30 + Change #2 (September 2010)

Check out what I bought for the month of September! :

1.) Chosen (House of Night, #3) by P.C. & Kristin Cast. Cost: $8.99. I got this to continue the series and also for a BuddyRead on GoodReads. We've started just a few days ago, and I'm a little behind. I will be playing catch-up for a little bit, but I'll be ahead of them soon! :D

2.) Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices, #1) by Cassandra Clare. Cost: $9.99. So most of you have probably started, read, or at least heard about the Mortal Instruments series by Clare. This is sort of like a prequel series to that. Clockwork Angel just came out on Aug 31st, and I finally got it. I haven't read it yet, but I will definitely be starting soon!

3.) Tall Cool One (the A-List, #4) by Zoey Dean. Cost: $8.99. I haven't been able to continue int his series because I hadn't gotten accesss to the book, but now I have! I am super-excited to start this one :).

Total Spent: $27.97

September wasn't as busy as August, but I sure didn't buy as much! I am excited to see what I will spend my $30 on in October. Watch out for my next post in Oct.,

Visited the Library :)

We went to the libarary today in R/LA (Reading/ Language Arts). I got I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino and The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood. They both look like very interesting books, and I can't wait to read them! I've actually read Borton's novel before, so I know that it's really good. Definitely a recommendation :).

I got The Last Song by Nicholas sparks this weekend, and, even though I'm only on chapter 6 - page 63, I am loving the book so far!! I can see why so many people went to see the movie and love the book. Ronnie's character is def rebellious, but I like her; she can be really kind in times of need. Right now, Marcus's character is giving me a terrible first impression with his dirty mind, but Will is amazing. He seems to have known about some Incident, but we don't know what it is yet.. Will have to go read.

Happy Butterfly Walking!,

Reading Status (25 Sept, 2010)

Another week, another status post! Here's what I've accomplished this past week:

Finished This Week:

• Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House, #27) by Mary Pope Osborne. Finished on 19/9/2010. This was a great book! It had facts about the first Thanksgiving, and it's about a wonderful holiday, which makes a great Fall Read. :)
• Attack of the Jack-o'-lanterns (Goosebumps) by R.L. Stine. Finished on 20/9/2010. I enjoyed this book a little more than TOT, mostly because it's supposed to be scary, and it definitely was! Stine has reminded me of why I used to love reading his books. I should probably go back to that :).

Currently Reading:

• The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket. On page 111. Reading this for GoodReads, as usual :). I've read it before, but I wanted to continue the series, and found that I'd forgotten most of what happened, so I'm rereading. It's a really good book, though!
• Remember Me by Christopher Pike. On page 42. Same spot as last week....
• Chosen by P.C. & Kristin Cast. Have read 4%. Yep, haven't moved a muscle....

Next On My TBR Pile:

• The Austere Academy (Series of Unfortuante Events, #5) by Lemony Snicket.

Well, that's all for this week. See you soon!

My New Blog! :D

I've finally had the time to start my own everything blog! It will include my daily entries from 8th Grade Paradise and all my book stuff from here on Butterfly Feet. Please stop by, comment on some stuff, and maybe even follow! Thanks again,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Prancing Frogs & Green Lilypads

Celebrate the Holidays!

Hello to everyone! I thought I could make something a little special out of this post so that we could "Celebrate the Holidays!" The following books that I'm reviewing are related to some fall holidays. Maybe you'll jump in and read some seasonal books as well,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

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Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House, #27)
By Mary Pope Osborne
Publisher: Random House, 2002
73 pages, paperback
Date Finished: 9/19/2010
Genres: Reference, Fantasy, Childrens'

~First Line of Book: "One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mmysterious tree house appeared in the woods."
~Last Line of Book: "And they were."

