quotes Elisquared likes


"Saying 'I notice you're a nerd' is like saying, 'Hey, I notice that you'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you'd rather be thoughtful than be vapid, that you believe that there are things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan. Why is that?' In fact, it seems to me that most contemporary insults are pretty lame. Even 'lame' is kind of lame. Saying 'You're lame' is like saying 'You walk with a limp.' Yeah, whatever, so does 50 Cent, and he's done all right for himself."— John Green

10.27.2017

#WONDERTHEMOVIE


I am so ready to see this amazing book be made into an amazing film!  I think that all the actors cast are spot on, and I tear up just watching the trailer (which is embarrassing when you're at work).

If you don't know what Wonder is, it is a film adaptation of the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio, a New York Times Bestseller that will steal your heart:  
My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things. He eats ice cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside.
But Auggie is far from ordinary. Ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go.
Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?
Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches forever, Wonder is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.
And if that didn't convince you, or you need some visual encouragement, check out the trailer for the movie: 



You can also get in on the fun, but creating your very own Wonder Portrait!


As always, I am an advocate of reading the book BEFORE you go see the movie, but either way you must go see this movie when it opens November 17, 2017!!


BLOG TOUR --- The Legends of Luke Skywalker by Ken Liu [Spotlight + Giveaway]


I am a HUGE Star Wars fan, so when I got the opportunity to be a part of this book tour, I jumped at it!  Luke Skywalker is, some would argue, the central character of the Star Wars franchise.  He is the "Savior" of the galaxy and also the catalyst for future destruction.  Luke has been regular farm-boy, Padawan, and Jedi Master.  He is from a powerful lineage, and uses that power to protect, not harm.

There is so many stories that have yet to be told within the Star Wars Universe about all the characters, but I'm so glad that the exploration of those stories is including Luke himself.  Reading the legends, you get a sense of both the man and the hero.  A person whispered about in awe and in fear.

If you're a Star Wars fan, this book should not be missing from your home library!



Title: The Legends of Luke Skywalker
Author(s): Ken Liu
Edition: Hardcover, ebook, audiobook; 432 pages
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press
Publication Date: October 31, 2017
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Audible



Tour Schedule


Week One:
10/23/2017 - Page Turners Blog Spotlight
10/24/2017 - Twinning for Books Spotlight
10/25/2017 - Mama Reads Blog Spotlight
10/26/2017 - Tales of the Ravenous Reader Interview
10/27/2017 - Eli to the nth Spotlight

Week Two:
10/30/2017 - Nerdophiles Interview
10/31/2017 - Fiction Fare Spotlight
11/1/2017 - Mundie Moms Spotlight
11/2/2017 - BookHounds YA - Review
11/3/2017 - Margie's Must Reads - Guest Post

The Summary

As a cargo ship rockets across the galaxy to Canto Bight, the deckhands on board trade stories about legendary Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker. But are the stories of iconic and mysterious Luke Skywalker true, or merely tall tales passed from one corner of the galaxy to another? Is Skywalker really a famous Jedi hero, an elaborate charlatan,or even part droid? The deckhands will have to decide for themselves when they hear The Legends of Luke Skywalker.

A collection of myths and tall-tales about the legendary Jedi Luke Skywalker, written by Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy award-winning author Ken Liu.
About the Author


Ken Liu is an author of speculative fiction, as well as a translator, lawyer, and programmer. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards, he has been published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asimov’s, Analog, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, and Strange Horizons, among other places.

Ken’s debut novel, The Grace of Kings (2015), is the first volume in a silkpunk epic fantasy series, The Dandelion Dynasty. It won the Locus Best First Novel Award and was a Nebula finalist. He subsequently published the second volume in the series, The Wall of Storms (2016) as well as a collection of short stories, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories (2016). He also wrote the Star Wars novel, The Legends of Luke Skywalker (2017).

In addition to his original fiction, Ken also translated numerous literary and genre works from Chinese to English. His translation of The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin, won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2015, the first translated novel ever to receive that honor. He also translated the third volume in Liu Cixin’s series, Death’s End (2016) and edited the first English-language anthology of contemporary Chinese science fiction, Invisible Planets (2016).

He lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.

Giveaway

3 winners will receive a finished copy of The Legends of Luke Skywalker, US Only

10.24.2017

#Spookathon Wrap-Up!


So I ended up only reading 3/6 books for #Spookathon in their entirety during the actual readathon, which is a fail.  But, I am still going to try and finish all the books this week because they are all excellent.  Coincidentally, I just finished my 4th one today!

Finished

  Bonus Book! - So Anna Dressed in Blood was not one of my specified Challenge Books, but I've been meaning to read it for quite awhile, and it seemed to be a perfect time to do so.  I am so glad I did!  I listened to the audio of this book, and it was perfect!  The narrator, August Ross, did an amazing job.  His attitude for Cas was spot on, and he did a great job with all the different characters, differentiating between them so well.

