The Broke and the Bookish

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Top Ten Books on Daisy's TBR List for Summer 2013!

Hi guys! It's time for another Top Ten Tuesday and this week we're talking about the books on your summer TBR list! Are you as excited for long sunny days and barbecues and lazing by the pool as I am?
As usual, I'll be featuring books that are actually released this summer, between June 21st and September 22nd.

More information about TTT and future topics can be found here

The Sequels

The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson: Ok, this is slightly cheating, because I've already read and LOVED it, but I do plan on rereading it when I get my shiny finished copy. Seriously, if you're not reading this series yet, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? GO READ IT! NOW!

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas: So, all of you guys who got it at BEA or somewhere else need to stop tormenting me with your gushing, because I am PINING for this book!! I've been pining for it since I finished Throne of Glass, or maybe since I first read this story on Fictionpress, but I NEED IT RIGHT NOW! Everything shall be dropped when this lands in my mailbox!

False Sight by Dan Krokos: I LOVED False Memory and I cannot wait to see what happens next with Miranda and Peter and EVERYONE!

Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier: Shadowfell was so, SO good! I don't know why I hadn't picked up a book by this author before, but I'm definitely excited for the next book in this series!

The Books By Authors Who've Stolen My Heart Before

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black: LOVE Holly Black's writing and this sounds all kinds of exciting!

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales: I adored Past Perfect, I'm pretty sure this will be awesome as well!

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein: I cannot gush enough about Code Name Verity! That book just ripped my heart out and stomped on it and it was GLORIOUS! So obviously I'll be ALL OVER Rose Under Fire. I even have a finished copy of the UK edition already staring me down :)

How To Lose A Bride in One Night by Sophie Jordan: Sophie Jordan's historical romances are among the absolute best in my humble opinion and this one sounds like a winner to me!

The Debuts

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas: YA debut, I found out she writes historical romance! Must check out! But seriously, this book just sounds all kinds of awesome and I think it'll make my fantasy/paranormal loving heart happy :)

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrell: It sounds majorly creepy! I'm hoping to just finish this in one go, because I can't imagine being able to put it down!

The 100 by Kass Morgan: another book I have BEA envy over ;) CANNOT WAIT!

The Mythology Fix

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White: EEEE! EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY! All of the flailing excitement!!

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake: Greek mythology geeks unite! Seriously, a GODDESS WAR! I cannot imagine anything more epic!

So that's it for me, what's on you Summer TBR list? Recommendations for mine? I'll be unemployed this summer and have lots of reading time available :)

Monday, June 17, 2013

On a Re-reading of Animal Farm

Title: Animal Farm

Author: George Orwell

Published: 1945

Summary

From Goodreads: Tired of their servitude to man, a group of farm animals revolt and form their own society, only to be betrayed into worse servitude by their leaders, the pigs, whose slogan becomes: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” An incredibly spot-on satire of the Russian Revolution under Stalin, Animal Farm has certainly endured through the years since its original publication in 1945.

Review

As someone who knows very little and cares even less about history, I probably didn’t get as much of this novel as I should have. However, it’s safe to say I understood it quite a bit better than I did the first time I read it, back in eighth grade. Since we hadn’t done much world history at that time, Animal Farm and all its references went straight over all our heads. (At least, I know it went straight over mine.) All I really understood about Animal Farm at that point was that a novel about talking animals becomes vaguely unsettling when it’s not a fairy tale. I know at least one of my friends was substantially freaked out by it.

Ten years later, I understood that it was supposed to be a satire of the Russian Revolution, that Napoleon represented Stalin, Snowball was Trotsky, etc. etc.

This has absolutely nothing to do with Animal Farm, but I can never think of Trotsky without thinking of this.

It also reminded me quite a bit of 1984 (I wonder why), especially at the points where the pigs would manipulate the “charts and data” to show that the animals were eating more, working less, and were generally happier than they had been before the rebellion. It was really easy to see how poisonous leadership like that can really take hold--both of the leaders and of the followers.

It’s also a really quick read--it’s only a little more than 100 pages, and I think it was originally written for children, so it uses pretty simple, didactic language and not a lot of dialogue.

