It's been a while since I've listened to an audiobook, but I saw the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard in my Libby library and was ready to listen to a new book! I'm glad I picked this one up, for sure! Why I picked itI'm a big fan of Rick Riordan, and a bigger fan of Norse mythology and the Norwegian culture. A big part of my family history is in Norway, and I've always felt closest to that portion of my heritage. I liked Riordan's Percy Jackson series, so when I saw a similar series by the same author, but with a Norwegian and Norse spin, I was sold. I thought it would be a perfect and engaging read (or listen, in this case). Brief SummaryMagnus Chase's life was just fine until a couple of years ago when his mother was attacked and killed by wolves with glowing eyes. Ever since, he's lived alone on the streets with just a couple of other homeless friends. Until his sixteenth birthday, when his stuck-up rich uncle tries to find him and tells him that he is the only one who can recover a long lost sword, said to have been wielded by Frey, Norse god of summer and fertility. Soon, Magnus is in a fight with a fire giant, loses a little more than the fight, gets submerged into the Norse world and afterlife, and is tasked with stopping Ragnarok (aka, the end of the nine worlds). What I likedI'm a big fan of the character voices that Riordan uses in his writing. Each one is so unique. Magnus has such an angsty teen boy tone, and you can tell he's had to take care of himself and fend for himself for a few years. Sam is sassy and powerful and knows what she's doing and how to get where she needs to go. She's direct (most of the time) and she doesn't take crap from anyone. I love the fact that Riordan adds an elf with hearing impairments. Having the diversity of a character with a disability was kind of nice, and something I guess I didn't really realize I was missing in books. (Please don't come at me if you don't like the way I worded that.) I'm all for diversity in books, but I also know that as a writer it can be hard to write from diverse perspectives, firstly because you don't always understand what those characters or cultures would do or how they'd react to situations, and secondly because I feel like authors get attacked for not writing diverse characters, but also get attacked for writing diverse characters "wrong." Anyway. Debate for another day. The main point is that I liked having more diversity in abilities and characteristics in the characters. I don't know a lot about Norse mythology, though I'd like to learn more. So it was nice to have Riordan explain the different aspects of those beliefs, but not over-explain them. I was able to start understanding a little bit of the mythology and beliefs, and I liked the spin that Riordan added (like Thor portrayed differently than he is in the Marvel movies, for example). Also, I want to point out that I loved the narrator of the audiobook I listened to on Libby. He did a fabulous job (I didn't realize how great it was until I started listening to the second book with a different narrator who isn't nearly as good, in my opinion). What I didn't LIkeIt's been a while since I've read the Percy Jackson series, but I feel like this has a very similar vibe. I get it! It worked well the first time, let's do it again, just slightly different. And there are differences. But there are a lot of similarities: the sassiness of the writing voice (though Percy was a little more meek than Magnus is), a powerful chick that helps the main protagonist, a couple of non-human helpers and friends, finding out they're part of a world they didn't realize existed, but being an outcast in that world…I could easily go on. As much as I liked this book, there could have maybe been some more differences. Overall Impression 🌟🌟🌟🌟I enjoyed my journey with Magnus and Sam. It was a fun and light read, easy to listen to and follow all throughout (which is saying something for me - I'm not a fan of listening to fantasy because I can't normally grasp it well). I give this book a solid 4/5 stars. I'm continuing the series, which is a good sign. However, depending on how the story progresses, who knows if I'll follow all the way through the series. I really think that is the challenge for me as of late. I haven't found a ton of series that I'm like "Oh my gosh, I have to binge all of them now!" lately. That used to be the case, but not anymore…I guess we will see!