This book was terrifying and creepy, but also beautiful and tragic.  Cas comes up against some scary-ass ghosts and the fight is for not just his life, but his loved ones as well.  I can't really give more about the plot, because there is multiple arcs within the book, but I enjoyed each of the characters for different reasons.  Also, I have a big ole' book crush on Theseus Cassio Lowood. I've already requested the sequel from the library, and am anxiously awaiting it's arrival!

Five/Five Stars

Still Reading


So I am still reading my book for challenge #4 (read a book with orange on the cover) and challenge #2 (read a book with a spooky word in the title).

For me, Turtles All the Way Down may not have been the best choice for this readathon, but honestly, I don't have many books with orange on the cover (I hate the color orange). Also, John Green books and I have a weird relationship. As I explained in my last update, I get really excited for them, and then they sit on my shelf. I think it's because I know they will be heavy in emotion, so I have to feel ready to read them. I don't think I'm ready to read TatWD, so it may get shelved again.

Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy is really interesting. The writing prompts are interesting, and not only is there the short story written by the young adult author, there is also an essay exploring the prompt by the booktubers. So it's an interesting mix of story-telling and analysis. Currently, there is only one story I wasn't quite into, and it was only due to the writing style (it's all in text messages, which is a hit or miss for me). I'm excited about this addition to my anthology collection.


I hope you enjoyed #Spookathon if you participated! I love readathons because it helps kick my butt into gear and read some books. And I read 4 books in a week, which is quite a lot as I go through months of 1 or 2 books only.

I hope you have a fun October, and check out some of my books for a good spooky read before Halloween!



10.20.2017

BLOG TOUR --- Dear Martin by Nic Tone [Excerpt + Giveaway]


I am so excited to bring you this excerpt from the fantastic, and newly released, debut by Nic Stone: Dear Martin!  Jus's story is one that hundreds of African-Americans, not just kids either, go through every day in America, the "Land of the Free".  With books like this one highlighting these stories, both of racism and the strength to fight, the reader will be forced to examine themselves and how they exist in this system.


Title: Dear Martin
Author(s): Nic Stone
Edition: Hardcover, ebook, audiobook; 224 pages
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 17, 2017
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Audible - iBooks








Tour Schedule


Week One:
10/16/2017 - LILbooKlovers - Interview
10/17/2017 - YA Bibliophile - Review
10/18/2017 - Mama Reads Blog - Guest Post
10/19/2017 - Here's to Happy Endings - Review
10/20/2017 - Eli to the nth - Excerpt

Week Two:
10/23/2017 - Chasing Faerytales - Review
10/24/2017 - Omg Books and More Books - Interview
10/25/2017 - BookHounds YA - Review
10/26/2017 - Novel Novice - Guest Post
10/27/2017 - The Bookish Libra - Review

Week Three:
10/30/2017 - Never Too Many To Read - Review
10/31/2017 - Mrs. Knott's Book Nook - Interview
11/1/2017 - Reese's Reviews - Excerpt
11/2/2017 - Novel Ink - Review
11/3/2017 - Wandering Bark Books - Guest Post

Week Four:
11/6/2017 - Amanda Gernentz Hanson - Review
11/7/2017 - Lisa Loves Literature - Excerpt
11/8/2017 - Feed Your Fiction Addiction - Review
11/9/2017 - Lost in Ever After - Interview
11/10/2017 - A Backwards Story - Review

The Summary

Justyce McAllister is top of his class, captain of the debate team, and set for the Ivy League next year—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. He is eventually released without charges (or an apology), but the incident has Justyce spooked. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood, he can’t seem to escape the scorn of his former peers or the attitude of his prep school classmates. The only exception: Sarah Jane, Justyce’s gorgeous—and white—debate partner he wishes he didn’t have a thing for.

Struggling to cope with it all, Justyce starts a journal to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But do Dr. King’s teachings hold up in the modern world? Justyce isn’t so sure.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up. Way up. Much to the fury of the white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. And Justyce and Manny get caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack. The truth of what happened that night—some would kill to know. Justyce is dying to forget.


Excerpt







About the Author

Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work.

You can find her goofing off and/or fangirling over her husband and sons on most social media platforms as @getnicced.





Giveaway

3 winners will receive a finished copy of Dear Martin , US Only

10.19.2017

#Spookathon Update 2!


So it is 4 days in (I got my dates mixed up earlier....oops!) and I have finished 3 books (see my previous #Spookathon update!  I have only 2 more books for the actual challenges, and then my bonus book to finish!  If I don't get to the bonus, I won't be upset, but I really want to finish all my challenge books.


