Musing Mondays

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about book series…

Do you prefer to read stand-alone books, or books in series? Do you stick with a series the whole way through or stop after the first installment? Are there any particular series you enjoy?

I love to read any books whether they are part of a series or not. I'm actually in the middle of so many different series that it's hard to keep track! I tend to jump around with the books I read. I don't normally read a series straight through without some other books in between. If the first book doesn't impress me though, I won't finish the series. Some series that I have enjoyed: Harry Potter, Twilight, The Inheritance Cycle and many others. Some series that I'm currently reading: Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries, House of Night, The Mortal Instruments, The Inkworld Trilogy, and The Stephanie Plum series. I think that I tend to be more drawn to series books than stand-alone books. I never really noticed that before.

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first books in this series, as it may contain spoilers!

Definitely Dead is the sixth book in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris. Here is a description from Amazon:

Sookie Stackhouse once tried to keep her mind-reading capabilities secret, but the word is definitely out in Bon Temps, Louisiana, her hometown, leading local police to call on her to help find a missing child. There's a new man, were-tiger Quinn, in the picture, too, but on their first date, two were-people attack them. Sookie isn't sure whether she or Quinn was the target but is soon distracted by a more pressing problem. Cousin Hadley, a vampire, has been murdered, and Sookie has inherited her apartment, meaning she has to go to New Orleans to uncover the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death and meet with Hadley's lover, the Vampire Queen herself.

I love this series more and more after every book I read. This book reveals a lot of interesting information! One thing I can't stand, though, is Quinn. For some reason, I find him incredibly annoying. It's irritating that Quinn always calls Sookie "babe." That seems so sexist! I'm not normally like that. I don't get offended that easily, but that really got to me. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I hope it's even better than this one was! I'm trying to find a way to fit this into the Summer Book Challenge, but I have no idea how I'm going to do it.

5 out of 5 stars

Booking Through Thursday

Today's Booking Through Thursday question:

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

Wow, this is a hard question! I've read so many great books lately; it's difficult to choose. I guess I would have to say that The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was the best book I've read recently. It was an amazing book! It had such a cool plot and some really great characters. I liked that it was fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I had a hard time putting this book down. I highly recommend The Hunger Games to anyone who likes to read, and even the people who don't like to read! I've already gotten my mom and brother to read it; now I'm just trying to convince my dad to try it. I can't wait for the sequel, Catching Fire, to be released on September 1st!

Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan

Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare is the first book in The Saga of Darren Shan. Here is a description from Amazon:

When Cirque Du Freak comes to town, Darren and his friends are obsessed with seeing the acts, which include a performing spider; spiders are a particular fascination of Darren's. It is a marvelously creepy show that lives up to their expectations. After the show, Darren's rowdy pal, Steve, stays behind and confronts the man with the spider--who turns out to be a vampire. Hidden in the shadows, Darren listens, horrified, as Steve begs Mr. Crepsley to make him a vampire, too. Steve's request is denied, but through a series of mishaps, Darren becomes the vampire.

I decided to read this book after I saw the trailer for the Cirque Du Freak movie. I didn't know much about the book before I read it. I thought it was a bit young for being considered young adult. I would say it's geared more toward a younger audience (think The Series of Unfortunate Events and The Spiderwick Chronicles) than other young adult books I've read. It's a little odd that the author writes it like it is actually about himself. I kept trying to figure out how old Darren is supposed to be, but the book never really says. I'm guessing he's supposed to be about 12.

I already own the next two books, so I plan on reading them. I really want to see the movie when it comes out, although I may wait until it comes out on DVD. I'm using this for the "read a book by an author born in July, August or September" category for the Summer Book Challenge. Darren Shan was born on July 2nd. Overall, I thought this book was pretty good.

3 out of 5 stars

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

I really wanted to read this book when I first saw it at the book store. It has such a great cover and a cool title. Plus, one of the tasks for the Summer Book Challenge is to read a book based solely on its cover. Here is a description of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane from Amazon:

Harvard graduate student Connie Goodwin needs to spend her summer doing research for her doctoral dissertation. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she can't refuse. As she is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the family house, Connie discovers an ancient key within a seventeenth-century Bible. The key contains a yellowing fragment of parchment with a name written upon it: Deliverance Dane. This discovery launches Connie on a quest--to find out who this woman was and to unearth a rare artifact of singular power: a physick book, its pages a secret repository for lost knowledge.

