Voracious Reads

Sew Zoey

Zoey’s school finally announced they were getting rid of uniforms. Zoey is ecstatic that they will all get to express themselves with fashion!

But after a disappointing back to school shopping trip her two best friends, Priti and Kate, convince her to make her own clothes and blog about it. So begins the fashion blog of Sew Zoey.

why did I pick it up?

I kept picking up and looking at this series every time I shelved a new title. The titles and covers are super adorable, and I was ready for a more light-hearted, if shallow, read. But I was wrong about the shallow part! Zoey is into fashion not for name brands or being cool, instead she’s all about expressing your personality with the clothes you wear. And she is very aware that everyone is different, and therefor there are many valid ways to express yourself.

who would I give this book to?

Anyone interested in designing there own clothes. Also to girls who need a good role model! Seriously, Zoey is the most kind-hearted open-minded girl I’ve read about in ages. She doesn’t even believe that a girl who bullies and teases her constantly would intentionally sabotage her work!

where did I read this the most?

For two days I carried this book everywhere with me (mostly to work), and read it on the bus and during my breaks. It was much more fun to read than I had originally suspected!

when will/did I get this signed?

I don’t think I will. I’ve already passed my copy on to someone who is much closer to the target demographic of this than I will ever be!

what did this book make me think/feel?

I really absolutely adore this character. She is very mature and rather wise for her age. She wants to see the best in everyone, and so even when a dress that she worked very hard on is ruined, she doesn’t accuse anyone, or place blame. Even though her friends are more than ready to jump that shark.

how many dragons was this book?

"West Virginia, 1895. A deadly dry spell has left the earth parched and souls desperate. Crops are failing. Cities are starving. A missing newspaper man doesn’t account for much in times so terrible, except to the twelve-year-old son he left behind. When Elliot Sweeney discovers the search for his father has been called off, he boards a train alone to find him. His quest leads Elliot into the depths of an abandoned mine, with a peculiar pocket watch, a blind burro, and a gutsy girl at his side. He discovers a world he never dreamed of, even in his worst nightmares, and lands smack in the middle of a war between two kingdoms. Monstrous insects, smiling villains, and dark riddles are everywhere. Deciding who to trust may prove to be his greatest challenge, while the fate of the world above hangs on Elliot's choice."

why did I pick it up?

My CRM gave me this book to check out, it’s from a local author, and she wanted me to check it out and see if I liked it. (I did.)

who would I give this book to?

Anyone looking for a good classic feel for fantasy steampunk settings.

where did I read this the most?

I finished this a few weeks ago, and honestly can’t remember. In bed, I assume.

when will/did I get this signed?

I really wish I’d been in the right frame of mind to give this to a coworker to get it signed. I went to InvaderCon instead of being there for our awesome comic-con weekend. lol.

what did this book make me feel/think?

It felt like the fantasy stories I read as a kid. It really seemed like it was straight out of the 1800’s, if there were any idiosyncrasies, I didn’t notice them. I was quite pleased with the feel, and the scope of the story. And the fact that though she could have made these young kids have adult feelings for each other, she did not. I’m seriously sick of 12 year olds falling in love.

how many dragons was this book?

When Agatha secretly wishes she’d chosen a different happy ending, she reopens the gates to the School for Good and Evil. But the world she and Sophie once knew has changed. Witches and princesses, warlocks and princes are no longer enemies. New bonds are forming; old bonds are being shattered. But underneath this uneasy arrangement, a war is brewing and a dangerous enemy rises. As Agatha and Sophie battle to restore peace, an unexpected threat could destroy everything, and everyone, they love—and this time, it comes from within. Soman Chainani has created a spectacular world that Newbery Medal-winning author Ann M. Martin calls, “a fairy tale like no other, complete with romance, magic, and humor that will keep you turning pages until the end

why did I pick it up?

I’m quite unsure, I was really unhappy with the world building in the first book. If there are multiple grades in each school why do we not meet any of the students from other classes?  But really the secondary title “A World Without Princes” was rather interesting.

who would I give this book to?

Those ready to enjoy some fairy tale retellings, though honestly I preferred Ever After High.

where did I read this the most?

At home, in bed. lol

when will/did I get this signed?

borrowed it from work.

what did this book make me feel/think?

Ugh… I was really invested in the story and the characters. Except I’m really confused about the point this series is trying to make… are we teaching girls about how we don’t need boys… or friendship is better than true love? I mean I’m seriously confused, because it seemed like it could make a good point of either of those, but it kind of fails for both, and so I’m just really terrabad confused… I just really feel that there was a point that this book really missed.

how many dragons was this book?

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck... A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

why did I pick it up?

The trailer for the movie. I adore Chloe Grace Moretz. I adore this actress. And I loved the music in the trailer as well. I read this book in less than a day.

who would I give this book to?

