Survey Meme | 01

Okay, so I found this meme over at Angieville, and of course I had to do it! (the original post is from The Happily Ever After)

1. What is your favorite genre to read?

I've found that at the moment I really enjoy reading Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic novels. They're just so much fun, with such different worlds than how our own is right now.

2. What is the first romance novel you ever read & how old were you when you read it?

Does paranormal romance count? Because if so then my first was Playing With Fire by Gena Showalter. It was the first book I read that actually had some 'adult/mature' scenes, and I was a senior in high school (17) when I read it. I didn't know it was that kinda book - all I knew when I got it at the used book store was that it was about a girl who gained super-powers...

3. How many books--paper or ebooks--are in your existing TBR pile?

Oh wow. I honestly have no idea. I have TBR lists on Goodreads, Amazon, and on scattered papers around my room. I also have a mental TBR list. I'd have to say it's definitely over a couple hundred, due to the many classic novels I'd also like to tackle. I may never get to read every book I'd like to read, but at least I know I'll never NOT have something to read.

4. Do you read nonfiction? If so, from which sub-genre?

Yes I do, from different sub-genres, if the mood suits me. My favorites are Memoirs and Travelogues. 

5. Do you own an e-reading device? If so, which one(s)?
I have a Kindle 3. Which apparently is now called a Kindle Keyboard (I prefer the original name.) I love it!


6. Which one book have you re-read most often?
I re-read the whole Harry Potter series pretty much on a yearly basis. 


7. How many library books do you have out right now?
None. I have too may purchased books I'd like to get read first.


8. How do you mark your place in a book?

With anything small and paper-like (business cards, receipts, index cards, etc.) I do not like dog-eared pages.

9. About how many books do you typically read in a month?
It changes all the time. Not as many as I would like, though. 


10. What was the last book that made you cry?

I shed a couple tears reading John Green's The Fault In Our Stars, but the last book I read that made me sob uncontrollably was Looking for Alaska, which I barely read at the end of 2011. 

11. What was the last book that made you laugh?
Also 'The Fault In Our Stars.'

{In My Mailbox} The First

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started by The Story Siren, in which book bloggers share what books they have gotten during the week. It's a great way to see what others are reading, and to discover interesting books as well! 

Personally, I am a bit of a meme addict, so you may see me posting a lot of these. But anywho, here's a list of the books I've gotten this last week:

Such A Pretty Face by Cathy Lamb

(via eBay)

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

(via Amazon Kindle)

Angelfall by Susan Ee

(via Amazon Kindle - only 99 cents!!!)

This One Time With Julia by David Lampson

(via Amazon)

I've already read Angelfall - it took me less than a day to finish it. Currently, I'm reading Such A Pretty Face, which I have a feeling may take me a while because it's a pretty good length (467 pages) and the story is slow-paced. I'm still on the third chapter, but I really like it so far. Long story short, it's about a young woman with a troubled past who had bariatric surgery after suffering a heart attack and lost 170 pounds. I really like the humor of the novel - I've already laughed out loud quite a few times this last chapter. Despite some of the serious topics featured so far, the story's overall feel seems to be rather light-hearted, with a witty female lead. 

On My Wishlist | 01

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. If you want to know more click here.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

From Amazon.com:

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

From Amazon.com:

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose -- hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire -- is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existance, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes -- or be left without any future at all. 

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

From Amazon.com:

The first time she saw him, she flipped. The first time he saw her, he ran. That was the second grade, but not much has changed by the seventh. She says: “My Bryce. Still walking around with my first kiss.” He says: “It’s been six years of strategic avoidance and social discomfort.” But in the eighth grade everything gets turned upside down. And just as he’s thinking there’s more to her than meets the eye, she’s thinking that he’s not quite all he seemed. This is a classic romantic comedy of errors told in alternating chapters by two fresh, funny new voices. Wendelin Van Draanen is at her best here with a knockout cast of quirky characters and a hilarious series of misunderstandings and missed opportunities.

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall is the first book in a new trilogy by Susan Ee called 'Penryn & the End of Days.' The story takes place after the Apocalypse, during which the race of angels descended upon the Earth and brought upon destruction and chaos to humanity. Now the streets are bare and lifeless, with people hiding indoors out of fear of both the angels and the street-gangs that now prowl the streets. The main character, Penryn, lives with her mother, an unstable Schizophrenic, and her younger sister Paige, who is wheelchair-bound.

While traveling outside with her family to find a safer location to stay, Penryn runs into a battle between angels, and witnesses three angels ripping out the wings of another. After she instinctively helps the now wingless angel, whose name is Raffe, gain the upper-hand in the fight, one of the other angels decides to kidnap her sister out of spite. Now Penryn must join forces with Raffe to head towards the angels' sanctuary, in an effort to both help him get his wings re-attached and to save Paige. Along the way, they also make some terrifying discoveries about what some of the angels are doing with their time on Earth.

Oh my gosh, I loved this book! I read it in about a day, and stayed up until two in the morning so I could finish it in one go. I liked how well-paced the story line was - with never a dull moment. The author did not waste time delving into the plot, and her characters were well-portrayed. I also liked the aura of mystery around Penryn's mother, which left me with some unanswered questions that I look forward to finding out about in the sequels. This book definitely has it all - a solid story, a kick-butt female lead, some really creepy discoveries, and a cute developing chemistry between Penryn and Raffe (and I must say, the author did an amazing job writing this out without making it take away focus from rest of the story). I would recommend this to anyone!