As the pieces of Deliverance's harrowing story begin to fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of the long-ago witch trials, and she begins to fear that she is more tied to Salem's dark past then she could have ever imagined.

I was so excited when I finally got this book from the library. I waited for about a month for it. It definitely was not worth the wait. I'm so disappointed. I found the book to be mildly interesting, but I couldn't stand the main character, Connie. She was so dumb! There were times when I was thinking to myself, How did this girl even get her graduate degree? The author also used the word "idiosyncratic" way too many times. (Think "chagrin" in the Twilight series.) I also couldn't believe that the author wrote "should of" instead of "should have." Granted, it was in dialogue, but still! That is just not OK. I could see maybe using "should've" since it was dialogue but not "should of." That's a big pet peeve of mine. Anyway, I thought the historical parts of the book were very interesting, but the rest was pretty pointless. So disappointing.

2 out of 5 stars

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Here is a description of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan from Amazon:

At the instigation of a matchmaker, Lily and Snow Flower, a girl from a larger town and supposedly from a well-connected, wealthy family, become laotong, bound together for life. Even after Lily learns that Snow Flower is not from a better family, even when Lily marries above her and Snow Flower beneath her, they remain close, exchanging nu shu written on a fan. When war comes, Lily is separated from her husband and children. She survives the winter helped by Snow Flower's husband, a lowly butcher, until she is reunited with her family. As the years pass, the women's relationship changes; Lily grows more powerful in her community, bitter, and harder, until at last she breaks her bond with Snow Flower. They are not reunited until Lily tries to make the dying Snow Flower's last days comfortable.

I decided to read this book because the girls on The Nest Book Club message board suggested it. I also really enjoy historical fictions that are set in Asian countries. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was exactly what I was looking for. I thought the parts about foot-binding were very interesting. I found myself wincing at certain points; it sounded so incredibly painful! I guess I would be considered very ugly in China at that time; my feet are size 12! I thought it was so cool that the women of China had their own language that the men didn't even know about. Reading about Lily and Snow Flower's friendship made me sad for all of my friendships that have ended. It normally takes a lot for a book to make me cry, but this one definitely did. I was just bawling! This book counted for the Summer Book Challenge.

4 out of 5 stars

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first books in this series, as it may contain spoilers!

Dead as a Doornail is the fifth book in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris. It continues the story of telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie's brother, Jason, is awaiting his first full moon since being bitten by a were-panther, a sniper is going around Bon Temps shooting shifters, and Sookie is being dragged into werewolf politics, all while trying to sort out her feelings for the many men in her life. You know, a usual day in the life of Sookie Stackhouse.

I still love this series! I think these books just keep getting better and better. I would have liked to have seen Eric more in this book. Oh well. I thought it was interesting to see how the werewolves choose a new "packmaster," even if it was a bit brutal. I'm still rooting for Sookie and Eric. I really hope they end up together. I'm also using this book for the Summer Book Challenge. I can't wait to read the next book!

5 out of 5 stars!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I picked up this book because I know a lot of people who really liked it. Also, I was able to fit it into the Summer Book Challenge! Here's a description of The Hunger Games from Amazon:

"In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives."

I'm so glad I read this book because I loved it! After I started reading it, I just couldn't put it down. I loved how independent and strong Katniss was. I think the author could have picked a better name, though. I mean, Katniss? Really? It sounds too much like "cat piss." Oh well, she's still a great main character. I can't wait to read the next book. I don't want to wait until September 1st though! Hopefully I can win Catching Fire from Goodreads.

5 out of 5 stars!

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first books in this series, as it may contain spoilers!

Dead to the World is the fourth book in Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series. Here is a description from Amazon:

"(Dead to the World) continues the story of psychic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who has fallen out with her undead lover, Bill. Bill has no sooner departed for Peru, than Sookie finds the head vampire, Eric, running naked and terrified through the rural night. She helps Eric, and discovers his memory has been destroyed by a coven of unscrupulous, astonishingly powerful witches, newly arrived in her small Louisiana town, and offering a huge reward for Eric. Sookie tries to hide Eric, but her brother sees him--and immediately disappears. And Sookie finds herself caught in a war among witches, vampires, and werewolves."

