Tag: romance

Gifts for Christmas

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Have you thought about what you want to give that book lover for Christmas? With Black Friday only a couple of weeks away, here are some ideas and suggestions from one book lover to another….

Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire : The Illustrated Edition by J. K. Rowling

The illustrated edition of Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire will be great for any Potterhead (like me). I’ve personally asked for one of these for Christmas. I plan on re-reading the entire series once again using all the illustrated editions once I’ve collected every single one of them.

The Stoneheart trilogy by Charlie Fletcher

If you have someone on your list who likes alternate realities….this trilogy would probably be a good gift for them. It also has a sort of coming of age story like Harry went through in the Harry Potter series.

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater

If you have a book lover on your list who is looking for a little romance then this may be something that they’ll enjoy. It is equal parts romance and fantasy but it’s still a great read. Shown below are the 3 main books in the series but there is a fourth novel that revolves around a couple of the supportive characters if 3 is not enough.

The Asylum series by Madeleine Roux

If you have a horror junkie on your list then this may be something that they’ll enjoy. It starts out as a trilogy but there is a prequel book that revolves around different characters and you can find all the novellas from this series in one book (separate from the main series) that will give you more back ground into the story if they want to continue reading.

Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan

For that person on your list that enjoys a good mystery then this would be a good read. Anyone who is a fan of Agatha Christie would like something from this author. Plus, he has some other books that would be of interest if you enjoy this one.

Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer

For those of you who have kids on your list that are avid readers, here is something you can get them. Whether they read on their own or you want to read it with them, this is a good series to share.

You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston

For that teen on your list, check out this book from Natasha Preston. This is equal parts thriller/suspense and romance if your teenager likes that sort of thing. There are other thrillers from this author that they may like if your teen likes to read that sort of thing.

Stay away from….?

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Are there any specific genre’s that you typically steer clear of? Why?

I typically don’t read any non-fiction. When I’m reading, I normally read for the fun of it or because it offers some sort of entertainment value. I don’t think I’ve read any non-fiction since I was in school, if my memory serves me right. Anyway, if I’m not entertained at all by the book I’m reading then I’m not going to continue reading it.

I also don’t read a lot of romance. I will read a romance once in great while but it is rare. There may be some books I’ve read that may have some elements of romance in them or it’s a side story going on in a book but it’s not the main theme of the story.

“What the Night Sings” by Vesper Stamper

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Well, I can add another book to my list of books I’ve read this year. I had read “Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl” a couple of years back. It gave me the perspective of what it was like to be a Jew who was trying to hide from the Nazi’s during WW2 in the hopes that they can stay hidden until the war is over. This book gives you a completely different perspective and shows you what it’s like to be a Jew who actually got caught by the Nazi’s, separated from your family and sent to live in a concentration camp before finally being liberated. If you want to read something different that will change how you look at history, this will be a good book.

Synopsis: After losing her family and everything she knew in the Nazi concentration camps, Gerta is finally liberated, only to find herself completely alone. Without her papa, her music, or even her true identity, she must move past the task of surviving and on to living her life. In the displaced persons camp where she is staying, Gerta meets Lev, a fellow teen survivor who she just might be falling for, despite her feelings for someone else. With a newfound Jewish identity she never knew she had, and a return to the life of music she thought she lost forever, Gerta must choose how to build a new future.

Recommendations!

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I’m always looking for that next book to read so I’m willing to take recommendations from others, especially if I know that person likes to read similar books. Anyway, if you like to read, I wouldn’t mind hearing your recommendations for some new literature for me to read.

Genre: Horror, science fiction, fantasy, mystery & thriller. I can take in the occasional romance if it’s good.

Have read: The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, the Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis, the Last Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney, the Locke & Key series by Joe Hill, the Stoneheart trilogy by Charlie Fletcher, the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie, Murder Has a Motive by Frances Duncan, Murder for Christmas by Frances Duncan, The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, The Cellar by Natasha Preston, The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox, Carrie by Stephen King, The Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill, The Host by Stephenie Meyer, etc.