Now, I can’t really say I like this book as much as I appreciate its literary and satiric value. I can’t really say I’d want to read this multiple times, as I’ve done with 1984, but I’m glad I did reread it at least once, when I was much older, to really understand what was actually going on.

Bottom Line: This is great satire, but I don’t really care enough about history to make an effort to really delve deeper into it, so I’d say I’m probably not the best audience for this book.

Favorite Characters: It was hard to find any of the animals truly likeable--they were either conniving and manipulative or just stone dumb. But I did like Benjamin, the donkey who refused to learn how to read and always stuck to his principles of “everything sucks, everything always has sucked, and everything always will suck.”

I’d recommend this book for: Those who enjoy and know at least a little about the Russian Revolution.

Rating: 3 stars

Friday, June 14, 2013

Crazy Awesome YA Deals!!

I know Julia normally does Bookish Deals every other weekend but I wanted to make sure you guys saw these and I didn't know for how long they would be on sale!

($1.99) The Liar Society: B&N | Amazon
($2.99) Hysteria: B&N | Amazon

($3.36) Gone: B&N| Amazon

($2.99) Partials: B&N | Amazon

($2.99) Article 5: B&N | Amazon

($2.99) Mila 2.0: B&N | Amazon

($3.79) Crewel: B&N | Amazon

($4.24) Graceling: B&N | Amazon

($4.97) The Goose Girl: B&N | Amazon
($2.99) The Scorpio Races: B&N | Amazon

Happy shopping! Hope you fill up your e-reader with some great deals for summer reading!!

Super Pop! Blog Tour + Giveaway

Title: Super Pop!: Pop Culture Top Ten Lists to Help You Win at Trivia, Survive in the Wild, and Make It Through the Holidays
Author: Daniel Harmon
Publisher: Zest Books, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Tahleen here! Here at The Broke and the Bookish, you know we like top ten lists. This book fits right in with our penchant for listing, and adds a large dollop of humor at that. Well, more than a dollop I guess. It was pretty hilarious all the way through.

Daniel Harmon goes through five parts in his compendium, which include "Be More Interesting," "Get Smart(er), "Stop Doing It Wrong," "Find Happiness," and "Survive the Holidays." In each section he has a wealth of pop culture information in the form of lists, all listed in no particular order. He goes really into detail too, with very specific lists like "Sleep With the Fishes: The Ten Best Places to Find Your Spirit Animal" and "Drink the Kool-Aid: Touchstones for Quirky, Like-Minded People." Harmon proves himself to be a pretty quirky and incredibly knowledgeable guy himself, though he admits in the intro that he hasn't seen/read/listened to/etc all of the items he talks about.

What really impressed me was how carefully he chose which form of a story to place on each list, be it in its original novel form, its movie form, or television form. He has concrete reasons for each item he chooses.

On the other hand, I'm not really sure this is a great book for teens, just because there is so much on that list that they might not have seen yet. Granted, I work with tweens mostly, so what do I know, but I personally didn't know many of the items because they were before my time—I can imagine it would be the same for those younger than me. Ultimately I would say this is probably a fantastic book for 20-somethings, and a pretty good choice for some, but not all, teens. Thankfully, there are many recent items as well as throwbacks, so it balances out pretty well in the end. Plus, he talks about some YA books! (Though I disagreed with his observations of 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher—calling a book about morals made me want to gag a little, even if it's kind of true.)

I think the best thing about this book is you can leave it anywhere in your house and someone will probably pick it up and read it when they're bored. It's got pretty much everything. Great for the coffee table! (Or bathroom, but I didn't say it.)

In the spirit of Super Pop!, I've created my own top ten list!

Top Ten Movies for Kids Who Grew Up in the '90s

1. Heavyweights, because it is hilarious and is so incredibly quotable. Plus, Judd Apatow was a writer.

2. Troop Beverly Hills, though this was made in the late '80s and I am probably one of the few people who actually own a DVD copy of this today.

3. Beethoven, because who doesn't love a giant, slobbery St. Bernard with a heart of gold?

4. Mrs. Doubtfire, during Robin Williams' golden years. Oh hey, Matthew Lawrence, didn't think I'd see you here.

5. The Sandlot, FOR-EV-VER. The best baseball movie ever. Maybe. Definitely.

6. The Little Giants, since we're talking about sports movies. Don't tell me Devon Sawa wasn't adorable, and Becky the Icebox could totally kick your ass. Who doesn't love an underdog story?

