Rei'sa al Ghul; life, books, tea and other things!

So this month I had planned to take part in a few read a longs. They of course being

 

 

#readGRISHA

 

#UnderHypedReads

 

#contemporarylovers

#kingdoms604

 

 

Due to my attention being requested by friends and a speckling of many other things, I bareky have time for myself. A book I should have finished two days ago still goes unread, I haven't picked up Falling Kingdoms, I haven't started Amy and Rogers and I haven't even picked up Siege and Storm.

 

I do not think this is fair to the other people I am reading along with so I will be stepping away from the #contemporarylovers and #kingdoms604 read a longs. I really want to, but I did not expect to be in... such high demand. I will still be doing  #readGRISHA and #UnderHypedReads as I had promised too about two to three weeks before all this happened.

 

When it comes to BookTubeAThon, I am not sure I will be joining. If I do, there will be a TBR video tomorrow. It may help me speed through a few books. :)

 

Anyways, I am going to go take a nap before I have to get running again. I love you all!

 

 

~ Reisa Reads

Title: Steelheart

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Series: Yes.

Age Range: I would say 16 and up.

Genre: Young Adult, Sci Fi Fantasy, Comic Book like, Superheroes

Would I recommend it to anyone: Very much so

Description on Goodreads:

There are no heroes.

Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.

But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.

Nobody fights the Epics... nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.

He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

Review:

Holy moley. This book is amazing! I went into this book completely blind and let me tell you... it was worth it. I can't think of a better start to my love of Mr. Sanderson.

Now, don't get me wrong! I have wanted to start his books before, but nothing really caught my eye as much as Steelheart. I wanted to read Mistborn, I wanted to dive into The Rithmatist , I even wanted to jump into his Stormlight Archives. But... I just didn't. I don't know. I have no excuse. I just didn't.

But now I crave it. His writing is something that can not be mimicked. It cannot be faked.

Now, as for Steelheart? Very very fast-paced, amazing in depth characters, lovely world building and just... wow. I would have to say I would recommend it for older teens though due to the graphic nature of some passages and characters. Other than that, stunning.

I found myself just losing hours with this book. Forgetting I had things to do, places to be and words to say. It can consume you, and I don't want to go into too much detail, but from the prologue itself... I was caught like a fish on a hook.

I give it the rating I do, merely because toward the end some of it was predictable, but the reason it's a .8 is the ending itself saved it from being a .5

Highly reccomended.

My Rating: 4.8/5

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17182126-steelheart

My video review:

http://youtu.be/qSF0m2pPwag

So I had to take a week off BookTube and blogging in general. 

 

We had a death in the family on my fiance's side and well... I had a to be a better sweetheart than a better blogger. I hope you all understand. BUT! That did not mean that I stopped reading every second I got, which wasn't a lot to be honest. :( 

 

I did, however finish Steelheart today.  I cannot WAIT to type up the review for that! :D It was mind bending!

 

As a general blog post though; things seem to be going slowly back to what we consider to be normal. Auhzy is finally sleeping a bit, he fell asleep about two hours ago, and is eating normally, we should be able to get through the month hopefully.

I have moved onto Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros already and let me tell you! I needed a book like this. After Steelheart, I just needed a rewind. I was asked to read/review this by her publisher ASAP after I had sent in a request for it. One night, and I am already 25% done and looooving it!

 

Now... for me. How am I feeling? Honestly? I have no idea. I have been feeling like a blank slate this entire time. I mean, dont' get me wrong, when it's time for cuddling & loving I am all for it! I just... I feel like part of me is going BLEH to itself and I have no idea why. Maybe it's just seasonal. I dunno.

 

Anyways, tomorrow may be the beginning of a new chapter on BookTube, a new setting for /r/bookies!

 

SEE YA SOON!

 

~ Reisa

 

Also, I have never seen Frozen but I love that Let it Go song. o_o

Book Club pick for February/March 2014

Due to only one book making it over 4 upvotes this month, the Book of the Month for February and March is....

 

CLICK TO FIND OUT!

So, 

 

 

Do you associate books with memories? Or certain items? Something reminded me of this about a week ago, and I wanted to post about it. I picked up Hollow City by Ransom Riggs in the thoughts that I would buy the first one (a friend actually gifted me it and I had grabbed the eBook one earlier). Now, my first reason wasn't just because of JesseTheReader's suggestion (but I must say he has great taste), but because of something else.

 

 

My grandfather used to love unique photographs. He would collect them, search for them in Yard Sales with my grandmother and just.. somehow find them. I believe once he found one on the street! Now, a great deal weren't so much creepy as strange. 

