Lisa is Busy Nerding: November 2011

25 Days of Jubilation

great news, dudes! the 25 Days of Jubilation kicks off tomorrow!

i know, i'm stoked too.

while my stop isn't for awhile yet, there is something awesome going on every day between now and Christmas!

be sure to swing by the following blogs and check it out.

Thursday, December 1st:
Christian at Goldilox and the Three Weres

Friday, December 2nd:
Molly at Surrounded By Words

Saturday, December 3rd:
Meridith at Mint Tea and A Good Book

Sunday, December 4th:
Sandie at Teen Lit Rocks

Monday, December 5th:
Shannon at Books Devoured

Tuesday, December 6th: Bex at Becky’s Barmy Book Blog

Wednesday, December 7th:
Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian

Thursday, December 8th:
Jen at In the Closet with a Bibliophile

Friday, December 9th:
Sara O. at The Librarian Reads

Saturday, December 10th:
Ginger at GReads!

Sunday, December 11th:
Asheley at Into the Hall of Books

Monday, December 12th:
Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews

Tuesday, December 13th:
Heidi at YA Bibliophile

Wednesday, December 14th:
Jess at Gone with the Words

Thursday, December 15th: Lisa at Lisa Is Busy Nerding

Friday, December 16th:
Jen D. at Not now…I’m Reading!

Saturday, December 17th:
Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner

Sunday, December 18th:
Andrea at The Busy Bibliophile

Monday, December 19th:
Karis at YA Litwit & Sarah at Workaday Reads

Tuesday, December 20th:
Katelyn at Katelyn’s Blog

Wednesday, December 21st:
Ruby at Ruby’s Reads

Thursday, December 22nd:
Jac at For Love and Books

Friday, December 23rd: Asher at Paranormal Indulgence

Saturday, December 24th:
Nikki at Books Most Wanted

Sunday, December 25th:
Merry Christmas!

if you have any questions about the 25 days, you should contact the hosts:

Cyndi at Dog-Eared & Bookmarked - bettyluvsbooks@gmail.com -@DEBookmarked

Jacinda at The Reading Housewives - jacindahinten@gmail.com - @ReadingWifeJac

Yani at The Secret Life of an Avid Reader (TSLoaAR) - jisforjinx13@gmail.com - @AvidYani

let's get this party started, y'all!

Review: The Sword in the Stone (The Once and Future King: Part 1) by T. H. White

In a sentence or so: before he becomes King Arthur, he is a scrawny little dude named Wart who goes on adventures with his cousin Kay and is sometimes turned into an animal in the name of knowledge. Adventures ensue!

Merlyn comes to tutor the young Wart and Kay in between their chores and their path to knighthood. While Kay isn't the most attentive student, Wart is always itching to learn and patiently absorbs all the lessons that Merlyn has to share with him. These aren't your typical lessons either, mind you, but probably the coolest lessons you've ever dreamed of. Wart becomes an owl, a falcon, a fish, a badger, and many other rad wild animals. Each of these animals teaches him something different about the nature of the world and a bit about himself.

Since this is just part one of The Once and Future King, we mostly get background and framework for how Wart becomes Arthur. Which isn't to say this is boring, because it most certainly is not.

In fact, this is quite silly and tongue-in-cheek and clever and witty. Merlyn and Wart have a great banter that kept me giggling like an idiot.

"You know you will turn me into a hawk when you want to," shouted the Wart, "but you like to plague me because it is wet. I won't have it."
"Hoity-toity!" (74)

Ultimately, this is a way for us to get to know what makes King Arthur tick, to experience his emotional development and to be a part of his childhood, which is pretty spectacular.

If you're looking to get your feet wet with some Arthurian legend goodness, this is a great place to start!

Fave quote: "So little time to pass?" said Merlyn, and a big tear ran down to the end of his nose. He wiped it off with his pyjamas and added anxiously, "Am I going to tell it you again?"
"I do not know," said the wart, "unless you have not finished telling me yet." (35)

Fix er up: I think any surprise was ruined for me because I've seen the Disney movie, but I still loved very page!