7. Jurassic Park, because this was like the first PG-13 movie I saw and it was SCARY. And AWESOME. And it's still awesome today, 20 years later. I just showed this to my tweens at the library and they loved it. Dinosaurs, man.

8. Any Adam Sandler movie, even though we were probably not really allowed to watch it. I'm pretty sure every one I saw in the '90s was at a friends house or while my parents weren't paying close enough attention. Like, Billy Madison was definitely something my mom probably would never have let me watch. (Thanks Joanne and Joanne's mom!)

9. Home Alone, because everyone knew Macauly Culkin didn't like that aftershave but no one knew why. Also, now we know what to do if we have intruders in our home. (Obviously only wimps call the cops immediately.)

10. And because I like sports movies, I'm finishing off with The Mighty Ducks. quack. Quack. QUACK. QUACK! QUACK!! QUACK!!! Like I said, I like underdogs.

You should totally check out the other stops on the Super Pop! blog tour.

Want to win a signed copy for yourself or a friend? Enter here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday -- Top Ten Best Beach Reads

For the future Top Ten schedule and how to participate go HERE!

1. Jamie's pick: Golden by Jessi Kirby-- If you are a reader of contemporary YA this one is fabulous. It's light but not TOO fluffy if you like some substance from your beach read. Made me think a bit plus the subtle mystery kept me going!

2. Bridget's pick: Having just finally read Matched by Ally Condie, I would recommend that for a good beach read. In fact, I just lent my copy (by which I mean my sister's copy, oops, but I bought it for her so...) to a coworker for a vacation she'll be going on soon. I didn't love it, but it kept me interested and was definitely a quick, mostly fluffy read.

3. Jana's pick: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Here, we have an adult contemporary about a girl about to get married... and she loses her engagement ring at a party. And then her cell phone. So, she finds a random cell phone in the garbage and uses that. Turns out, it ended up in the garbage by mistake and the owner wants his phone back. She refuses because she has already given the number to EVERYONE to call if they find her ring. She becomes his answering service, reporting to him whoever calls. Hilarity and a bunch of swoony romance ensues. It's the perfect light, summery read!

4. Julia's pick for romance: A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
This one is one of the books I have read in summers past and it is a nice fun read, but not too fluffy. It's about a group of scoundrels who run a gaming hell in London. This and the second book One Good Earl Deserves a Lover were both five star reads for me.

5. Julia's pick for fiction: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
This is a book I actually did read on the beach. It is so easy to get caught up in this world of the circus and time past. If you saw the movie, just forget that and read the book. It is great!

6. Lori's first pick: North and South by John Jakes
This is the first book in a trilogy that follows two men--one from the North and one from the South--from their days at West Point to their service in the Mexican-American War through the Civil War and Reconstruction. It's a very quick historical fiction read. I haven't finished yet, but I am definitely looking forward to.

7. Lori's second pick: The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
I've been reading this one quite a bit lately. The story follows a girl who is writing her senior thesis about the marriage plot that you find in Jane Austen and George Eliot. It's a book for people who love books and reading for pleasure. I find myself relating to the main character and--surprisingly--missing my days as an undergraduate literature major.

8. Tahleen's pick: Since You're Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash by Dixie Cash
Or any other book in the Domestic Equalizers series. This is the first one, and it's a funny mystery with kickass amateur sleuths and some nice romance thrown in there. It's a fast, humorous read with a plot that will keep you turning the pages—perfect beach reading.

9. Tahleen's second pick: Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Told through a series of emails, legal documents, letters, and other various documents, broken up here and there with the first-person perspective of Bernadette's 14-year-old daughter Bee, we learn firsthand about the quirky title character's personality and outlook, and her behavior, before she disappears one day. Full of humor and plenty of mystery, there were so many twists and turns that I honestly had no idea how it would all play out in the end.

10. Paula's Pick: The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Most people I've met know and love the movie The Princess Bride... but few realize that there is a real book that was written as well (not just the grandpa reading it to a sick kid). The novel makes up a classic epic story that an editor has found and decided to abridge into a "good parts" edition. This lets brilliant things such as footnotes and side stories exist. Such as- an "editor's note" explaining that he's removed an entire chapter where Buttercup is trying to decide what hats to bring along to the castle. It's a really fun light read- aka perfect for a day at the beach!