Finished

  This was not what I was expecting from Stephanie Perkins.  She is the queen of the cute contemporary romances, and this was definitely a thriller with all the violence and murder that goes along with that.  But some of her roots showed, as there was a sweet romance between the main character, Makani, and the "outcast" at school, Ollie.  But boy, beyond that, this was way more than my expectations.

It was pulse-racing, freaky, and bloody.  The who and why behind the murders felt real in it's psychosis.  And there's even another layer besides the current murders to explore in Makani's background.  So secrets and surprises are all over the place, and I. loved. every. minute. of. it!

Five/Five Stars


  Another book that wasn't what I was expecting.  Based on the book blurb, the reader doesn't really know what the book is about.  But if it were any other way, the story would be ruined.  I'd classify this as a mystery with a paranormal edge to it, so while not as bloody, still riveting in it's plot!  Will, the main character, is very paranoid, which ratchets up the tension through the whole book as you see the events unfold through his eyes.  Each character represents a different fear that many humans have and while none are as rounded out as Will, they are essential to the ending of the story.

I can't really say more than that or I'll ruin the experience.  This is one where you are left in the dark a lot, but as soon as the spotlight hits, you'll be gasping.  Loved the twist at the end, and there's even a whole app you can download to explore the world of Dark Eden, which is a cool tie-in.  Check it out here!  Also, there is a sequel, Dark Eden: Eve of Destruction, that I am going to download on audio immediately!

Four/Five Stars 


Currently Reading

  I adore anthology books, and I also love to hate a good villain.  So this one is right up my alley.  I also like the concept here, where the authors are given a prompt by the booktuber to base a story on, and then the booktubers write an essay exploring a side of villains.  I've only gotten to like page 4, but I'm enjoying it so far!

  So this is probably the book that is going to not get finished for #Spookathon.  I have this weird relationship with John Green books; I get really excited about them, but then leave them on my shelf for months.  I'm trying to break this cycle because this one sounds so great, and I'm about 10 pages in.  But I can feel myself wanting to put the book down and breathe already.  It's such an annoying feeling, and it only really happens with me and John Green books.


To Be Read

  This is my bonus book for #Spookathon, and I really want to start reading it!  I think it'll be delightfully creepy, and I have been here for that this spoopy season!  Also, I have heard so many good things about Kendare Blake's writing, so I want to dive in!  but I should probably finish my actual challenge books first.......




10.18.2017

#Spookathon Update!


#Spookathon is going strong!  It’s half way through the week, and I, sadly, am a little behind schedule. Which is frustrating, but real life.

I have manage to finish one book, and am working on two others right now!  I'm hoping I get at least one more done today, so I'll feel a little more on track!


Finished

  I finished Asylum by Madeleine Roux on Monday!  I have fallen in love with audiobooks because I can read while I drive my hour commute to work in the morning and afternoon.  But I was especially lucky, because I listened to this book on my way to the Turtles All the Way Down Tour stop in Orlando, which is 2 hours and 30 minutes away from my house.  CHA-CHING, got to bang out this book!

It was so good too!  Creepy, full of psychological twists, and leaving the reader wanting more.  Which is good, as this is book one in the Asylum Trilogy.  I was so glad that none of the story took place on a desert road at night because I was driving some windy back-roads on my way home and would have freaked out!  Definitely a must-read for the spooky season, but if you're a fan of mystery thrillers with the paranormal thrown in, this book is good all year round!

Four / Five Stars


Currently Reading

  This book is crazy!  I am not a big thriller person, but from page one the story sucks you in!  This is such a different genre from Stephanie Perkins that I never would’ve guessed she was the author. Frightening and twisty, you don’t know who the next victim will be or the gruesome way they’ll be killed! 

  Also a crazy book, but with literal mental illness this time. Each teen in the story has an intense and debilitating fear, which their therapist isn’t able to cure them of. So she suggests they all go to this special program, so they can be “cured”. But Will, the protagonist, runs away and starts spying on the group and the program. And that’s when is gets weird, weird. Loving the audiobook of this; I can picture everything so well. 


10.17.2017

#Spookathon 2017

Reading challenges seem to help get me out of my slumps because they have a deadline attached.  And I have been in one heck of a slump lately.  BUT it is the spookiest time of the year, and my favorite holiday is almost here.  So I hunted for a reading challenge that fits right in with the season, and behold, #Spookathon!

Lala from BooksandLala, Shannon from Bookerly, and Paige from Paige's Pages are hosting the #Spookathon, which runs from October 16 - October 22!  The point is to read some spooky books and have fun!
There are challenges to do for the event, but they are in no way a requirement!  I find the challenges make it even more fun though, so I'm definitely doing them!