Title: The Sword in the Stone (The Once and Future King: Part 1)
Author: T.H. White
Genre: Fantasy, Arthurian Legend
Publishing Info: Penguin Putnam, 1965

[ftc notice: I own a copy of this book, so needless to say, I was not compensated in any way for this review.]

november ten

having recently spotted this post from Galleysmith, thanks to April from Good Books and Good Wine, i was inspired to make my very own list of ten books to read for November.

i kinda did this for October, and it was moderately successful. however, with the tips provided by Galleysmith, i feel even more confident for the November go-round!

here are the next ten books i anticipate reading. this may change, but i'm going to try REALLY hard to keep it to this ten. not necessarily in this order, however.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

yes it's the first time i'm reading it so DON'T RUIN IT FOR ME.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

for review from the publisher

Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters

continuing the series so i can wrap it up!

Can You Survive Sherlock Holmes by Ryan Jacobson

for review and blog tour

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

for review from NetGalley

Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut

for review and blog tour

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor

for review from publisher

Underdogs by Markus Zusak

for review from Amazon Vine

Fathers and Sons by Steven Novak

for review from author

Legend by Marie Lu

on loan from Jacinda at The Reading Housewives.

as you can see, i have many review books to catch up on!

are there any you think i should give my attention to first? any insight or thoughts for these titles? let me know!

add it to the list [29]

add it to the list is a variation of In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

my Game of Thrones shirt came! HOLLA.

hubs has the same one. we are pretty cool.

Croak by Gina Damico

March 2012 from Graphia (imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

for the DAC ARC Tours blog

Thanks, Gina!

a signed copy of Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut

June 2011 from Twilight Times Books

part of The {Teen} Book Scene blog tour

Thanks, Darby!

Gig Posters Volume 2 by Clay Hayes

(i am making the same face as the monster. obvs.)

November 2011 from Quirk Publishing.

Thanks, Eric!

images from inside Gig Posters Volume 2

what awesomeness did you add to your lists this week?

hit me up down in the comments and link it up over at The Story Siren!

when i'm not reading

image from Ginger at GReads!

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. this is my favorite meme. and not just because Ginger is an elite book blogger with incredible design talent. mostly, i adore this meme because she poses a great question for us to discuss and share more about who we are as a reader and as a person behind the blog. she’s insightful, that way.

so, without further gushing, let us get to this week’s question!

When You're Not Reading: What occupies your time when your nose isn't stuck in a book?

quite simply, i'm gaming or watching something rad.

what my gaming entails:

video games!

having just recently purchased the latest Zelda, that's been occupying a good chunk of my (and my hubby's) time. and i wouldn't want it any other way. i love Zelda the most of anything i do ever.

i've also been giving a decent amount of time to finishing Batman: Arkham Asylum. it's so creepy and awesome and i can't even breath half the time because i'm so skerd.

i almost always have a side game of Pokemon rolling as well. currently replaying Diamond.

board games!

my husband has a serious board game obsession. i wager he spends more hours on Board Game Geek than the rest of his internet browsing combined.

we also have a closet full of board games, euro games, dice games, strategy games...SO many games. and i love them so.

my favorite game as of late is called Quarriors. it's a blend of Magic: The Gathering and Dominion. also, i've won every time i've played. HOLLA.

in fact, we are having friends come in a couple weeks for a board game sleepover weekend extravaganza. that's right y'all, sleepovers didn't stop when i graduated high school. we continue to have sleepovers because they are the BEST EVER.

what my watching of rad things entails:

my favorite tv shows of all time include Avatar: The Last Airbender, Batman: The Animated Series, LOST, Spaced, and Arrested Development.

i have been known to watch cheesy SyFy movies.

i also rewatch the LOTR extended editions monthly. yeah, monthly.

the hubs and i are also severe Netflix addicts.

i'm anticipating a LOST rewatch starting around christmas time that will somehow be incorporated into the blog. just fyi.

i love the Pride and Prejudice with Matthew McFayden. he is so sexy i can hardly stand it.

my favorite Disney movie is Sleeping Beauty. mostly because i love Merryweather.

so what do you guys do when you aren't reading or blogging? let me know and be sure to link it up over at GReads!

tbr tuesday [14]

the following lovely ladies have inspired this new meme for me - inspired by "a peek at my TBR" by Jen at Makeshift Bookmark, "Waiting on Wednesday" by Jill at Breaking the Spine and "Books to Pine For" by Kristi at The Story Siren.

here's a look at two books i have sitting in my To Be Read pile. i don't necessarily own these books, but they are books i intend to get around to reading soon!

Stitches by David Small

One day David Small awoke from a supposedly harmless operation to discover that he had been transformed into a virtual mute. A vocal cord removed, his throat slashed and stitched together like a bloody boot, the fourteen-year-old boy had not been told that he had cancer and was expected to die.

