Slowly losing my mind... (Reading A Song of Ice and Fire)

I do believe I have traded in my sanity in exchange for the Song of Ice and Fire series. Like I said over at The Broke and the Bookish, I read the first book well over a year ago. After a bit of persuading from a couple of my favorite blogging friends *cough Kelly and Daisy cough cough* I started reading the second book. My life has been a whirlwind ever since. Every time something crazy happened, which is about every 20 pages (give or take 19) I'd message the two of them. You know that really big spoiler that happens in the third book? The one that even shocked the author (aka: Evil Santa)? I was at rehearsal when I read that. I'm not sure how I kept my composure. I picked up my phone and messaged Kelly and Daisy. All I said was: "WHAT DID I JUST READ?!?!" Just ask them, they can tell you about my frantic messaging as I freaked out over the events of the books.

I'm taking a short break now. Doing a reread of Harry Potter with Jen and Kelly from the Broke and the Bookish. (We discovered during our discussion about Code Name Verity that Jen had never read the Harry Potter series, Kelly and I decided that was terrible and that we needed to fix it. So we are.)

I'll read another book, either Seige and Storm or The Madmans's Daughter and then I'll jump back into the madness.

Wanderlust Wednesday

This is (hopefully) going to be a new feature here at The Bookish Thespian. If you know me... or have read my "about me" you know I suffer from delight in Wanderlust. I love traveling, if I get stuck home for too long I start to get twitchy. I got to go to Arizona for a day a couple weeks ago and that made me happy. At least I was getting out of the state for a bit.

Now about this feature. Haven't you ever read a book that made you want to book the next plane ticket? Hop in your car and just start driving, pausing only long enough to kidnap your friends and take them with you?

I know I have. And that is what I am going to talk about. I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it the second Wednesday of every month. If I did it every week I think I'd run out of books pretty fast. So every second Wednesday I am going to tell you about the lastest book I've read that's made me more wanderlusty than usual.

Now here is where you come in. I would LOVE to hear about what books give you wanderlust. Did any books actually inspire a trip? Or are you impatiently waiting to visit that place you read about? Tell me! I'm excited to discuss it!

Please, leave a comment!

Top Ten Beach Reads



Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at my other blog, The Broke and the Bookish.

I live in Utah, therefore I am rather... landlocked. And no The Great Salt Lake does NOT count. If you live in Utah, you understand. I'm not sure what I'd consider a beach read, so I basically thought of books that made me think of the beach, or books that were summery... or in some cases, just books that I thought might qualify as a beach read.

She spends so much time outside, on the beach... It makes me want to make the 11 hour drive to get to a real beach.

The entirety of this book takes place at a beach on in the ocean.

If that doesn't qualify it as a beach read, I'm not sure what does.

This one might make you want to stay on the beach and not venture too far into the water. 

This is a fun, light read. It seems like it would be a delight to read

while sitting on the beach with lots of sunshine.



I didn't even really love this book. It was cute, but not a favorite. However, the descriptions of the beach and living so close to the water made me wish I was there.



Aside from being a great book, it takes place at the beach. Made

me wish I was AT the beach.

The characters spend a lot of time wrapped in furs, and being cold. Seems like this would be a delight to read in the warm sun. 

This is a fun, light read. Seems like it would be fun to read on the beach!

Simply put, I adore this book. I'd love to read it while sitting in the sun!

Because why not? An old favorite seems like a perfect beach read. 

What's on your list? Do we have any in common? Any you think I should add to this list? Tell me in the comments!

Throne of Glass

Book/Author: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Pulisher/Year: Bloomsbury 2012

Series?: Yes!

Angst Level: 2

Rating: 4.5 Stars

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

 

Me:

This was one of those books that was on my tbr list long before it was even published. Then it sat on my wishlist for a really long time. (I'm in my last two semesters of college, I am ridiculously poor) Finally, I had some extra money after judging drama competition. (I'm still amazed I got paid to go and watch kids perform, critique them and then give them some direction. Paid for something fun. That I have a degree in. It's an amazing thing) Anyway. I finally had some extra cash and bought a couple of books, and this was one of them.

I really enjoyed this. If you've read some of my other reviews you know how much I love a tough heroine. I also have a serious weakness for retellings. Cinder anyone? I had high hopes for this, and it did not disappoint. It has just the right amount of action and suspense, mystery, character development and world building to make it a delightful read.

You:

I recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good retelling, strong heroines, or fantasy.

Have you read Throne of Glass? What did you think? Do you have any favorite retellings?

Shadow and Bone

Book/ Author: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Square Fish

Series?: Yes "Grisha Trilogy"

Rating: 5 Stars!

