Top Ten Tuesday

Hosted by the Broke and the Bookish
Top Ten Tuesday REWIND -- pick a past topic you missed or one you want to revisit! Okay, so I have been searching through the past topics, and have decided to choose...Top Ten Series I have yet to finish.
1.Shadow Falls
2.The Seven Realms
3.The Iron King
4.Maximum Ride
5.Eve

6.The Curseworkers
7.The Demons Lexicon
8.Witch and Wizard
9. Mythos Academy
10.The Books of Bayern

These are all series that I have read the first couple books, but haven't gotten to the latest two or three!

So, what did you rewind on this week? Link me up!

Review: Deadgirl

Deadgirl by B.C. Johnson

"You know how it is: go on a date, get killed, wake up the next morning. No? Just me?" - Lucy Day

 Fifteen-year-old Lucy Day falls between the gears in the machinery of the afterlife. She is murdered while on her first date, but awakens a day later, completely solid and completely whole.

She has no hunger for brains, blood, or haunting, so she crosses “zombie,” “vampire,” and “ghost” off her list of re-life possibilities. But figuring out what she is becomes the least of her worries when Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins dogging her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl.

 Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning psychic powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham. But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life—a decision that could save her loved ones...or kill them.

Deadgirl is a very confusing, long novel yet fortunately has a very likable main character. It was worth the read. Although I must admit to skimming some of the middle. I do wish it had been shortened.

The characters, whom I didn't find extremely memorable, were still realistic. Lucy is definitely a heroine to root for, and pity. She has many struggles. Yet I did love how she could still joke once in a while. And Abraham felt like a very well written character as well. I also felt the dialogue in the book was natural.  This was a relief as I have recently read a couple books with incredibly forced dialogue. This made the book easier to read.

My favorite part of the book is the ending. It is open and very well-written. Maybe there will be sequel. I know some readers won't be satisfied by the ending. I, however, absolutely loved the atmosphere in the ending. Kind of hopeful, yet with the knowledge of many struggles ahead. The ending is the most memorable part of the story.

The ideas in the book would have been great, if pulled off correctly. Unfortunately, I don't think that they were. At least not at the beginning. The transitions are really confusing. BAM. Lucy is here. BAM. Now she is here. Etc. The beginning felt very jumbled. By the end of the book I was a little more warmed up to the deadgirl thing.

I also liked Lucy's friends. While their personalities weren't completely unique, they were still interesting to read about. Especially since the end leaves you wondering about one! That is all I will say.

Overall, I did enjoy Deadgirl. It definetely did have it's flaws though, and I will not be rereading it.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

3/5 bookcases

Review: Sworn to Raise

Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the kingdom. But beneath her kingdom’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.

 Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.

 But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.

 This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder

Very unique world
Mostly interesting characters
A plot to enjoy

Setting was the best
Imagination spills out
Villages and towns

Killer libraries
Castles, kitchens, carriages
vivid around me

People weren't formed well
Ciardis especially
Could have been stronger

I did like some though
A select few had fire!
But only a few

Interesting read
Not very recommended
Was not bad, nor great

Well, this was a hard review to write! I didn't feel strongly one way or the other with this book. The ideas and setting were good, but I did not like Ciardis. I know some will though, and I am sure others will find it enjoyable.

The book tells us Ciardis is strong, and sometimes she is. But not all the time. Other times she is unreasonable. And her dialogue felt incredibly forced. Her personality kind of bounces, with no depth.

As I said in my attempt of a poem, the world and magic was great. I loved the setting! Just not my type of characters. And for me, characters are the key to what books I like and don't. Anyone agree with me?


3/5 bookcases
I liked it, kinda. But I won't read it again.

*i received this book in exchange for an honest review*

Newbie Blogger Diaries #1

Here is the launch of the Newbie Blogger Diaries! *squee* Counting in Bookcases has been officially up for three months.  I still can't believe it. And there is still loads to learn! (Loads, and loads, and loads) I have barely even had a taste of the book blogging wold!

Which is why I created this feature! Newbie bloggers, like myself, can learn with me. And experienced bloggers can laugh at all my mistakes!

This will just be a catch up post. (I will have several of these to do).

3 things I have learned

1. It takes a lot of time to get a good review out of your head and into a post. My first attempts are not exemplary. (See my first review here.) I *think* I am better now. (See latest review post here) In a later post I will go over each of these reviews more thoroughly. Which means I'll say how, um, jumbled my first attempts. and what I did to start making better put together reviews.

2.  Well, for the first month I was obsesseed with getting GFC followers and learning from other blogger's posts, and then (BAM) I learned google reader was going down. Just picture me freaking out at the computer. Then I found Bloglovin *phew*. I think it is almost better than google reader. The layout is super cool. And you can import all your google reader subscriptions. (Take that, google!)

