the longest books on your TBR. 3. Discuss 4. Tag others The Tag: Here are the five longest books that I've read - The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - 1,796 pages I can't resist Sherlock Holmes so this is just about the ultimate to have - it features all of the novels and the short stories!  When I was working my way through this, I broke them up rather than tackling it all at once.  Every now and then I'll go back and reread a favorite story or passage. The Count of Monte Cristo  by Alexandre Dumas - 1,276 pages This is one of my favorite big classics - I mean, who doesn't...

  On Friday's I take part in three weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by  Freda's Voice , Book Beginnings, hosted by  Rose City Reader , and 50/50 Friday is a new weekly link up and it is hosted by  Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader  and  Laura @ Blue Eye Books .  For The Friday 56, you choose a book, a book you have just finished, a book you are about to start, your current read, and share a line or a few lines that grab you (but don't spoil anything) from page 56 or 56% of the way through the ebook.  Post it and share your post's url on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post.  As for Book Beginnings, you share the first sentence or so and your initial thoughts, impressions, or whatever else it inspires, and then link up your post's url with Rose City Reader.   Then, for  50/50 Friday, every week there's a new topic featuring two sides of the same coin - you share a book that suits each category and link up on the host...

Happy Tuesday and welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by  The Broke and the Bookish !  This week's topic is a recommendations freebie - since I'm a huge fan of Harry Potter  and I'd like to represent my House, here are my recommendations for my fellow Hufflepuffs! Cinder  by Marissa Meyer  - This whole series really fits with it's tight core group of friends - Kai, Winter, and Wolf are totally Hufflepuffs. Code Name Verity  by Elizabeth Wein  - The two leads in this novel have a such a close friendship that would make any Hufflepuff jealous. Ella Enchanted  by Gail Carson Levine  - Ella embodies so many of the core traits of a Hufflepuff to me. Fangirl  by Rainbow Rowell  - Levi is an excellent example of a Hufflepuff. The Hobbit  by J.R.R. Tolkien  - I'd say Bilbo is a marvelous example of this House, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman  - I totally g...

Woot!  I started blogging three years ago!  How time flies when you're having fun!  It's been a wonderful three years and I hope this upcoming year is going to be just as successful as the last.  I've loved getting to know members of the book blogging community - we're a great bunch of people, if I do say so myself.  I can't wait to see what this third year of blogging brings!  Let's all celebrate with virtual cake, virtual hugs, and, what you're all here for, a giveaway! But first, let's look back at some of my favorite posts from this past year: Reviews -  A Conjuring of Light  by V.E. Schwab - Review + Dream Cast A Criminal Magic  by Lee Kelly - Review The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips - Review The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig - Review The Last Days of Jack Sparks  by Jason Arnopp - Review My Lady Jane  by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows - Review Only the Dead Know Bu...