For this year, the challenges include:
1. read a thriller 2. read a book with a spooky word in the title 3. read a book based on a childhood fear 4. read a book with orange on the cover 5. read a book that has a spooky setting

So my TBR list is a little ambition for a week to read, especially as I have Junior League things to take care of this week, but I'm optimistic (also I picked two audiobooks, so those will get done quickly) I'll get them all read!

Here's the TBR

  1. Read a Thriller - I chose There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins.  I've heard really great things about this book, and it is a divergence from what I'm use to by Stephanie, so I'm excited to see how creepy it is!

  2. Read a Book with a Spooky Word in the Title - I chose Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy edited by Ameriie really just because I wanted to read it, but then it fit the challenge by having 13 Tales of Villainy in the title.  13 is unlucky and villainy implies evil, so they can be spooky!

  3. Read a Book Based on a Childhood Fear - I chose Dark Eden by Patrick Carmen because, while it is not directly about a personal childhood fear, the characters in the book are all being treated for their personal fears.  I thought this would be extra scary because than I'm not just embracing one fear, but multiple fears!

 4. Read a Book with Orange on the Cover - I chose Turtles All the Way Down by John Green, which I realize is not a scary book in the traditional sense.  But it does deal with mental illness, which takes center stage in a lot of psychological thrillers and it is a sort of mystery story as well.  So I think it can squeak into the #Spookathon (plus I was reading it anyway because it's JOHN GREEN!)

 5. Read a Book that has a Spooky Setting - I chose Asylum by Madeleine Roux because, hello, old sanitarium turned dormitories?  That's creepy AF!  I've also been wanting to read this series since the book came out in 2013.

 6. Bonus Book - If I get done with my other 5 books, I chose to add in Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake.  I've heard it's super creepy and dark, so perfect for a spooky reading challenge.  It's also been sitting on my bookshelf for a while, so I feel like I need to get to it!


So that's my TBR list for #Spookathon!  Are you all participating?  If you are, let me know what you're reading!  If you're not, give me some suggestions for future scary books I might read this month!











10.03.2017

BLOG TOUR --- The Cresswell Plot by Eliza Wass [Review & Giveaway]


Title: The Cresswell Plot
Author(s): Eliza Wass
Edition: Paperback; 288 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: October 10, 2017
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository














Tour Schedule

Week One:
10/2/2017- Tales of the Ravenous Reader - Interview
10/2/2017- The Book Nut - Review

10/3/2017- Novel Novice - Guest Post
10/3/2017- Eli to nth - Review

10/4/2017- Sugar Dusted Pages - Interview
10/4/2017- Here's to Happy Endings - Review

10/5/2017- The Hardcover Lover - Excerpt
10/5/2017- Kourtni Reads - Review

10/6/2017- BookHounds YA - Guest Post
10/6/2017- Lattes & Paperbacks - Review

Week Two:
10/9/2017- Tez Says - Guest Post
10/9/2017- JustAddaWord - Review

10/10/2017- Rainy Days and Pajamas - Excerpt
10/10/2017- RhiReading - Review

10/11/2017- Blushing Bibliophile - Interview
10/11/2017- Savings in Seconds - Review

10/12/2017- Omg Books and More Books - Guest Post
10/12/2017- Jena Brown Writes - Review

10/13/2017- For the Love of KidLit - Interview

10/13/2017- Bibliobakes - Review

The Summary

The woods were insane in the dark, terrifying and magical at the same time. But best of all were the stars, which trumpeted their light into the misty dark.

Castella Cresswell and her five siblings—Hannan, Caspar, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem—know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father.

Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice.

Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.

My Review


Dark with extreme religious views, the Cresswell children are trapped within their own house by both their fear and belief in their Father, a self-proclaimed conduit for God.  Ostracized by the community they live in, each Cresswell child rebels against and succumbs to their Father's teachings and rules.  But it is through Castley that they may all be saved.

The Cresswell Plot immediately sucked me in.  It is dark, there is no doubt about it.  Full of both psychological and physical trauma, the warped family you meet between the pages never lets you go until the last word.  Six children, all "paired" together for their life in Heaven, they have never known any life outside the one their tyrannical Father has provided.  Through this coming of age story, you see the outside world press in on these teenagers, as each struggle against the darkness that awaits them.

A claustrophobic ride into the spiral of a cult existence, there is hope at the end of the tunnel.  But it is sure to take you for a harsh ride into the darkness of the human psyche, and takes turns you're not sure how the Cresswell children will get out.  

Final Rating


About the Author
Eliza Wass is an author, journalist and the wife of the late musician Alan Wass. Her debut novel, The Cresswell Plot, was published in 2016 to critical acclaim by Disney-Hyperion. She has contributed articles to The Guardian, Grazia, NME, Shortlist and THE FALL.

Her second book with Disney-Hyperion, The Life and Death Parade, will be published in June 2018.




Giveaway

3 winners will receive a finished copy of The Cresswell Plot Paperback, US Only


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