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Why I picked itBoth my husband and I received this book from the church we went to and served on the worship team on through college. Corgan had picked it up for us, so it was with his stuff and I completely forgot we had it until we were reorganizing during the Christmas holiday, and I was interested in the short book. I'm currently the volunteer worship leader at our church, and I thought that it would be a great thing for me to read. I also already had read two fiction books this year, and I'm going to try to throw in a personal development and/or nonfiction books throughout my year as well, so it was time for something a bit different. SummarySing! Is about the importance of congregational singing in the church. It references the Bible and Christian musicians and leaders that help support congregational singing and the power it holds. This book walks through why we sing, how we should sing, and how to use it to get ourselves and our churches closer to God. What I likedThis book was split into a few different sections. The first few chapters were about why we sing, then it went into how singing hymns and scriptures affects and transforms us, and there are also resources for leaders and pastors in the back. It was created in a very logical manner that was easy to follow, and I enjoyed reading through it. The book was also very applicable and had some great passages in it. I don't often mark books, but I do with a lot of my Christian/spiritual development books. I make notes and highlights and dogear pages, because I want to engage with the book again and go back to find the things that really stood out to me more easily. This book got a ton of annotations that I will be referencing, and it helped remind me to pick songs that are scripture based, and that the congregation enjoys and can sing, not just songs I love. There were also discussion questions at the end of each chapter so if you are going through the book with someone else, with your church, or even just by yourself, you can think a little deeper about what you read and how to apply it to your life. The resources in the back were also wonderful. It's great because I can just go to the back and pull some highlights and suggestions for me as a worship leader to use as I prepare for Sunday mornings. Overall, the book is just a great reminder of why singing is truly so important and impactful in our faith, and why I do what I do in the church. What I didn't LIkeThere wasn’t a lot I didn't like about this book. It kept me engaged, and wasn't a hard read. I don't have anything I can think of that I wasn't a fan of! Overall Impression 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟I'm so glad I have this book (2 copies, if you count my husband's), and I hope and plan to continue using it to deepen my relationship with God and give myself tips and ideas to share with our congregation and build our worship sets in our church. I strongly recommend this book for ANY Christian, whether in a leadership role or not. Sometimes we all need a reminder to sing the truth of the words, not just sing along in church. 5/5 stars, for sure.
Why I picked itWell, I didn't really pick this one. I pulled three books from my TBR shelves and had my husband pick which of the three he thought I should read after reading the synopsis of each one. But I put this in my 3 options because the title intrigued me, and it kind of stood out on my TBR shelf. My husband was interested by the mystery and thriller aspect of the story, and he thought I'd like it too. I'm glad he picked a mystery story for me, because it feels like it's been so long since I've read a mystery novel! Also, this book is one of many (I'm sure) books that I'll read this year that applies to the North America stamp in my #2020ReadingPassport. summaryYears ago, tragedy struck a small Oklahoma town. A young lady was murdered, and her infant son disappeared, presumed dead. Years later, a man claiming to be Nicky Jack, the boy who disappeared after his mother's murder, comes back to DeClare and trouble stirs as he tries to find out about his history and what happened to both him and his mother. what I likedFirst off, I liked that the Prologue really gives a good background on the town of DeClare, Oklahoma as well as the various characters that will stand out in the story. Then, as you start the first chapter, you get a bit more about how their lives have changed the 20+ years since the murder of Gaylene Harjo. I just really enjoyed the fact that I was introduced to the characters and the slight backstory before the actual story started, and it helped me a lot throughout the book. Even if I didn't always connect the name right away, once it started talking about a character, I knew who we were talking about and the other important details about them. Secondly, it was a good mystery. It's pretty obvious that someone from DeClare was the murderer, but not many people believed that the African American that was imprisoned for the murder (and subsequently killed himself, or was murdered…it was suspicious) was the actual killer. So when Nicky Jack starts digging around and trying to solve the murder, there are a lot of fishy characters that made me think they could easily be the killer. There were so many secrets in the small town that he starts to uncover and so many motives for a variety of suspects. I was able to follow it all, yet I definitely did not suspect the end. Another thing I liked was that the story moved quickly. It was easy to follow, yet the chapters were short, the story was action-packed, and there were no moments I felt like I needed more of the story or didn't need quite as much. At first Nicky Jack doesn't know if he wants to find out what happened to his mom. His original plan was just to meet his mom and then leave. But after meeting some of his family and learning more about his mom, he decides to stick it out and figure out what happened. what I didn't LikeSo, I did like the romance factor. BUT. It was *cringeworthy* at first. There's a close relationship that starts happening between a couple of relatives which really was grossing me out at first, but then we find out later that they aren't related by blood, just marriage (and maybe we found out at the beginning with the backstory, I just forgot). But up until that point it is cute but cringy at the same time. I'm glad it gets resolved, but still. It was my least favorite part of the book. Overall Impression 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Like I said at the beginning, I loved getting into another mystery, and this was perfect to get me back into that mindset. With a quick-paced storyline, an intriguing mystery, and the fact that you get to slowly see what happens both in the past and present makes this book a great one. 5/5, I highly recommend this book for a pretty quick and interesting read that is hard to put down. First 5-star read of the year!!