 

Older photographs, leaning more toward black and white can often be exposed and look very... different. Not what was intended at the time. Sunken in eyes, deadly stares and the like. Or even things in the background where something should not be.He also liked pictures of Crytpids. So, I believe when I start Mr. Ransom Riggs books, they will be like sitting next to my grandfather, scared, excited and curious for what comes next.

 

 

Love and Peace,

 

Reisa 

So this is the first edition of my Writing Wednesday!

 

 

So many things could be posted for this! So many ideas, so many paragraphs!

 

So, what better topic to post other than, our writing goals!

 

Do you have monthly, weekly or daily goals? Do you keep a word count? 

 

Personally, I am going for a 200-500 per spree of writing. I want to try to build up in the next few months up to a bare minimum of 500. :) I love writing, but sometimes it can be rough when you have ADHD & writers block. It can be like shaking shiny keys infront of me.

I often keep alarms, to make sure that I keep up not just my writing goals, but life as well. Living with ADHD, sometimes setting small alarms is a great reminder of " HEY! I CAN'T BE STARING AT THAT SQUIRREL! I GOT SHIT TO DO/TO WRITE!"

When the writers block hits me, I try to sit back and relax. Grab a cup of tea, maybe listen to some relaxing (to me) music & just try to open my mind. Just taking in the smell of the tea & falling into the lyrics of a good Ludo or Cradle of Filth song can be so soothing to not just the mind, but the soul. 

 

Heck, sometimes I even grab a book. Sometimes diving into someone elses world really helps my clam shell of a mind slowly open its hinged mouth and release for sweet air. Albeit a classic such as the wonderful terra firma of Wonderland, or the high paced adventures in Chicago in Divergent or just the imagery from such books as The Stand, letting myself fall into place sometimes lets my characters peek their heads out and say " hi. i am ready to talk again. "

 

I do whatever I can to not fall into those writing slumps. Those literary dumps. Once I fall in, it can be MONTHS before I can escape the razor edged talons of what I call the Slump Hawk. I think I may talk about the Slump Hawk in the next WW. 

 

So, like asked before, what do you set yout goals to be? Do you have advice for me? Do you have any idea of what you might want me to write about next? 

 

Anyways, 

 

Peace and Love, 

 

Reisa

After finally taking the dive and joining the wonderful world of Booktube, I have been more inspired to read, review and am already in my first booktube group reading with BooksNerd and WellDoneBooks starting next week! We will be reading Steelheart, by Brandon Sanderson! It will be BooksNerd and I's first Sanderson!

 

I am almost done Splintered and let me tell you... MOTHMAN IS FUCKING l;kahbshdf'KSDFKAHSDLF'LKshdn.hSEOIYFOslkdnf;alsdflk.

 

 

Yes. He is the equivalent of mashed words on a keyboard. A.G. Howard knows how to write... just... sweet lord.

 

HE BEAT OUT LESTAT AND ARMAND. NO ONE BEATS OUT THEM!!

 

She, by the way is an absolute delight!

 

I will be doing a review ASAP...

 

I need to catch up on my reviews. D:

 

Any ideas for video tags, themes/blog posts ya'll want to see in the future?

 

 

Anyways. 

 

Reisa out!

 

Peace and Love!

 

 

My Booktube Intro!

So... let it begin. D:

So I have been thinking...

A lot of popular YA (Young Adult) books are in production/optioned lately to be movies.

Not that I mind, I hope they are good and all [read as: YOU BETTER NOT MESS UP TFioS HOLLYWOOD!], but I worry that Hollywood just... isn't trying anymore.

Since the blow up of the Harry Potter movies, other books to movie in the YA and MG (Middle Grade) have been showing up more and more.

Sure, I loved Hunger Games, and absolutely loathed Twilight, but when will this trend end? Do we want it too? Is there a limit to what is acceptable and what is just.. excessive?

I haven't seen Catching Fire/Enders Game/Beautiful Creatures/Percy Jackson Lightining Thief-Sea of Monsters yet and I am not quite sure I am going to see Vampire Academy or Divergent when it first comes out. I am actually SCARED of what they might become. With so many hit or misses, what is a fan girl to do?

Should I cling to my books and hope for the best? Should I hide behind them and let them know it's okay. That I will love them regardless of what HollyWEIRD does to them?

Should I stand firm and watch the movies with a brave face?

This booknerdigans solider has no idea how to respond in the face of the tweakers and editors of Hollywood.

Now, while I may love the convenience and feeling of a good paperback... I do have some... hatred for it.