Monday, June 10, 2013

Kelly reviews "Royal Mistress" by Anne Easter Smith

Title: Royal Mistress
Author: Anne Easter Smith
Published: Touchstone, May 2013

Anne Easter Smith write fascinating historical fiction about some of the most intriguing characters. People that you only read about in history books beautifully come to life in the pages of her books, and her newest, Royal Mistress, is no exception!

Royal Mistress mainly follows Jane Shore, a simple merchant's daughter who catches the eye of the Queen's son, Tom Grey. They are both married (or are about to be married) and Jane doesn't want to stoop to being his mistress, so they part ways. Several years later, after Jane's divorce (something that was a HUGE deal in this period of time), she this time catches the eye of Tom's stepfather, Edward, the King of England. Jane is older now and realizes that being a mistress to a high ranking man has many advantages. She becomes Edward IV's final and most beloved mistress, staying by his side for eight years until his death. Edward's brother, Richard, then claims the throne, and as a very moral man, he heartily disapproves of Jane and her background. Jane must struggle to survive using her wits in this turbulent and unstable time in England's history.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this period of time. I usually like to jump ahead and read about Henry VIII, but it's always great to come back to his ancestors. Edward IV and his family drama is more entertaining that any show on television. So much betrayal, jealousy, murder, secrets, and, depending on who you ask...incest. I liked that Royal Mistress told us this story through the eyes of several key players, though mostly through Jane, who was a fascinating woman. She truly did care for Edward, but she states that she never really loved him, as she truthfully had no choice in the relationship. It's such a realistic look at how mistresses felt. No romantization here, just reality. The only problem I had with the story was Jane and Tom's relationship: they meet two times before they part ways and see each other maybe another two times in the following ten years - yet Jane is forever hung up on how he is her "true love" and is convinced they could live happily ever after if only they could be together. She hardly knew him! I know their relationship is historically accurate but it just seemed so far fetched here. Still, overall, this was a fascinating read, not just for historical fiction buffs, but lovers of drama, romance, and books that keep you intrigued every page.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for my review copy!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Broke and Bookish Book Haul for 5/26 - 6/8

Daisy's Book Haul

Egalleys for review:
-This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales: I LOVED Past Perfect, I'm really excited to read this!!
-Less Than a Gentleman by Kerrelyn Sparks: this will be my first book by this author, it really sounds like my kind of romance!
-Catherine by April Lindner: I'm actually part of a blog tour for this book, I'm always up for a classics retelling!
-Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken: EEEE! ALL THE EXCITEMENT!!! Seriously, I never expected to love The Darkest Minds as much as I did, but it was AMAZING and I cannot wait to read the sequel!!

Bought:
-Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein: EEE! SO EXCITED! So much love for Code Name Verity! I think this is the UK version and for some reason it came out 3 months before the US version :)
-The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen: this will be my first ever Sarah Dessen book, I've heard so many good things about her writing!
-The Gatecrasher by Madeleine Wickham (AKA Sophie Kinsella): this was a total bargain at my local bookstore and I love her books!
-Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier: so I still need to read Ruby Red, I HAD to pre-order the paperback because of reasons! That dress is gorgeous!
-Confederates Don't Wear Couture by Stephanie Kate Strohm: I really loved Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink and am eager to dive back into Libby's life and her antics :)
-Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James: I'm fully on the Eloisa James bandwagon and this sounds really cute!
-Impostor by Susanne Winnacker: seriously, I'm DYING to read this book! It sounds so good!
-The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn: I'm making it my mission to read all of Julia Quinn's backlist and our very own Julia says this book is AMAZING, so I'm excited :)
-Boys Wanted by Flynn Meaney: the paperback version of The Boy Recession, though I'm not entirely sure why they changed the title... I kinda liked The Boy Recession better. Well, anyway, this does sound like a cute read :)

Our Broke & Bookish book haul is inspired by memes like IMM & Stacking the Shelves & Mailbox Monday. This is just our very simple way of doing it collaboratively so we can participate in all of them and not have to choose one.

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