Angst Level: 2

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Me:
I have no idea how I came so late to the party that is Shadow and Bone. I'd heard about it in passing. The occasional tweet, an update on Goodreads... But for some weird reason, I never picked it up. Even though it's pretty much everything I love in a book. Likable heroine learns she's much more than she thought, learns kick-a skills, saves people... Magic, adventure, romance... Needless to say, I really enjoyed it. It was exciting, I liked the characters, great world building.

You:
I recommend this to you if you are looking for a good fantasy read, or like characters that start off average and become amazing.

I am glad about one thing. I didn't have to wait very long for the second book!

Oh, and about the "Angst Level". Don't you ever get tired of too much angst in a book? Or just want to know how much to expect when you pick up a book? Me too. So I'll be including an "angst level" on all of my reviews from now on. Happy reading!

Bout of Books 7.0

I'm joining in on the fun that is bout of books 7.0!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I'm working on finishing my last two semesters of my undergrad (215 days to go!) and sometimes get wrapped up in the stress of school and don't read as much as I should so I decided to do bout of books to get myself into gear.

Goals:

-Read at least two of the books below
-Discover new blogs

Books:

I've given myself a few to choose from. I've been book ADD lately, so I'm giving myself some freedom.

Updates:

Monday
Number of books I’ve read today: 1/2
Total number of books I’ve read: 1/2
Book(s): Throne of Glass
(I was out flat with a migraine most of the day. I think reading roughly half a book is pretty good, right?)

Tuesday:
Number of books I've read today: 2/3
Total number of books I've read: 2/3
Book(s): Throne of Glass

Wednesday:
Number of books I've read today: 1
Total number books I've read: 1
Book(s): Throne of Glass

Thursday:
Number of books I've read today: 1/5
Total number of books I've read: 1 and 1/5
Book(s): Throne of Glass, Shadow and Bone 

Friday:
Number of books I've read today: 1/2
Total number of books I've read: 1 and 1/2
Book(s):Throne of Glass, Shadow and Bone

Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at my other blog, The Broke and the Bookish.

As I was putting this list together I realized something. I read a lot of serious and intense books. 

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.
In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.
The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.
Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke-about-town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous-though utterly romantic-results. But will she ever see him again?
Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

Fun story, lots of humor and beautiful countries as a backdrop. What's not to like?

 When Desi Bascomb gets discovered by the elite Facade Agency–royalty surrogates extraordinaire–her life goes from glamour-starved to spectacular in a blink. As her new agent, Meredith, explains, Desi has a rare magical ability: when she applies the ancient Egyptian formula “Royal Rouge,” she can transform temporarily into the exact lookalike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?
Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras....

 Desi is adorable, and awkward and endlessly hilarious. The situations she finds herself in!

 
 Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.

This is just a fun, cute story with loveable characters and a heartwarming story.

  
“I’ve left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.” So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York?

 Humor, New York, Bookishness. Basically all you need for a great read!

 Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined. 

For the Austen obsessed, or even just someone who enjoys a hilarious romantic comedy with an imperfect MC.  

 Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets: 
Secrets from her mother: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur. 
Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world: I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is.
Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger... Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company’s elusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her.  

Oh Emma... Never fails to make me laugh. The things that come out of her mouth... 

 Flavia de Luce, 11, is an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison. In the summer of 1950, a series of inexplicable events strikes her home, Buckshaw, a decaying English mansion. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath.
For Flavia, both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw.

Flavia is delightful. Absolutely hilarious. I'd really like to see her meet Sherlock Holmes. That conversation would be priceless. 

 

  

"Demons, or no Demons, I will get Tanner and Baker together.”
Jimmy is a brand-new agent assigned to the most difficult case the Lovers Angels Corporation, a supernatural matchmaking service, has seen in centuries: the Tanner-Baker case. Jesse Tanner and Danni Baker have been neighbors for years. Getting them together should be a walk in the park, and every tactic Jimmy employs should work—in theory. However assaults of suspected Demonic mischief ultimately tangle the situation so badly it will take a small miracle to organize a happy ending for Tanner and Baker.

An adorable Romantic Comedy written by a friend of mine from high school. Light fluff, humor. It's all there. 

  
After one break-up too many, Samantha wants to find Mr. Right. But she is completely inexperienced in the game of love…until she meets up with Harrison, a condescending student from Britain who puts Samantha and her roommates under his wing. By the end of the semester, he vows to find a boyfriend for all of them.
Now, the only snag to snagging Mr. Right is that Mr. Wrong keeps getting in the way. 

Another cute romantic comedy. The characters are hilarious, and you'll be left smiling as you turn the last page. 

For centuries, mystical creatures of all description were gathered to a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic in a cynical world. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite ... Kendra and her brother Seth have no idea their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws give relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies...

A cute MG series. Wonderfully creative and positively delightful to read.

Well? What do you think of my list? Have you read any? Here is the real question though: I need more light reads! What books do you suggest??? Leave a comment and let me know!