Books I refuse to read: The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian. I read this book once upon a time and I really got into it at first but the ending disappointed me. This book really turned me away from that particular author and I won’t read anything remotely similar again.

Age Range: I normally read young adult and up. I will read children’s literature if it’s good enough to hold my interest (Harry Potter series is a good example).

Favorite genre?

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As far as a particular genre, I’ll switch back and forth between several different ones depending on what I feel like reading when I’ve finished reading a book and I am picking up another one. So, it’s hard for me to pick up just one genre or another.

horror = Sometimes I’m in the mood for something scary. Something from either Stephen King or Joe Hill. They are fun to read whenever there is a thunderstorm going on outside.

mystery = I like a good mystery from time to time. Something that makes you think. Agatha Christie and Frances Duncan are authors who can write a good mystery.

suspense/thriller = These are good to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page….not that you can’t do that in horror as well.

fantasy = The Harry Potter series or the Chronicles of Narnia series are what come to my mind when someone says fantasy. They are books that take you off into other worlds.

romance = While I have read the Twilight series, I don’t read this genre very often. Of course, there are some books from some of the other genres that will have bits of romance in them. Like the Hunger Games or Divergent series…..I would file those under fantasy but I can see having bits of romance in them.

There may be some books that I’ll read that don’t really fit into any of the above genres and that’s okay. I’m one of those people that is open to other things, especially if it sounds interesting enough. What is your favorite genre to read from?

Valentine’s Day Picks

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Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope every is enjoying their day so far or has something good planned for their day. For those of you who happen to like Valentine’s Day, I have some literature you can read to help enjoy the holiday even more (or these could also be purchased as gifts for that special someone on your list who likes to read).

“Twilight” series by Stephanie Meyer = Okay, I know this one may be kind of obvious but it is very romance-y. There is some fantasy elements to it since it has vampires and werewolves in it. I’ve read all the books, plus, there are movies based on the novels that you can watch with your special someone if the two of you like to watch movies together.

“You Will Be Mine” by Natasha Preston = If you want a stand alone book to read, then this will be a good one. Yes, I know this is a mystery/thriller but there is a lot of romance happening throughout the story.

“The Host” by Stephanie Meyer = A friend of mine let me borrow her copy of this book and I really did enjoy it. It may be equal parts romance and fantasy by Stephanie Meyer but it’s set in a different world than her Twilight books.

“Shiver” trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater = If you are a fan of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, then you’ll probably like this one as well. There are wolves in this one but no vampires. Lots of romance. You’ll see when you start reading them. Also, there is a 4th book….it doesn’t really have anything to do with the story from this trilogy but it takes two of the supporting characters from the books and tells their story for just a little bit longer.

“The Hunger Games” series by Suzanne Collins = Yes, I know these books are fantasy but there is a lot of romance going on throughout. It actually plays an important part during the story.


My goal for 2019!

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I spent the 2018 year trying to see how much I could read. I wasn’t really trying to set any goals for 2018. My only goal now is to see if I can read more in 2019 than I did in 2018. If you’re interested in what I read during the 2018 year, then you can view the list below. I’d be happy to discuss any of the books listed if you want my opinion on them.

  • Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes (paperback)
  • The Cellar by Natasha Preston (paperback)
  • And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (paperback)
  • The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton (e-book)
  • You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston (paperback)
  • The Mystery of Drear House by Virginia Hamilton (e-book)
  • Hell House by Richard Matheson (e-book)
  • Murder has a Motive by Francis Duncan (e-book)
  • The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum (paperback)
  • The House with the Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs (e-book)
  • Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (paperback)
  • The House Next Door by Darcy Coates (e-book)
  • The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich (paperback)
  • An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena (hardcover)
  • The Women In The Walls by Amy Lukavics (hardcover)
  • Court of Shadows by Madeliene Roux (hardcover)
  • The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates (e-book)
  • We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (paperback)
  • Ten Dead Comedians by Fred Van Lente (paperback)
  • The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn (hardcover)
  • The Apartment by S. L. Grey (paperback)
  • Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan (e-book)