Why I picked itLast year I started to get into watching BookTube videos, and Christine Riccio was one BookTuber that I started to watch once in a while. When I heard that she fulfilled the dream of writing a book, I thought, "That's really cool! Maybe I'll check it out." Then the hype started, and her book was EVERYWHERE. I kept seeing great reviews and mentions of Again, but Better, so I ended up buying it. Brand new, hardcover…for me that's a splurge, since I typically buy used books from Goodwill or borrow them from the library. It may have taken me about six months, but I finally got around to reading it! I also am counting this book toward my World Tour stamp on my #2020ReadingPassport challenge. This book occurs in many places, mostly London, but also some in the US, as well as France, Italy, and a couple other European settings. SummaryShane is a shy college student who feels like she's so behind in life. She doesn't feel like she has many friends, she thinks that almost everyone her age has already had their first kiss (or even gone further), and she's following a career field that her parents dream for her instead of the one she dreams of. So she decides to give herself a bit of a new beginning and picks a study abroad program she is interested in and heads overseas to London. While there, she focuses on making friends, getting out of her comfort zone, writing, traveling, and living the life she's always wanted. Along the way, she makes mistakes and realizes that she maybe still isn't going about things in the right way. Eventually she finally realizes that with courage (and maybe a bit of magic), she can make a life she's only dreamt of. What I likedI definitely related to Shane a bit throughout the book. I was a shy introvert with few super close friends. I remember being told by a couple upperclassmen friends that I needed to go party instead of sit in my room and read or watch TV, but that just wasn't my scene. I had a boyfriend throughout college (who is now my husband), but we were working through a long-distance relationship and had our fair share of struggles. I even tried to reinvent myself a little bit later on in my college career when I was at conferences or new experiences with few people who knew me, and let me tell you, that truly does take courage, especially for an introvert like me. So all the way through, I was finding it SO EASY to relate to Shane and her awkward young adult struggles with money, relationships, and finding your path. I liked the supporting characters. Meeting Pilot and Babe, Atticus and Sahra was wonderful. I liked the friendships that they built with one another and with Shane. It was a semi-diverse group, though it was interesting that all of them in the flat were from the same country. I've never been in a study abroad program, but I always thought that there were students from all over the world in these programs and that there would be a little more diversity, I guess. But that wasn't a turnoff for me. The characters each had unique personalities and interests, helping each other find new TV shows, movies, etc. that they liked. It was kind of nice to have some throwback in there of 2011 references to T-Swizzle, Lost, etc. Made me think of high school and reminisce a little bit. And I just thought that it gave more personality to each of the characters, especially Shane. What I didn't likeThe magical element was my least favorite part. I'm going to be honest, I missed the part in the description that said there was a magical element (and by that I mean I didn't take it seriously and just thought it was a figure of speech when it said "a touch of magic"). But I thought it was disjointed and didn't make a lot of sense. I get that the story was about starting over and reinventing your path, but I wasn't sure the magical element used was the right way to support that. I would have preferred a normal contemporary book to be quite honest. I just think it could have been done differently, or the magical piece could have been nonexistent. Either one. Something NeutralSo, I don't normally look at a lot of reviews on books until after I've done my own so that it doesn't sway my opinions, but I did read a few for this one because I saw a few really low ratings on Goodreads that I was curious about since I rated it mid-high on my own scale. But when I read this review, it ranted about how Shane is too similar to Christine. Shane is just the character version of Christine. Christine was inserting herself