In Stitches, Small, the award-winning children’s illustrator and author, re-creates this terrifying event in a life story that might have been imagined by Kafka. As the images painfully tumble out, one by one, we gain a ringside seat at a gothic family drama where David—a highly anxious yet supremely talented child—all too often became the unwitting object of his parents’ buried frustration and rage. [partial summary from Goodreads]

why i want to read this: first, i have yet to meet a graphic novel i didn't like. but more importantly, this one sounds like it packs an emotional punch to the gut that i've been sorely lacking these days. i've been reading a lot of books that are silly or smart or romantic...but none that have filled me with anxiety and emotion and dread. i'm ready for the emotional turmoil. BRING IT.

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Just when seventeen-year-old Cullen Witter thinks he understands everything about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town, it all disappears. . . .

In the summer before Cullen's senior year, a nominally-depressed birdwatcher named John Barling thinks he spots a species of woodpecker thought to be extinct since the 1940s in Lily, Arkansas. His rediscovery of the so-called Lazarus Woodpecker sparks a flurry of press and woodpecker-mania. Soon all the kids are getting woodpecker haircuts and everyone's eating "Lazarus burgers." But as absurd as the town's carnival atmosphere has become, nothing is more startling than the realization that Cullen’s sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother Gabriel has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared.

While Cullen navigates his way through a summer of finding and losing love, holding his fragile family together, and muddling his way into adulthood, a young missionary in Africa, who has lost his faith, is searching for any semblance of meaning wherever he can find it. As distant as the two stories seem at the start, they are thoughtfully woven ever closer together and through masterful plotting, brought face to face in a surprising and harrowing climax.
[partial summary from Goodreads]

why i want to read this: multiple narrators. character development. emotional depth. original story. AMAZING recommendations from fellow bloggers. male main character. a book that will make me ponder and gasp. yeah, i'm kind of pumped for this one.

have you read either of these? if so, tell me what you think! i just may bump it up on my TBR, thanks to you. no promises, but you never know.

add it to the list [28]

add it to the list is a variation of In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

this week, i am showered with love by friends...and Fox.

dudes. Asheley knows i adore Zelda and so when she got her hands on this copy of Game Informer that is focused almost exclusively on the awesomeness that is Link, she offered to share it with me.

obviously i said yes.

i had NO IDEA she was going to send me a Link candy dispenser and a GBA candy case. obviously, i screamed like an idiot and hyperventilated a little bit.

thank you, Asheley, for celebrating the Hero of Time with me and sharing this awesomeness. so much love.

I won a copy of Water for Elephants on DVD and in book form via a contest hosted by GReads! thanks to 20th Century Fox for offering up these goodies. i'm pretty excited to read and then IMMEDIATELY watch the movie. because all Twilight ridiculousness aside, Robert Pattinson is hot as hell.

what did you add to your lists or get in your mailboxes this week? be sure to let me know and then link it up over at The Story Siren so everybody can peep yo stuff.

bookish thankfulness

image from GReads!

so, without further gushing, let us get to this week’s question!

Giving Thanks: Which books are you most thankful for from other bloggers, friends, family members, or publishers?

I think I am always thankful for anyone and everyone who shares a book - heck, even a recommendation - with me. But there are a few titles what have really hit home and remain special to me.

Family: My mother’s favorite book is The Hobbit. And while I haven’t read it yet, the entire Lord of the Rings experience will forever be special to me because of my mother’s love for it and the movies. I remember watching them with her and my brother for the first time and being totally captivated. She shared with us some of her initial reactions to reading the series and pointed out some differences between the books and movies. It is a fond memory of mine and makes my hobbit love that much more intense. One day, when I finally read the books, I know I can call my mom and geek out about them and it will be most rad.

Friends: I didn’t read a ton in high school, so I don’t have any specific memories about HS friends (that I still adore to this day) recommending books to me. Mostly I was busy secretly playing Final Fantasy until 3 am and acting like I was up late on AIM or whatever. But these days, I have a couple coworker friends that I can share book recommendations with and push YA on them like whoa. In fact, we are currently geeking out over The Hunger Games. I read the first one, but they both finished the series AND have purchased HG jewelry from Etsy. Plans to see the movie together have been made. So again, this series will forever be associated with my most lovely coworkers, Jaime and Julie. They hound me quite often to finish the series as well, as good bookish friends should!