Review: I read this book for a challenge on GoodReads. I've rated it only 2 wings, because it is more of a kindergarten/ first grade book, and it wasn't as advanced for me as the boks I usually read nowadays. I did like, though, that Mrs. Osborne put some facts in the book that the main characters, Jack and Annie, learned when they went back in time to the first Thanksgiving. I liked the book; maybe not a lot, but it was still good. :)

Rating:



Attack of the Jack-o'-lanterns (Goosebumps book)
By R.L. Stine
Publisher: Scholastic, 1996
113 pages, paperback
Date Finished: 9/20/2010
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction

~First Line of Book: " 'Where are you going, Elf?' Dad called from the den."
~Last Line of Book: " 'That's a joke. Right? Right?' "

Review: I also read this book for a GoodReads challenge. As you can see below, I rated it 3 wings; it was better than Thanksgiving on Thursday, but that was because I like scary stuff. Drew, Walker, Shane, and Shana are determined to scare the pants, socks, and shoes off of Tabby and Lee, who have ruined their favorite holiday, Halloween, for the last 2 years. They came up with a really scary plan, ans it definitely works; it even scared me! There was a lot of repetitive-ness from the jack-o'-=lanterns, but I easily overlooked that. This is a great book for people that like scary books, Goosebumps stories, and/or R.L. Stine's work :D.

Rating:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire (the Hunger Games, #2)
By Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2009
391 pages, Hardcover
Date Finished: 9/17/2010
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Coming of Age, Adventure, Action, Futuristic

~First Line of Book: "I clasp the flask between my hands even though the warmth from the tea has long since leached into the frozen air."
~Last Line of Book: " 'Katniss, there is no District Twelve.' "

Review: Catching Fire was/ is an amazing sequel to The Hunger Games! There was more action, adventure, and romance -- with more than just Peeta (nothing sexual, parents!). Katniss is devestated that she must return to the arena for th e Quarter Quell (aka, the Seventy-fifth Hunger Games), but she has no choice. Can she start a true rebellion against the Capitol?

Awesome book! Anyone who doesn't read this series, is truly missing out on some ah-mazing books! Recommended to everyone who can get their hands on it! :D

Rating:


Quotes from the Book:

"I act delighted, but I have zero interest in these Capitol people. They are only distractions from the food."

"I'm filled with awe, as I always am, as I watch her transform from a woman who calls me to kill a spider to a woman immune to fear."

"Finnick recites a poem he wrote to his one true love in the Capitol, and about a hundred people faint because they're sure he means them."

"I bet only a handful of the victors can swim. And there was no pool in the Training Center, no chance to learn. Either you came in a swimmer or you'd better be a really fast learner."

"Like everything here, the water's on the warm side, but this is no time to be picky."

"Our jumpsuits are no help at all. We may as well be dressed in tissue paper, for all the protection they give."


--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver (the Giver, #1)
By Lois Lowry
Pulisher: Bantam Books, 1999
180 pages, paperback
Date Finished: 9/11/2010
Genres: Futuristic, Young Adult, Adventure, Coming of Age (sort of), Modern Classic

~First Line of Book: "It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened."
~Last Line of Book: "But perhaps it was only an echo."

Review: This was a great book to reread. It's futurisitic, in a place that's secluded and stricter than any place on present-day Earth. There is no color (everything is like a tan, emotionless shade), and at the Ceremony of Twelve, each person is given an Assignment, which is basically their job for the rest of their life. The main character, Jonas, gets a very important Assignment: the Assignment of Receiver. It's very difficult, and he's the only capabel person for the job right now; the last capable, 10 years before, had resulted in a failure. Jonas's life is changed forever....

This is a wondeful book! It was first recomended to me by a teacher, and is now one of my all-time favorites. I recommend this novel to everyone :).

Rating:


Quotes from the Book:

"Now there were three Assignments gone, none of them ones that Jonas would have liked -- not that he could have been a Birthmother, anyway, he realized with amusement."

"Jonas reached the opposite side of the river, stopped briefly, and looked back. The community where his entire life had been lived lay behind him now, sleeping. At dawn, the orderly, disciplined life he had always known would continue again, without him."


--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Reading Status (18 Sept, 2010)

Hello again! Here's this week's reading status:

Finished This Week:

• The Giver (the Giver, #1) by Lois Lowry. Finished on 9/11/2010. LOVED this book! I've read it before, but I believe that you get soo much out of a book when you reread it. That's def what happened w/The Giver :). Recommendation!
• Catching Fire (the Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins. Finished on 9/17/2010. Again, this was a book that I absolutely LOVED!! The sequel to The Hunger Games is one that was worth reading. It's one of those books that make the series even better. Also a recommendation!