into this book. My response to that is, "Okay, why does it matter?" I understand trying to push out of your comfort zone a little bit with your characters and creating something new, but how can you write something you don't know? I try not to insert myself as the main character of my writing, but I definitely take a few of my own personality traits and experiences and insert them into various characters as I write, because if I haven't experienced something, it's SO HARD to write about! As a debut novel, I'm not upset that Shane had MANY similarities to Christine Riccio (blog name, likes/dislikes, personality, etc.) because it's her first book, I'm sure her writing is improving, and sometimes you just need to get your own story out there. I didn't love the fact that she essentially used herself as the main character, but I also don't blame her for doing so. I'm just right in between. It was actually kind of cool because it felt like I got a little more of a glimpse into some of the struggles that maybe Christine also went through in college, and once again, I related to some of those things. Overall Impression 🌟🌟🌟🌟I noticed as I was writing this review that I actually originally rated this book five stars on Goodreads, but since I've had a bit more time to digest what I read, I'd say this is a four-star book. There is definitely room for Christine to grow as an author, but I think she did wonderfully with her debut novel. I enjoyed it, I related to it, and I couldn't put it down! I was intrigued and just wanted to keep reading (I may have stayed up WAY too late to read it one night). It was a great start to my reads of the new year.
I'm back with more reviews for you! I finished my reread of Harry Potter at the end of the year, and throughout that reread, I didn't do book reviews since I'd already read the books. Instead I wrote a post about new things I learned or noticed. But now I'm back to my typical reviews. I hope these help you pick your next read! Why I picked itI got A Season to Celebrate by Fern Michaels last year for Christmas from my husband's grandmother. I waited until the Christmas season to read it, because I'm a strict believer in the "no Christmas before Thanksgiving" rule, and it turned out to be a pretty good read for the Holiday season! summaryA Season to Celebrate is an anthology of four stories, each with the themes of Christmas and love. In Christmas Homecoming by Fern Michaels, an Air Force soldier comes back home and meets the new single mom in his small Texas town. An Unexpected Gift by Kate Pierce follows a father who's made his share of mistakes in life and is just thankful that his kids didn't follow in his footsteps, or grow to hate him for what he did. When a lifelong friend runs into some trouble, Billy Morgan is ready to help. Donna Kauffman's Christmas in Blue Hollows Falls, a young woman with a freshly broken heart starts to fall for yet another cute guy with an accent. Though she doesn't want to make the same mistakes again, he helps her start allowing herself to make decisions outside of the original plan she had for her life. And lastly, Holiday Homerun by Priscilla Oliveras follows an immigrant from Puerto Rico who refuses to get in a relationship with baseball players because her brothers' games and baseball careers always came before her and she's ready for a change. Yet when an injured player and philanthropist sets his sights on her, she finds it hard to not fall for him. what I likedI really enjoyed the anthology. I honestly can't remember if I've ever read an anthology before…But I liked the shorter stories that all followed the same themes. And the short stories were perfect for the holiday season when Corgan and I were traveling a lot. It made it pretty easy for me to read a story every couple of days and get through it quickly, and since they were short, I didn't have to remember too much of the plot when I was busy or didn't have time to read for a couple of days. Out of the four, I think my favorite was Holiday Homerun. I felt like the story was relatable in the fact that I know quite a few women who, early in life, said they would "never date a…" - you fill in the blank (for my family and friends, it was often "I'll never date a farmer!"). Then they find the perfect man who just happens to be… a farmer. Or a baseball player. Or whatever that occupation was that she was so adamant against. I feel like when we grow up in one setting, though we may dislike portions of that life and not want to