3. Making you blog pretty and navigatable (Not a word, I know) is PRETTY DARN HARD! I will absolutely make a post on all the tweaks I had to do. (When I said I wanted to blog, no one mentioned HTML, by the way!) And I had to learn all the blogger terms.

Sorry this post is all over the place. (Kinda like my first book reviews). All the other posts will just keep to one subject (hopefully) after this!

And once I am all caught up, I'll just make one post a week about the past seven day's misadventures!

 The bloglovin thing I was talking about (to the left)

How were your first reviews? How did you deal with blog layout or GFC going down?

Stacking the Shelves

Created and hosted by Tynga's Reviews

Good book haul this week! And I have a package of 12 coming on wednesday! Wow. What did you guys get this week?

Bought

Scarlet

Ten things we did

This is what Happy Looks Like

Bought (but are currently being

 borrowed)

Vampire Academy
The Goddess Test

For Review (e-copies) 

Sworn to Raise

Dead Girl 

And don't forget to check out the launch of the Newbie Blogger Diaries!

Cover Reveal: A Shard Of Ice

I am officially blown away by this cover. I am a collector of masks. My blogger profile is a picture of a mask! So, this stunning cover is right up my alley!

And don't even get me started on the incredible synopsis! A violin player? Just like me! And a reawakened old enemy? Mysterious abduction? Doesn't A Shard of Ice sound so intriguing? *squee*

The only sad part about this... it doesn't release until 2014 peeps! When I read this I swear I nearly cried. Don't know how I will wait...

Are you crazy excited as I am for A Shard  of Ice? It just sounds so. Oh, I know the word I have been struggling for this entire time. Powerful.

Title: A Shard of Ice 
Series: Black Symphony Saga 
Publisher: Red Alice Press 
Release Date: April 14th, 2014 
Synopsis: THEIR SOULS, REAWAKENED 

When 13-year-old Lilix Morgan is found alive and floating on a bed of ice at sea, everyone counts it a miracle. Kidnapped nearly four weeks earlier, she remembers nothing of her mysterious abduction. When she tries to remember what happened, she hears only a melody – a faint and delicate set of notes, strung together in a tune she doesn’t understand.

 THEIR POWER, UNMATCHED 

A year later and desperate to put the lingering nightmares of her past behind her, Lilix crosses the country to enroll at Baelmorte Academy, aiming to become the violinist she once dreamt of. Things seem to be finally going well, and Lilix settles into a routine of sheet music and inspiration among new friends. 

Then the dreams start. The melody and night terrors she thought she’d left behind return with a vengeance, threatening to ruin her fragile version of normalcy. 

Then an unlikely ally tells her that she isn’t alone. That there are others just like her, fighting to hide their own shocking truths from coming to light. That they know who she is, and what she’s been through. Now, accompanied by four other girls, Lilix discovers her nightmares are larger than a single trauma; they’re a window to a hidden part of her soul, a place of immense power with a destiny that cannot be ignored. 

 THEIR BATTLE, IS ONLY BEGINNING With this knowledge comes a new and frightening reality. For Lilix has been reawakened to stop an age-old enemy, one thought to have been destroyed centuries ago. Trapped by her destiny, Lilix is torn between what feels right and what she remembers. Her memories tell her of a star-crossed love waiting to be reunited, of friendships and trust broken in the past. But can she save that love when reality brings her an enemy, and an evil that will be the undoing of them all if they don’t destroy it?

Facebook for Alivia Anders

Twitter for Alivia Anders

Blogger for Alivia Anders

Official author website (still under construction)

A Shard of Ice on Goodreads

Also, don't miss out on Anders's other series starting with...

Illumine

Waiting on Wednesday

Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Today I am Waiting On... 

Red by Alison Cherry

Felicity St. John has it all—loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And she’s right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is possible because of just one thing: her long, wavy, coppery red hair.

 Having red hair is all that matters in Scarletville. Redheads hold all the power—and everybody knows it. That’s why Felicity is scared down to her roots when she receives an anonymous note:

I know your secret.

 Because Felicity is a big fake. Her hair color comes straight out of a bottle. And if anyone discovered the truth, she’d be a social outcast faster than she could say "strawberry blond." Her mother would disown her, her friends would shun her, and her boyfriend would dump her. 

And forget about winning that pageant crown and the prize money that comes with it—money that would allow her to fulfill her dream of going to art school.

 Felicity isn’t about to let someone blackmail her life away. But just how far is she willing to go to protect her red cred?

Hmm... to me this book sounds incredibly intriguing! However, I could see how it could go bad. Her mother would disown her? How would a mother not know her own daughter's hair color? Still, I am definetely going to read Red!

 What is your WOW? Link me up and I'll check it out!