Currently Reading:

• Remember Me (series omnibus of Remember Me, The Return, and The Last Story) by Christopher Pike. On page 42. So far, Shari is explaining what happened the night she died. Right now, her boyfriend Dan, best friend Jo, and other friend Amanda (and herself) are on the way to a birthday party.
• Chosen by P.C. & Kristin Cast. Have read 4%. The third book in the House of Night series starts off the day before Christmas (I'm just guessing), and it's Zoey's birthday. She's opening presents w/her friends.
• Synopses to both books can be found at the bottom of this post!!

Next On My TBR Pile:

• The Big Field by Mike Lupica.

Hope you had some reading oppurtunities for yourself in this last week, and that there are more coming your way,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Synopsis of Remember Me:

"Shari Cooper wakes up dead. The last thing she can remember is falling from a balcony during her friend's party. Her death has been ruled a suicide, but Shari knows she was murdered -- and her closest friends are now suspects. As she tries to find her killer from the other side, she discovers her friends may not have been so loyal to her after all. Now Shari is not just out for justice, she's out for revenge. . . ."

Synopsis of Chosen:

"When friends become enemies, and sworn enemies become friends, Zoey must find a strategy to save her undead friend Stevie Rae and decide who can be trusted. As Zoey discovers, how things appear is not how they really are...."

Guest Review #2 - Jen

Our next Guest Reviewer goes by the name of Jen; and her nickname? The bibliophile -- which means "a lover of books." Check out her blog @ In The Closet With A Bibliophile as soon as possible; it's ah-mazing! Jen, why don't you introduce yourself a little?

I live in Arizona, the valley of the sun, and I love it! No, I have not met Stephenie Meyer, although that would be awesome (don't judge me people!). I am a mother of 2 crazy children, and I own my own business. In any spare time I can find, whether it's midnight or 4 in the morning, I read. I'd read all day, every day if I could, but alas, I cannot. I love to blog and write up my feelings on books, so I hope you all enjoy this guest review, it's the very first one I've done - guest review that is.

Awesome, Jen! It sounds like you have a very exciting, yet busy life :). And readers, now that you know a little about her, read her review for Prophecy of the Sisters.

Hope you enjoy it,
--Zakiya, the walking butterfly and Jen, the bibliophile

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Title: Prophecy of the Sisters
Author: Michelle Zink
Pages: 343
Published: August 1st, 2009 by Little Brown & Co.
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Paranormal, Some Romance, Mystery, Coming of Age
Overall Rating:

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. Prophecy of the Sisters is the first of three books.

Woe the tales of predestination and agency. Do we have a choice of what we will make of ourselves, or are our lives already decided for us? This is the underlying story in Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. Two sisters - twins - and their younger brother Henry are all that remain of the Milthorpe family. They are watched over by their Aunt Virginia, the sister of their long dead mother. The book starts us off on a rainy day in 1890 New York where Zink sets the scene of her debut novel's macabre storyline with an undeniable sense of foreboding.

Our main character, Lia, guides us through her story of the prophecy surrounding her and how it has changed her life. Lia happens to be one of the twins, as I'm sure you know already, but of course she is the elder of the two. She seems to be a very loving soul who wants nothing more than to be with her family and have her father back home and not dead in the ground.

I keep trying to decide what I should say concerning her, I don' t know if I really feel much for her as a character other than she does seem to be a good person. She seems kind and caring and I do like that about her, but other than that she seems to be sort of weak. Meaning that she is always leaning on others to help her and guide her in her decisions. It's not that she isn't willing to help, just that she is too meek to actually do what she must. Now, of course, there is some character development that helps her towards the end grow into herself and find her strength, but still she doesn't seem like a strong enough character to be the lead.

However, there are some characters that I do love much better. Sonia and Luisa, Lia's partners in crime, are so different from one another, but lovable nonetheless. Sonia, although soft spoken seems very strong and knowledgeable. Luisa is fun, loud and has the force of an ox if necessary. I think I actually can relate to Luisa the most because she does what she must and still does not let it deter her. Her personality calls to me in the most interesting ways.

Interestingly enough, one of my most favorite characters would have to be Edmund, the old employee of her father. I would imagine him in his late 30's, but I've always carried a love for the quiet souls in books who look after those they care about, but don't make too big a scene about it. I think it is their hidden personalities that intrigue me so.