Those who like realistic fiction, those who loved The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.

where did I read this the most?

I bought it on my phone and read it mostly while in bed before sleeping.

when will/did I get this signed?

digital copy :(

what did this book make me feel/think?

I cried. I adored it. I adored her family and her friends and her passions. I lost my best friend when I was 17, and so the sense of loss and the whole debate of “If I Stay…” really touched me, and I really connected with Mia.

how many dragons was this book?

Chloe Grace Moretz deserves at least one dragon for being so kick-ass :P

Piper makes her living by fixing junk brought in from the meteor fields. Where strange things fall from other worlds. But one day she finds a girl in the wreckage, she's in danger, and somehow it's up to Piper to save her.

Together they sneak onto the four-oh-one, the train is their only hope for safety, and perhaps freedom.

"Piper's life just got dangerous. A little bit magical. And very exciting. If she can survive."

why did I pick it up?

My coworker pointed it out to me at work, she thought I’d really enjoy it, so I added it to my “books I need to check out” list… but a few weeks later while I was cleaning my room I found that I had picked up the Advance copy… and also learned that maybe I have too many books >.>

who would I give this book to?

Anyone looking for a good fantasy. Seriously I don’t know when the last time I came across such a traditional fantasy world in a children’s novel was. It was quite refreshing and nostalgic… and I should probably finish Sword of Truth which I started in November >.>

where did I read this the most?

At home, while soaking my feet (old stress fractures have been acting up, so lots of epsom salt and icy/hot have been applied)

when will/did I get this signed?

No idea, I will probably pass the Advance on to someone else soon, as I tend to do.

what did this book make me feel/think?

So I seriously enjoyed how fantasy/sci fi the world was, though I have a lot of questions. Where *do* the meteors and artifacts come from? Tell me more about the Archivists and the Chamelins. And the Sarnums. So many cool subgroups and alien peoples. I wonder if there will be more books to explore those things, I kind of want to read the adult version of this book, where the characters are older and we learn more about the world. Is there a reason they can’t travel outside their continent… once they do what will they find? There are so many more things I want to know about this world, I rather do hope there are more books exploring some of these questions.

how many dragons was this book?

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Cadence Sinclair Eastman spends her summers with her family on a private island.

During her 16th summer she suffered a horrific accident. She hasn't been back since. 

Now she returns to piece together the events that lead up to her accident, and perhaps come to peace with the consequences.

why did I pick it up?

The release date for this book has been on my calendar for awhile. I adore this author. I love all her other books. When my coworker let mention that she had the ARC (the same way I got The Here and Now, heh), we decided to trade, we figured out when we worked next and met at our lockers to pass off the goods… (apparently my new ‘thing’ is to pretend that everything is like selling drugs, because selling drugs is high-larious… )

who would I give this book to?

Everyone, blah, I love Lockhart’s writing, it’s such a beautiful thing. I love her phrasing. It’s all too amazing, I’m mailing this book to someone, because it must be shared.

where did I read this the most?

I read this everywhere, again, work, home, bus, the whole nine yards

when will/did I get this signed?

I wish she would come to Houston, I adore this author, I’d be the first person there!

what did this book make me feel?

I read this book in not the right order. I kept skipping and reading different parts of the end. I really didn’t want it to be the way I thought. But gods do I love Cadence. I want to give her so many hugs.

how many dragons was this book?

bounce, effort, and snark

sugar, curiosity, and rain

Princess Marie-Victoria is hear to the empire.

Aelwyn Myrddyn is a bastard mage, and the childhood best friend of the princess.

Ronan Astor is heir to a failing American family.

Isabelle of Orleans is the displaced heir to the French throne.

So begins the London Season. These four girls lives will intertwine and their choices will decide the fate of an empire.

why did I pick it up?

I heard her talk about this last year in Austin, and it sounded really interesting, and I’ve been eying it ever since. My best friend and I were chilling in a Barnes and Noble on our trip to CO, and I picked it up and read the first few bits of it, and made him read some of it too, and he really liked it, so on our last day, just before I came home, we decided to get two copies so we could both read it.

  who would I give this book to?

Those who adore historical fantasy!

  where did I read this the most?

I read the entire book on the greyhound headed back from CO, between bouts of crying cause I’ll miss my best friend, and sleeping, cause I got on the bus at 1 in the morning.

  when will/did I get this signed?

As soon as possible. I think this is another author that usually does the circuit around here fairly often. (I need to check out Frozen, which she wrote with her husband.)

  what did this book make me feel?

Closer to my bestie, since we read it together. Also just about everything, the way all the characters connected and everything, it was so amazing. I loved everyone. I think this is supposed to be part of a series??? But I don’t think it ended in a terribly open way. Though I guess I see a few parts where they could pick it up to explain. But they tied up all the main cliff hangers.

  how many dragons was this book?