Bloggers: This is where a vast majority of my TBR books come from. Reading their reviews and hearing them say “This book is SO you” keeps my spark for reading alive. I have many favorite books that came into my heart via bloggers. Such as, but certainly not limited to, The Knife of Never Letting Go and Graceling (from Bookshelves of Doom) and Shatter Me (from GReads!). Other favorites of mine that I heard about FIRST from fellow bloggers are Before I Fall, Divergent, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, and Please Ignore Vera Dietz.

Publishers: Publishers always show me love. For that, I am forever grateful. But if I have to pick one book that really stands out for me as the one I am most thankful for...I can’t. So instead, I will pick three. You should realize by now that I hardly play by the rules AND i can seldom narrow anything down to one.
1. Murder at Wayne Manor from Eric at Quirk Publishing. Eric is just the best, in case you didn’t know, and he gets that I’m a huge dorkasaurus and encourages it by sending me a murder mystery where I get to pretend to be Batman.
2. Anything and everything from Little, Brown Publishing. They were the first publishing house to send me advance review copies of anything, and for that they will always be special to me. Plus, I happen to think their titles are consistently amazing.
3. A signed copy of Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness from Candlewick publishing. I am a very public Patrick Ness fangirl, so this obviously was the best thing to happen in my blogging life - EVER. I still get giddy when I think about it.

What about you? What books did friends, fam, bloggers and publishers share with you that hold a dear place in your heart? Be sure to share with me AND link it up over at GReads!

Review: Me & Tennessee by Sheridan Hernandez

In a sentence or so: Rachel is used to spending her summers with her grandparents in Florida. But this summer is different. This summer is full of new loves, lust, significant drama and self discovery.

Rachel is the only child of two very busy British parents. She isn’t necessarily unhappy, just a bit of a loner. She remains a loner most summers when she visits her grandparents on the Florida beaches. Not this summer. This summer, Rachel meets Kyle (the older and jaw-droppingly gorgeous one) and Jed (the sweet, sensitive, and just her age one). Never before has Rachel flirted with boys, hung out with a group of friends such as this, or been introduced to so much family drama.

At times she is emotionally overwhelmed, but Rachel is consistently interested in the boys and their friends. She starts spending more and more time with Kyle and Jed (aka Tennessee) and discovers more about herself, the boys, and life beyond the beach. When dangerous situations arise, Rachel has to draw on her newfound inner strength to save the relationships that she holds dear.

Rachel is naïve, yet understandably so. She isn’t from the US, she’s just 14, she hasn’t interacted much with boys (or friends, really) and she certainly hasn’t had self confidence until this summer. Keeping in mind how young she is, as the reader I was fearful for her. Like, all the time. Girls who are just starting to develop and get confidence and know they’re pretty AND hang out with older boys are a recipe for disaster. I was desperately hopeful for her that she’d find her way!

At times this read like a memoir, especially considering it’s written in first person. However, we do get to know the other characters pretty well and that added some depth and development to the story. For a coming-of-age story at the beach with a healthy dose of drama and suspense, give this one a try!

Fave quote: "Thank you for coming here. I don't just mean here to the beach today. I mean thank you for finding me." (63)

Fix er up: A few times this feel into the “and then this, and then this, and then this” trap for me. However, I was invested in the story and the characters and allowed it to sound like a memoir.

Title: Me & Tennessee
Author: Sheridan Hernandez
Publishing Info: May 2011, Synergy Books
Genre: Coming of Age, Drama, Romance

[ftc notice: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review. I was not compensated in any way. Thanks, Sherry!]

this makes my heart sing

top ten reasons why i am STOKED about John Green Week.

10. i just like participating in themed weeks, OKAY?

9. i have two books left of his that i need to read (Will Grayson, Will Grayson and A Fault In Our Stars [obv]) and this is the perfect opportunity to get it done.

8. John Green writes books that are hilarious and insightful and just my brand of geek.

7. i loved Looking for Alaska.

6. i loved An Abundance of Katherines

5. i loved Paper Towns.

4. the button is so cute. it's awesome, so obvs it's made by Ginger at GReads! yeah, i'm shallow. deal with it.

3. there are giveaways. this kid loves free stuff.

2. this week is hosted by some of my VERY FAVORITE blogging gal pals.

1. it's John "Nerdfighter Extraordinaire" Green, y'all.

i'd love it if you joined me. you can link it up right here at Lindsi's blog.

reading challenge preview

can you believe it's almost time to re-up on reading challenges again?

yeah, me either. but here we are.

here are a few i've definitely got my eye on!