All the characters have their place in the story, they all have the ways that they affect one another and of course the menacing prophecy that looms over their heads. It is quite fascinating the turns the book takes and where it leads us at the end. I mean, what could be better than two twin sisters at war with one another in the fight for good versus evil?! Might we say a fight of biblical proportions? Well, maybe not, but there does seem to be quite a bit of talk throughout of the Bible and of the Beast aka, Satan. Even if our main character isn't really religious, the undertones cannot go unnoticed.

As a whole, I greatly enjoyed this book. I highly appreciated how it made me think and grasp for concepts that I might not ponder all that much. I found it interesting and rather well versed. It's always nice to find a good author. The only thing I would have wished for would have been a stronger main character and a whole lot more of James, her best friend and love. He really wasn't in it that much and he was such a sweet, wonderful character. He was hardly developed into the book, so quite a few of the references to him almost seem out of place, but those were mostly at the end.

However, I still give it a very high rating because the author painted a dark story of the past with alluring words and lovely characters. She gave me two funerals and several cryptic stories for deciphering - I always love a good intrigue. As the book does leave us, of course, with a cliffhanger, I am very excited for the release of the sequel Guardian of the Gate on August 1st of this year.

(4 out of 5 Flowers)

Quotes:

" I recall his somber eyes during that last, private conversation. His eyes and his words, far too wise for a boy of ten: only time will tell, Lia.
In the end, I suppose it will."

"I am embarrassed at the effect of his touch. I don't want him to feel my heart striking against the bodice of my gown or to hear my catching breath, so I pull away, eying him playfully. "

Here is the book trailer for this book if you'd like a peak. :D

Read It With A Buddy #2 - Betrayed

Hello again! So Elyssa and I have finished our reviews for Betrayed, but I noticed that we had different ratings. Because of this, I will just post our reviews seperately. Hope you enjoy them,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly [and Elyssa!]

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Betrayed (House of Night, #2)
By P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 2007
310 pages, paperback
Read: 7/17/2010
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Romance

First Line of Book: " 'New kid. Check it out,' Shaunee said as she slid into the big, boothlike bench we always claim as ours for every school meal served in the dining hall (translation: high-class school cafeteria)."
Last Line of Book: "I'll go back for you, Stevie Rae."


Zakiya's Review: Betrayed was even better than Marked. More guy drama, more fun with friends, Zoey's big moment as the head of the school (sort of). It was just a giant step up from the series debut that I was glad I continued the series. Hopefully, Chosen will be even better!

In this book, Zoey and her friends take over the Dark Daughters -- the House of Night's prestigious group of students. Zoey has also taken the position pf High Priestess in Training, a big deal to Neferet (the "principal"). Her first Full Moon ritual is coming up soon, but things always seem to get in the way.

Betrayed was an ah-mazing sequel. IT had some great kick-butt action near the end, which I really enjoyed. Something good (and bad) happens to Heath, but I'm not telling what :). Zoey's vampyre friends are defined just a little bit more, and they have some cool stuff going on with them. Meanwhile, Stevie Rae catches hell, and Zoey just might be able to trust Aphrodite now, even though Neferet is encouraging her not to.

I loved this book, the characters, and the plot. Basically every single letter! I can't wait until I can get ahold of Chosen!

Rating:


Quotes from the Book:

"Cats do roam free all over the school. They often followed "their" kid to class. Nala, in particular, liked to find me several times a day. She'd insist I scratch her head, complain a little, and then take off and go do whatever catrs did with their free time. (Plot world domination?)"

" 'What's wrong with you?' Stevie Rae said.
The attention that the four of them had been focusing on trying to figure out if there was a hair in Erin's salad or if it was just one of those weird strings of celery shifted instantly to me."

" 'We don't do ugly,' Shaunee said.
'Yeah, and pot's ugly. Plus, it makes you eat for no good reasom. It's a shame the hottie football players are into that,' Erin said.
'Makes them less hottie,' Shaunee said.
'Okay, hottie-ness and pot are not really the point,' I said."

"The cat was as fat as a Butterball turkey. I mean, her tummy looked like she had a pouch and could hide a herd of baby kangaroos in there. That's probably why she wheezed. Carrying around all that cat fat couldn't be easy."



Elyssa's Review: I enjoyed this second book of the House of Night Series more then the first time I read it. Probably because last time I did not get to read Marked before I received Betrayed from the hold list at the library.