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.   This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.    Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.  But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 

why did I pick it up?

I got first dibs on the advance at work, due to the face that I was there when the boxes were opened. And the more I heard about it the more I wanted to read it. I adored Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants when it first became a thing, and I liked the fact that the author was branching out into something more sic-fi like time travel.

who would I give this book to?

Anyone who loves to her other books, anyone looking for a good sci-fi

where did I read this the most?

I read this a bit of everywhere. I simply could not read this as a linear story, I kept skipping major chunks of story and reading it almost randomly. I read the first third, the last third, and then the middle third. I’ve been really bad about this recently...

when will/did I get this signed?

I almost went to get this signed, but it was the day my best friend was packing up to leave for CO, so I was a bit busy helping him load the moving truck.

what did this book make me feel?

Actually the closeness of the two main characters reminded me of me and my best friend a lot. It made me miss him a ton, I’m totally sending him a copy as soon as he finishes all the other books I left with him, lol. Anyways apparently I can’t stand any sort of suspense recently, cause I just keep reading the last parts of books before I even finish them. Though you have to wait till everyone has been introduced, sometimes that takes like half the book or more, otherwise you are just confused because you have no idea who anyone is.

how many dragons was this book?

Emma Putnam hung herself. Sara Wharton and her friend Brielle, her boyfriend Dylan, and two other classmates are on trial for Emma's death.

They bullied her, and this is Sara's story. 

why did I pick it up?

My coworker had just finished the advance and suggested I read it next.  I thought the premise was interesting, but the kind of interesting where someone has shown you something and you have no idea what to think about it. As soon as I started reading it though I was majorly hooked, and it felt weird the entire time I was reading it, like I still wasn’t sure what I thought about it all, and yet I couldn’t put it down anyway.

  who would I give this book to?

I’m not sure.

  where did I read this the most?

I didn’t put it down much once I started reading, so I read it everywhere, at work, at home, and on the bus.

  when will/did I get this signed?

Not really interested in getting this signed.

  what did this book make me feel?

It was really weird, the summary was a complete turn off, but I was bored, and so started reading it, and I was really drawn in by the main character. She had such a toxic friendship, and she was struggling with her own jealousy’s and strong feelings and didn’t have anyone constructive to turn to about them. So she ended up bullying this girl whom she blamed for the whole thing. And then when the girl commits suicide and she and her friends are blamed for it, she feels like her world has ended. People are shouting at her at the grocery store, her peers shut her out, because of the lawsuit she is cut off from the friends she does know, even though they are quite toxic. I really felt for this character, and enjoyed seeing things through her eyes. I really didn’t expect that at all. I do wish there were move viewpoints for the story, that we could see what Emma Putnam was really going through, what Brielle thought and felt, stuff like that. But it was certainly an interesting take on things, and very different from how things are normally viewed.

  how many dragons was this book?

Clea Raymond starts to see a boy in the pictures she takes, a mysterious boy, who can't really be there. Tracking down info about her father's disappearance leads her straight to this boy, who can't possibly exist, whom Clea feels an immediate and strong connection to. She learns about a century's old curse, and love triangle, and that her time is running out.

why did I pick it up?

My best friend is obsessed with Hilary Duff, and  we realized all of these were out in paper back and bought them all before he left for CO

  who would I give this book to?

Anyone who likes teen romance, with a bit of a paranormal twist that isn’t too actually cheesy.

  where did I read this the most?

Mostly in Colorado on my vacation, it was a mad dash to try to finish all of these before I left, since they technically belonged to my best friend and I needed to leave them there with him.

  when will/did I get this signed?

I would love to go with him and get these signed! That would be the most amazing experience!

  what did this book make me feel?

I was really surprised at how well this came together. I did keep reading the main character as *actually* being Hilary Duff, but other than that, she had depth and believable flaws and talents and it was a rather amazing series. After the first book, I had a fairly good idea of how *I* wanted it to end, and so I was rather hesitant to start the second book because I wasn’t sure it would get there (which it kind of sort of did), or how it would do that, but the second book introduced an amazing character whom I adored, and it sucked me right back into it and I finished each book in less than a day each.

  how many dragons was this series?

why did I pick it up?

I adored the first two books in this series, they were super awesome and I adored how realistic the love story was and all the characters and races and history that we were learning, plus all the amazing exoctic places we got to see in our world.

  who would I give this book to?

Anyone looking for a truly unique teen fantasy series.

  where did I read this the most?

I read the first half of this book on the couch and it’s all timelapsed! I read the second half in another marathon session in my room because I was leaving on vacation in a few days and needed to give it back to work before I left!

  when will/did I get this signed?

I almost went to meet her at the Houston Teen Book Con, but it was the day before I was to leave for CO, hopefully she’ll be back to Houston and I’ll get another chance, I really adore her style and world building!

  what did this book make me feel?