Sci Fi Reader Challenge hosted by Working for the Mandroid.

i love that there are different sub-genres within this challenge. i'm pretty stoked about this one, as it encourages me to read some adult sci fi books. WOO. thanks to Asheley for the heads up on this one.

Support Your Local Library Challenge hosted by The Eclectic Bookshelf

this is one of those challenges i already do, so it's nice padding for my challenge list. i freaking love the library, and that's the truth.

Sophmore Reading Challenge hosted by Shanyn of Chick Loves Lit.

this is perfect for me as it pushes me to keep on reading the series i've already started! you know i have a problem with starting series and not coming back to them...and Shanyn's helping me fix that! based on the list she provided, i plan on reading Goddess Interrupted, Insurgent, and Mara Dyer #2. i'm sure i'll find the other 7 i need!

Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren. obviously.

BREAKING NEWS! THIS JUST IN!
i've added another challenge to my 2012 goals.

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge hosted by a ton of peeps.

i seriously need to whiddle down my TBR and this is the perfect way to do it. HOLLA.

i'll be participating at the Love At First Sight level (31-40) books. i'm taking it seriously, ya'll.

okay, one more challenge and then i'm done. HONEST.

2012 YA Mythology Challenge hosted by About to Read

the goal is to read 10 YA/MG books that incorporate mythology

i love mythology like no other, so this one should be a breeze. i realize i'm not really stretching myself here with the challenges in terms of genre, but there's nothing wrong with reading what i love!

what about you? what challenges are you eyeing and spying at this point in the game?

are there challenges i missed you think i should check out? let me know in the comments!

add it to the list [27]

add it to the list is a variation of the meme In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

i know you love the freeze frame.

ANYWAY.

Can You Survive Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Ryan Jacobson and Deb Mercier.

November 2011, Lake7 Creative

part of the blog tour hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene

Thank you to Ryan for my very own SIGNED copy. Which I am clearly stoked about reading, based on my fangirling in the vlog. Please accept me for the nerd I am.

Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

December 2011, Katherine Tegen Books (imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)

part of the blog tour hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene

a new project that makes me happy

image from www.dacarctours.blogspot.com made by Ginger of GReads!

As some of you may have already heard, I'm partnering up with Kristi, Tara, and Ginger to be a part of the DAC ARC Book Tour Blog. For those new to the idea, let's break it down a bit.

DAC = Debut Author Challenge. Kristi (The Story Siren) hosts this challenge. It is a reading challenge for bloggers (or those who review on Goodreads) to read at least 12 books from a debut YA author in the year. It's great because it helps spread the word about new books and authors and builds a little bit of community in this crazy YA blogging world. I'm a huge fan of both. You can find out more details and info at the info page.

ARC = Advance Review Copy. This is typically the version of the book bloggers get for review. It usually isn't completely finished, but is close enough to share and help spread the word and get some reviews started. You can typically tell if it's an arc or not because it will have "NOT A FINISHED COPY" or "UNCORRECTED PROOF NOT FOR SALE" on it. It's important to note that in your review, so readers and publishers are aware of any inconsistencies with the final work.

Book Tour = sharing one copy of a book so multiple people can read it. As bloggers, sometimes authors/publishers approach us with review books. Other times, we ask them for the opportunity to review a book. Sometimes, we say no. Sometimes, they say no. Publishers have a limited stock of arcs and it's completely up to them to decide with whom they share them. I get that. Which is why this book tour is special. We have an arc that's from a debut author and we pass it around bloggers/reviewers that wouldn't have a chance to read it otherwise. More readers = more reviews = more publicity = more win.

Blog = I think this is short for Web Log, right? Anyway, the important thing to know about the blog is that it's hosted by Tara, Ginger, and myself (with Kristi as supporting cast) and it's your go to place for upcoming titles, answers to questions, and reminders on the rules.

If you are not already signed up to participate in the 2012 DAC Challenge, I highly encourage you to do so! Ginger made some amazing buttons that you can choose from to tell the interwebs that you're a part of the fun. You can see the one I chose on the right! Although, I may change that from time to time because they are all so adorable.

little bit of love, but mostly hate.

image from Ginger at GReads!

welcome to my favorite meme! this is hosted by Ginger of GReads (who just might be the coolest girl ever) and is a chance for book bloggers to share a little bit more about their bookish habits. she asks some seriously rad questions and people usually have really cool stuff to share. so here we go!

this week, Ginger the Awesome asks:

Love-Hate Relationship: Which characters from a book do you love to hate?