I was a bit put off by the language that this mother and daughter team used. I was shocked at how much they used slut, skank, and hag bitch. What is with the tossing of these terms? And why is it that when a female is bad she is an automatic slut. Really. I think we could be better then that. All of the pop culture talk is also over done. Plus it really dates the book even though it really is not that old.

Zoey is now the head of the Dark Daughters and sons (a special group on campus) as priestess in training. The detail surrounding by their religion and her priestess duties was well done. Asking for guidance from her Goddess, Nyx, and receiving help must have felt amazing. The religion and Goddess offers some hint of humanity into the assumed horrible existence of vampires. I am just sorry for Zoey that she starts to question her mentors true intentions.

Zoey should really learn to trust the people she calls friends. It is hard to read and enjoy a character if they keep making the same mistakes over and over. For me it is more like banging my head against a wall (or telling my kids to pick up their toys).

Personally, I really loved how entertaining it was to read about her desire for blood. It is all apart of becoming a vampire. The change does not usually include this desire so soon. A fledgling does not also make it through a change. One of Zoey's friends did not make it through the change. It was absolutely a shock for me and I cannot image how she felt. Damion did say the darnest things and they were nearly almost always funny. It was too sad to watch her friends try to cheer her up without much luck.

Another part that I enjoyed was the fact that Zoey is now questioning herself over three different men. Her boyfriend, Erik, is absent from House of Night doing a monologue for a competition for most of the book. Zoey ends up meeting Loren Blake who is a part time professor whom she believes is very interested in her. We can not forget Heath, her human boyfriend/ex-boyfriend.

Overall this book was a fun read. However, you will find flaws in the book. But who picks up a urban fantasy paranormal romance for a literary masterpiece? I'm looking for a read that will transport me to another place that I can enjoy for a few hours. This book did just that.

Rating: 3

Reading Status (11 September, 2010)

Forgot to post last week, but here's where I'm currently located in my reading!

Finished (Last Two Weeks):

• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Logans, #1) by Mildred D. Taylor. Finished on 9/4/2010. 5 Wings! I've read this book before, and I loved it even more the second time. Recommendation!
• School's Out - Forever (Maximum Ride, #2; The Fugitives, #2) by James Patterson. Finished on 9/6/2010. 5 Wings! After waiting about 3 months to read this sequel to The Angel Experiment, I was so excited! And the book didn't let me down, either! Read it in two days flat; yep, it's just that good. Also a recommendation!

Currently Reading:

• The Giver by Lois Lowry. On page 127. Rereading this novel. I love how the futuristic-ness of it all comes into play. I can't say much without giving stuff away. But I can ask you this: Would you want to live in a world without, say, color? You'll have to read the book to figure the rest out. Like I said, it's hard to explain without giving the story away. Recommending, though :).

Next Book On My TBR Pile:

• Catching Fire (the Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins

Can't wait to see what I have read in the next week or two. Happy Reading to all,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Logans, #1)
By Mildred D. Taylor
Publisher: the Penguin Group, 1997
276 pages, paperback
Date Finished: 9/3/2010
Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction

First Line of Book: " 'Little Man, would you come on?' "
Last Line of Book: "I cried for T.J. For T.J. and the land."

Review: I reread Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry initially for a challenge on GoodReads, but I really didn't mind. This novel is actually not the first book in the Logans series. There are prequels named The Land and Song of the Trees. Anyway, the main character, Cassie, lives in Mississippi with her family during the 1930s, and things aren't as great for blacks as they are now. Taylor showed us some very good, but terrible, examples of what blacks went through during those times. Cassie and her family are lucky enough to have their own land, and Harlan Granger wants that land back. Lots of family stuff in the book, learning how to stick together, even in bad times. Anyone -- black OR white -- should read this book. It really has an effect on people. :)

Rating:


Quotes from the Book:

" 'How'd she look?' inquired Little Man.
'Like . . . death.' T.J. waited for a moment for his words to be appropriately shocking, but the effect was spoiled by Little Man, who asked lightly, 'What does death look like?'
T.J. turned in annoyance. 'Don't he know nothing?' "

" 'And good riddance,' I thought, promising myself that if he ever pulled anything like that on me, I'd knock his block off."

"Then, red with anger, she stepped daintily across the clearing and struck me hard across the face. For the record, she had hit me first; I didn't plan on her hitting me again."


--Zakiya, the walking butterfly