Her world building really stepped it up in this book, it was so completely epic and amazing, I wonder if she’ll write more in this world or not? I don’t know, or really care, it was so good just the way it is. I was seriously awwed by the continued world building in this last book, I’d have thought everything we needed was out there by now, and so I was truly and wonderfully surprised with how it turned out.

  how many dragons was this book?

why did I pick it up?

I dunno, every now and then I like to read a self help dating book, since I seem to be so bad at it on my own. This one seemed interesting and I wasn’t sure if I should be learning economics or how to date.

  who would I give this book to?

I’d probably suggest it to anyone who was browsing the economics or the dating sections, just for the novelty of it

  where did I read this the most?

I read this mostly before bed, like a chapter a night, so I could let the information sink in while I slept.

  when will/did I get this signed?

I borrowed this from work, I don’t think I’d really ever buy it, even though I did find it super interesting and not at all dry.

  what did this book make me feel?

Like maybe economics isn’t really all that difficult to learn or understand.

  how many dragons was this book?

why did I pick it up?

It was an advance I saw on the table at work, it seemed interesting so to figure out if I’d like it or not (because I don’t always like realistic fiction) I read a page… and then the next and the next, and pretty soon I’d finished a chapter, and all I could think about was these characters and what they were doing and what they would do next, and I finished the book in about 3 days reading on my breaks and at night and while running errands.

who would I give this book to?

Anyone who has ever felt invisible. Honestly I will probably hand it to every adult wanting a fiction novel at my store.

where did I read this the most?

I read this everywhere, at work, home, on the bus, at my friends house while helping to feed her cat.

when will/did I get this signed?

I’m sending this book to colorado with my best friend, so probably never.

what did this book make me feel?

I loved Ellen and Temerity. They were so fantastic, and I really felt for Ellen and her many anxieties.  I really appreciated how intelligent Ellen was, even though she wasn’t very well educated. I dislike how often people confuse education with intelligence, so it was nice to see this portrayed well. 

how many dragons was this book?

why did I pick it up?

I actually kind of kept trying to put this off, even though I was super excited about it, but I also didn’t want the series to be over.

who would I give this book to?

Again, anyone who loves Dragons. Also Doctor Who fans, one of the reasons that I love this series is how several of the characters are absolutely about the non-violent approach to solving problems. And I really appreciate this view in a children’s fantasy, or any fantasy novel, all too often it’s all about killing the great evil, and I wish there were more books with non violent solutions.

where did I read this the most?

I read most of this in the bath. I was only going to read one section, but I ended up finishing the whole book… so much for savoring it >.>

when will/did I get this signed?

I’d love it if she came to Houston, I’d probably be first in line!

what did this book make me feel?

Have you seen these covers? They are all absolutely beautiful and I love them all. Just looking at them makes me feel all warm and tingly inside, much like the stories inside.

how many dragons was this book?

After the disastrous Legacy Day the rivalry between the Royal’s and the Rebel’s really heats up. Can Raven and Apple still be friends? And what happens when everyone’s favorite Madeline Hatter gets into trouble?

why did I pick it up?

I was fairly reticent to pick up the first book after I got burned on the School for Good and Evil, but then I saw the dolls and the Madeline Hatter one, and I loved it so much, so I took a chance and read the book and I adored it! So naturally I picked this one up as soon as I could.

who would I give this book to?

Anyone who is as addicted to Fairy Tale retellings as I am, also anyone who liked the Monster High stuff.

where did I read this the most?

At work, I couldn’t check it out, so I went in early a few days and also read it on my breaks. It only took about three days :D

when will/did I get this signed?

I have no idea, though it’d be awesome to meet this author!

what did this book make me feel?

all tingly inside! I love all the fairy tale puns, and the friendship between the girls is super sweet! I really love all these characters, and it amazes me how much depth is in the story and the characters, I thought it was going to be super shallow, but it was really amazingly beautiful.

How many dragons was this book?

All the dragon kingdoms have been at war for twenty years, and it is up to five young dragonets to end the war. 

Finally we get Starflight’s view, but he is a bit of a coward though how will he ever manage to not give away all his friends secrets to the other NightWings?

why did I pick it up?

I have been reading this series as it’s come out, but I took a while with this one because I was letting a friend of mine read it first, and we were attempting to get her husband to read the series too.

who would I give this book to?

Anyone who love dragons. I hand this book to a lot of kids at work.

where did I read this the most?

I read this mostly in one sitting on the couch in our library. Such goodness.

when will/did I get this signed?

I have no idea if this author is ever going on a signing tour, her books are coming out so quickly I doubt that she’ll ever have time to come Houston. I really wish that she would though, I’d love to get these signed!

what did this book make me feel?

Awesome. Although so far I like Starflight the least.

How many dragons was this book?