Ginger really stumped me with this one. i love to love LOVABLE characters. but, if i really think about it, there are a two archetypes i love to hate...

The Mean Old Woman. she's always trying to foil our happy and adorable main character's plans. what's her deal! why is she so awful! leave us alone! solid examples of this are M'Lady Luggertuck from Horton Halfpott and Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter and the ice queen from The Chronicles of Narnia.

The HBIC. that girl who is a bitch just because she can be. who does everything she can to be rude, demeaning, and all around awful to everyone. i love this even more when there is no motivation. only awfulness. the BEST example of this is Penelope from The Luxe Series. she is the epitome of this and i truly do love to hate her.

what about you? who are the characters you love to hate? tell me in the comments and then link it up over at GReads!

Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

In a sentence or so: Percy Jackson suspects he might be different from most kids his age. These suspicions are confirmed when he’s attacked by a Fury (yeah, from Hades) and whisked away to a camp for half-mortal/half-immortal kids. Is he the hero they’ve all been waiting for? Or is he just an awkwardly lanky kid with bad luck?

Percy has a most amazing mother, and a particularly awful stepfather. His only memory of his true father is a warm smile and pure happiness. Now, Percy’s life is bumping from school to school and trying not to get into fights. Which isn’t as easy as it sounds when your horrible sub tries to murder you during a school field trip to the history museum. What’s worse is that no one seemed to notice! Either Percy is certifiably insane, or there is something very suspicious going down. Possibly both.

Soon, Percy discovers that these attempted homicides are due to his being a half-blood. You know, half mortal and half immortal Greek god. Yeah, he is skeptical too. Until he meets a centaur, a dryad or two, and the slew of other half-bloods at a camp for people just like him. Well, not just like him. Percy continues to be set apart, for better or worse, and must complete a hero’s quest in order to be part of the community. Pending he doesn’t die in his efforts, of course.

A confession: you all were right. ALL of you. I have heard so many people rave about the glories of Percy Jackson. I was thrilled to discover that it was totally worth the hype. Thank you, internet, for telling me true!

Percy is a bit rough around the edges, which I loved. He has obvious daddy issues which were explored just enough to give you substance without weighing it down. We meet SO MANY creatures and gods and demi-gods from greek mythology that I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. Thankfully, it all makes sense to the flow of the story, not just to show off Riordan’s research for the book. He has two faithful friends on his hero’s quest who provide balance and depth to this read.

If you’re looking for a fantasy middle-grade read soaked in Greek mythology with solid characters and fantastic writing, give this a shot. I’m SO glad I did.

Fave quote: "Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur." (156)

Fix er up: As this is the first in the series, I’m not sure how he’s going to follow up with additional elements of Greek myth. I feel like we met EVERYONE…but I’m sure that’s impossible. I’m just worried future installments won’t be as jam packed with Greek god goodness as this one!

Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians#1)
Author: Rick Riordan
Pub Info: 2005, Miramax
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy

[ftc notice: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. I did not receive compensation for my review. Thanks, library!]

if this comes to the US, my heart will burst.

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Special Edition 3DS

I FREAKING KNOW.

full details at the Engadget article.

tbr tuesday [13]

Heist Society by Ally Carter

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way. [summary from Goodreads]

Why it’s on my TBR: I’ve heard this is a clever read with fabulous characters. While the plot wasn’t entirely intriguing to me, hearing people rave about the characters has changed my mind. As I’ve said before, I will take solid characters with a less-than-interesting plot ANY day.

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn (Eon #1) by Alison Goodman

Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he'll be able to apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragon-eye, the human link to an energy dragon's power. It is forbidden for females to practice the Dragon Magic and, if discovered, Eon faces a terrible death. After a dazzling sword ceremony, Eon's affinity with the twelve dragons catapults him into the treacherous world of the Imperial court, where he makes a powerful enemy, Lord Ido. As tension builds and Eon's desperate lie comes to light, readers won't be able to stop turning the pages... [summary from Goodreads]

Why it’s on my TBR: Dragons. Magic. Kick-ass female lead. RAVE reviews from the likes of bloggers such as April of Good Books and Good Wine. I have a feeling this is going to be my next epic fantasy adventure!

Have you read either of these? If so, what did you think? Link your review in the comments, if you so prefer!