live the same way we did growing up, we still gravitate toward those things because it's what we know (also, I think God just has a sense of humor). I've got to give it to the authors, because even in the short hundred pages or less of each of their stories, they were able to pack a lot in! I was able to follow genuine and believable characters with real problems who had to personally develop throughout the story. what I didn't likeThat being said, I'm going to be honest and say that reading these stories was very similar to watching Hallmark Christmas movies. For many, Hallmark Christmas movies are ridiculously cheesy and oh-so-predictable. Yet, despite those often-used characteristics, there are a lot of people out there who consider Hallmark movies a guilty pleasure (yes, I am one of these people). I'd say these stories are the equivalent, just in book form! So if you aren't a fan of cheesiness or want something a little more…well…realistic than a Hallmark romance, this book is not for you. Overall Impression 🌟🌟🌟I give this book 3/5 stars. It was definitely a nice winter-y read, perfect for the holiday season, especially with the different short stories that made up the anthology. But I'm just not sure if I'm going to pick this book up again any time soon. I guess time will tell, but for now: 3 stars, liked it, may not read again.
Recently, I've seen a lot of talk about Enneagram types. And being someone who loves doing personality tests and learning more about myself and others, I was intrigued. I know I'm behind on the times and that this type of personality test has been around a while, but after I took a quiz to find out my Enneagram number (I'm a 5, by the way), I checked out the other types too. I love reading up on personalities. I know that no one category is exactly and always correct, but it's still very interesting to learn more about yourself and others to know how to interact, motivate yourself, and even the things that stress you out. In looking at the Enneagram types, I started thinking about book recommendations for each number. It ended up becoming a YA Series recommendation list, so here it is! Enjoy! Type 1: Perfectionist/ReformerArc of a Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Type 2: Giver/HelperTigers Curse by Colleen Houck
Type 3: AchieverVampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Type 4: Romantic/IndividualistPercy Jackson by Rick Riordan
Type 5: InvestigatorMaximum Ride by James pattersonOkay, so this is me. And I'll be totally honest it's been a long time since I've read this series, but I still love it. Maximum Ride makes me think of Type Fives because we want to know why, we use logic, we just have this need to know what's happening in our lives and the world around us. I feel like that's exactly what happens with the kids in Maximum Ride. Each of them want to know their purpose and find out what is going on. They're definitely investigators, that's for sure. Type 6: Questioner/LoyalistHarry Potter by JK Rowling
Type 7: EnthusiastLunar Chronicles by Marissa MeyerEnthusiasm? Check. Cool characters? Check. Storylines loosely based on other stories? Check. I say that the Lunar Chronicles are great for an enthusiast, especially one who loves other stories. It is so cool to notice even the smallest details of the Lunar Chronicles and how they can align with the original stories. And even though you can semi-guess what's coming if you know what happens in the original story, Meyer does a wonderful job of throwing in extra twists and turns that make you second guess yourself all the way through! Type 8: ChallengerHunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Type 9: PeacemakerMatched by Ally CondieThis one was a little harder for me, because for stories to be interesting, you need to have conflict. And that inherently does not go with peacemaking. However, I thought about the Matched series, and in remembering, feel like it's one of the least confrontational books. Really, Cassia is probably one of the least rebellious of most other main characters. As the series progresses, the rebellion rises, but Cassia is mostly focused on love and making the right choice when a choice is finally given to her (even if by accident). What's your Enneagram number?? Do you think these recommendations fit?
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AuthorJust sharing my passion of reading through my passion of writing. Archives
May 2020
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