1. Over glueing.

Seriously. I have/have had pages rip, stuck, not useable due to sloppy/shoddy binding.

2. Mass Market Paperback weird/awkward cuts.

I have had books of the Mass Market quality (while most are great!) be cut so weird that words/chunks of pages are missing,  fit at a weird angle, plain not readable.

JUST BECAUSE IT'S MASS MARKET DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE EXCUSE TO DO SHODDY WORK.

Also on the MM trend...

3. Pages duplicated, missing, upside down or not from the same book?

This happens WAAAAY too often at Wally World. Most recent was a MM of Beautiful Creatures with missing/repeated pages and upside down/Recall number two.

I consider this book abuse by the manufacturing companies. Sure, you get your money, but what about customer satisfaction?

Oy.

- Ranting Reisa



------

Reisa Marie Odette Dragunov

Title: Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Series: No.

Age Range: I would say 16 and up.

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Coming of Age

Would I recommend it to anyone: HELL YES.

Description on Goodreads:

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Eleanor & Park.

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. 

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Review:

Holy shit balls.

HOLY SHIT BALLS.

If you have not heard of this book, you are about too!

As it said in the Goodreads blurb, Cath is pretttyyy much your typical Fangirl... What with the fanfiction, the slash (paring up characters un canon) and 9 times out of ten being an introvert.

She did NOT want to be separated from her sister, the only person in the world who understood her love of the world of Harry Potter Simon Snow! HOW COULD SHE JUST LEAVE HER TO GET A ROOMATE SHE DOESN'T KNOW?!

This book is almost like a diagram of how I would and DO react in most situations!

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I must say that this book took me my surprise. Ever since Lola and the Boy Next Door (Review upcoming), I have been on a HUGE contemporary kick, and this just fed my addiction.

More than the Harry Potterkids can understand the feelings of a fangirl. Those needs, those emotions. How you clutch your books right and cry when [Insert Character] died/was injured/got kicked into nothingness basically. How you squealed and danced when something good happened! When the couple has their first kiss/hug/awkward realization that... Hey. I like this person. OH FUCK.

This book... this is a must in every fan girl, boys, undecideds bookshelf in my opinion.

As this was my first (and DEFINETELY NOT LAST) Rainbow Rowell book, I must tip my hat to this wonderful lady.

You made a fangirl of you, the worlds you created.. and I hope to CROWLEY you make the Simon Snow series a reality.

Also.

YAY LEVI<3

My Rating: 10/10

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16068905-fangirl

 



PS: A THANK YOU TO MY FRIEND, THE NERDIEST OF BIRDS FOR READING IT ALONG WITH ME. :)

I have been meaning to post.

 

 

Serious.

 

 

I MEAN IT.

 

 

I AM SORRY!@

 

I promise this week will be full of updates.

 

 

Book reviews

 

 

and lots more.

 

 

I love you bbeee.

 

plz don't go

So, I am RIGHT in the middle of reading Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, right? About 51% done. 

 

 

I AM STUCK DUE TO OVERWHELMING FEELINGS.

 

Does this happen to you guys? AM I ALONE IN THIS?

Thinking about making a haul video. Not quite sure yet. :)



------

Reisa Marie Odette Dragunov

Due to a death in our family, and my Aunt being in a multicar wreck I have been MIA.

 

I have been reading Ruby Red, on chapter 6 and loving it. Hopefully I will be done it by next Tuesday.

 

Just remembered that Chuck Palahniuk's sequel to Damned, Doomed comes out on the 8th! A lot of releases are coming on that beautiful date.

 

And the 22nd calls the end of the Divergent series!!

 

 

I will be posting a book haul soon, Please note that a lot of the books will be gifts from friends.

 

Anyways, I am gonna jet. =]

 

- Reisa

 

 

Also, on the 12th comes...

 

 

 

POKEMON!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOO!

Hello and welcome!!

This is my first monthly post and I am very excited to tell you about my TBR's, list some new releases and I am super super SUPER excited about Read Potter month!!

First and foremost,

TODAY IS THE RELEASE OF KRESLEY COLE'S ENDLESS KNIGHT!!!!!

I got to pre-order it, as a surprise the other day. It will be AWESOME! I plan on doing a review on both of them by the end of the month!

SPEAKING OF TBR'S...

On my TBR list this month is...

• Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (just a quick re-read to prepare for...)


• Endless Knight by Kresley Cole (Second in the Arcana Trilogy)


• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (First in the Grisha Trilogy)


• The Harry Potter Series ( YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY)


• Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (More like TBFinished/ DoS&B Trilogy)


• Animal Farm by George Orwell


• Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (#1 in the Precious Stone Trilogy)

I am very very excited about this months TBR.