I absolutely LOVE this series! The books just keep getting better and better. I know I say this all the time, but Eric is so amazingly hot and sexy! He makes Edward Cullen seem dull and ugly. I found a way to fit this book into the Summer Book Challenge. Yay! I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series. My mom has the next one, so next time I go to her house I'm stealing it!

5 out of 5 stars

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

I can't believe I had never read this book before. I decided to read it for the Summer Book Challenge. Here's a description from Amazon:

"Guy Montag is a book-burning fireman undergoing a crisis of faith. His wife spends all day with her television "family," imploring Montag to work harder so that they can afford a fourth TV wall. Their dull, empty life sharply contrasts with that of his next-door neighbor Clarisse, a young girl thrilled by the ideas in books, and more interested in what she can see in the world around her than in the mindless chatter of the tube. When Clarisse disappears mysteriously, Montag is moved to make some changes, and starts hiding books in his home. Eventually, his wife turns him in, and he must answer the call to burn his secret cache of books. After fleeing to avoid arrest, Montag winds up joining an outlaw band of scholars who keep the contents of books in their heads, waiting for the time society will once again need the wisdom of literature."

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was similar to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. In both books society is controlled through pleasure. As long as everyone is happy and entertained, the government can get them to do whatever they want. I found it particularly frightening that the government didn't just take books away suddenly, but most people just stopped reading altogether. I couldn't imagine not reading. It's my favorite hobby of all time. I'm always in the middle of a book. I brought 4 books on my week long vacation. I probably won't get to all of them, but I like to have my options. Anyway, I really liked Fahrenheit 451, and I think everyone should read it.

5 out of 5 stars

Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot

I read Queen of Babble for the Summer Book Challenge. It's one of Meg Cabot's adult books. Here is a description from Amazon:

"Lizzie Nichols, a fashion-history major, wants nothing more than to graduate college and then fly off to London to be with her boyfriend, Andy. But at her graduation party, Lizzie finds out that she can't graduate until she writes a senior thesis. And when she lands in London, Andy turns out to be a liar, gambler, and a fashion disaster. Lizzie, stuck in London with a nonchangeable ticket home, escapes Andy via the Chunnel in hopes that her friend Shari, who is catering weddings for the summer at a French chateau, can help. On the train, Lizzie meets a stranger, Jean-Luc, and spills everything that has happened, only to find out that he is the son of the chateau's owner. At the chateau, Lizzie continues to babble when she shouldn't, ticking off Jean-Luc, shocking his mother, and upsetting a bride. Will she ever learn to keep her mouth shut?"

I thought this book was pretty cute. Lizzie annoyed me a lot at first, but I grew to tolerate her by the end of the book. I hated when she was making up excuses for Andy's behavior. I just wanted to slap some sense into her. I know some people say that Heather Wells, the main character from Meg Cabot's other adult series that begins with Size 12 is Not Fat, is really annoying, but I think Lizzie is way worse! I liked the story, though, and Luke made up for the fact that Lizzie was so annoying.

3 out of 5 stars

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

I rarely read non-fiction books, but this was for the Summer Book Challenge. Here is a description of Outliers from Amazon:

"Outliers begins with a provocative look at why certain five-year-old boys enjoy an advantage in ice hockey, and how these advantages accumulate over time. We learn what Bill Gates, the Beatles and Mozart had in common: along with talent and ambition, each enjoyed an unusual opportunity to intensively cultivate a skill that allowed them to rise above their peers. A detailed investigation of the unique culture and skills of Eastern European Jewish immigrants persuasively explains their rise in 20th-century New York, first in the garment trade and then in the legal profession. Through case studies ranging from Canadian junior hockey champions to the robber barons of the Gilded Age, from Asian math whizzes to software entrepreneurs to the rise of his own family in Jamaica, Gladwell tears down the myth of individual merit to explore how culture, circumstance, timing, birth and luck account for success—and how historical legacies can hold others back despite ample individual gifts."

This book was actually quite interesting. I loved learning that a lot of people who have enjoyed great success have luck to thank for it. I guess it makes me feel better about my own lack of great success. It's not my fault; I'm just not that lucky. I was born in the wrong year, I have the "wrong" background, I grew up in the wrong area, etc. (Obviously, those aren't the only reasons, but hey, I'm making myself feel better!) I can't believe that just because someone was born in the first three months of the year means that they have a much better shot at becoming professional hockey players. I'm glad that this book was recommended to me. I really enjoyed it. Plus, now I know why Asians are so good at math!

4 out of 5 stars