Winter by Marissa Meyer

I love series books.  There was a time when I wasn't a fan because I am not the most patient person and waiting around for the next installment can be frustrating.  There have been many series that I started that I lost interest in while waiting and I didn't go back to but this wasn't one of them.  I totally enjoyed waiting for this last installment.  I have thought about the interesting twists that Marissa Meyer's incorporated to her story using the much beloved fairy tales.  It was an exciting and heart wrenching ride at times.  But it was so well worth it.  I highly recommend the series to fans of dystopian novels, fairy tales and science fiction.  It is gruesome enough for guys with enough romance to keep girls swooning.  A great read!

The Walking Dead Vol. 1-Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore

Well if you ever came into the library on a Monday you would know that I am a HUGE fan of The Walking Dead television series.  One of my first questions on Monday is did you watch?!?  And as big of a fan of the show i have never read the graphic novel although my nephews have sang its praises since the beginning.  They tell me that while similar at times there are many differences that take the story into different directions.
I recently read Days Gone Bye and my overall feeling was Hmmmmm.  I can't say I loved it like the series but I didn't hate it.  It was a very quick read.  Pretty much the first season of the show was Volume One with enough similarities to make me feel like I was seeing my friends from the series and enough differences to make go OH!.  The illustrations tell more of the story then the text so if you don't pay close attention to them you will miss a great deal.  I will probably continue with the graphic novel but I have to admit it is one of the first times when I like the TV show more.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Ok, so I am not only on an end of the world/dystopian kick I love novelized fairy tales or fairy tales with a twist.  The 1939 film the Wizard of Oz is a classic for many reasons.  It is the first full color film and it was and still is amazing.  It brought the book by L. Frank Baum to life.  Who would have thought Dorothy had a dark side.
Danielle Paige would.  Amy Gumm is whisked away to the land of Oz by way of tornado and that is where her similarities to Dorothy ends. All Amy really wants to do is survive, but Dorothy has turned into quiet the sociopath and that is just not in her plan.  Power has corrupted the originals from Oz.  Its just amazing how thoroughly it has.

Legend by Marie Lu

So I have been on an end of the world kick/Dystopian novel kick for the last couple of years.  I have tried to read a variety of these types of books and usually I just love them.  You will probably see many more reviews for this genre throughout the blog so I like to think I know a bit about the genre.
With that said let me talk about Legend.  I wanted to read this books when it first came out but for some reason I just never got around to it.  Not really sure why but it was always on my to read list but other books always called louder to me.
This is the first book in a series and I think this book will be the only one in the series I read.  I wanted to love it, then I wanted to like it.  I felt neither.  I didn't even hate it.  I just wanted to finish it.  I kept giving it another chance hoping there would be something to pull me to it.
While I know dystopian novels and science fiction genre are not realistic they should make you believe that they could be.  I am not sure if it was the story line or the charterers but I just didn't care enough about either to believe in them.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

This historical tale tell the compelling story of Chiyo and her life after being sold to a Geisha house at nine years old because her family can no longer afford to care for her.  We watch as Chiyo struggles with life around her and then see her transform into Sayuri a popular Geisha sought after by many. This vivid tale is difficult to put down as we hope that Sayuri finds the happiness and love she seeks.  

18 Things by Jamie Ayres

This was a tough one, because I honestly am not sure if I liked it or not.  I know I didn't love it.  Olga the main character suffered a great tragedy witnessing the death of her best friend and secret crush Connor.  (This happens I think within 20 pages of the book and I think it is in the blurb so not a spoiler.)
There were times when my heart was literally breaking for her pain.  But then just as quick I was bored and felt the story dragging.
Then about 4 chapters in I figured something out and I lost all interest in the story.  I kept reading, but more skimming just in case I was wrong. Turns out I wasn't.  Will I read the other books in this series?  I highly doubt it.  But I never say never.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

I am completely enjoying the way the series is progressing and I am so looking forward to the last installment of Winter in November.  I have already pre-ordered it.  There is a good balance between action, adventure, a touch of romance and a lot of humor.  I find myself laughing out loud at the sarcasm and banter between the characters.  I have grown attached to them and feel their joy and pain right along with them.

Cress our title character of this segment has been trapped away in a satellite for the last seven years.  Trapped to due the bidding of Mistress Sybil.  While sequestered away she lets the net dramas she watches invade her imagination and her fantasies.  When she is finally rescued will reality live up to them?

Cress is our Rapunzel, and Cinder and Scarlet come into play.  I am rooting for them all.