Why is it so long, Reisa? 13 books?!

It looks big and intimidating. It really does. But, I can get through Potter with ease!! 3 are partially read already and the others will be grand adventures.

-----

I AM SO EXCITED!

It is offically READ POTTER MONTH!!



I AM AS HAPPY AS HERMIONE AFTER PUNCHING DRACO!!!!

The Harry Potter series is something big in my life. In my family. All of my cousins and I on my mothers side LOVE LOVE LOVE Harry Potter, It has a special place in each of our hearts, I cannot wait to read it again.

I know this is cliche, but I much rather read the books than see the movies. There is just something about creating your own vision of the world. About pretending you are there along side Harry and the crew. Being in the closet with him, to the first meeting of Hagrid and to Diagon Alley.

The whole emotional ride that is the Wizarding World.

I am still waiting on my owl. :)

I will be doing a review on Mr. Potter, and no points will be taken from Gryffindor.

----

UPCOMING RELEASES!

What are you waiting for?! This will be a monthly thing I do at the end of " xmonth Reads and goals! " posts!

Coming this month that I am excited for is:

• Allegiant by Veronica Roth ( :D :D :D)


• Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken


• Unbreakable by Kami Garcia


• Endless Knight by Kresley Cole (EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!)


• Tandem by Anna Jarzab


• Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier


• Revealed by P.C. Cast


• Entangled by Amy Rose Capetta


• The Beautiful and The Damned by Jessica Verday


• The Eyes of Minds by James Dashner


• Teardrop by Lauren Kat


• How to Love by Katie Cotugno


•  Six Months Later by Natalie Richards


•  Everything Breaks by Vicki Grove


• The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee


• Eve and Adam by Michael Grant


•  Midnight City J. Barton Mitchell

I didn't cover *all* the YA releases, but I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to know what YOU are excited for!! Maybe you could recommend me something!

----

Alright gang, I think that is a wrap for now! Don't be afraid to leave me a comment below or hit me up on twitter, I always follow back and love to talk!

Read on and prosper!

It's been a week since I stopped reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I have decided officially it's time to take a break.

This book has caught me by surprise. Not my normal story type. :)

Loving it so far!



------

Reisa Marie Odette Dragunov

First review since coming back!!

------

Title: Of Mice and Men

Author: John Steinbeck

Series: No.

Age Range: 14 and up.

Genre: Classic, Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Would I recommend it to anyone?: Yes. A million times yes.

Description on Goodreads:

The tragic story of the complex bond between two migrant laborers in Central California. They are George Milton and Lennie Small, itinerant ranch hands who dream of one day owning a small farm. George acts as a father figure to Lennie, who is a very large, simple-minded man, calming him and helping to rein in his immense physical strength. 

Review:

This is a classic. Something I read a long time ago, but one of my absolute favorite reads.

The story follows Lennie and George.

Lennie is a lovable, but slow oaf who is always getting in trouble just trying to be himself.

George is a short, and even short tempered man who protects Lennie from life and others.

The story follows them both from being chased out of the first town, to their new adventure, new job and new troubles!

There they meet Candy and his dog, who both are a precursor to the whole story. Candy is an aged man, who still works his hardest despite only having one hand, and his only love in life is his dog. Old, smelly and just wanting to make his master smile.

Then there is Curly and his wife. A protective and jealous man, even shorter tempered than George, with a wife who in every sense of a tart, Always angering him my flirting with the farm hands.

The book shows the beauty of a strong male bond, companionship and what we are willing to do for our friends. What we will do when given the choice of hard or harder. Pain or true suffering. What is to be gently touched, and what we should avoid. Temptations hard and searing.

This book, at its core is something I am glad I read growing up. It taught me there isn't always rainbow and sunshine, there sometimes isn't a happy ending, but a needed ending. Something to grow on.

Lennie and George will always have a place in my heart, and I promise not to pet the puppies to hard on my road of life. :)

My Rating: 10/10

Goodreads link:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/890.Of_Mice_and_Men?ac=1

----

An added thank you to Ashley and her husband for making this possible. You two are simply amazing. I love you both immensely,

I think I found my next TBR (TO BE READ) Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. It looks fabulous!

Here is a gooodreads link.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

1. The sample drew me in.
2. From what I have read it looks like a glance into myself.
3. Its kinda controversial right now because it's a YA book and it has the word FUCK in it a lot. People are banning it.