Thursday Interpretation #20

Thursday Interpretations is a weekly post where I post a motivational quote (and/or a book quote) and tell you my feelings about it. You are more than welcome to post a comment telling how you feel about the quote.

*Remember that these are only my opinions. They are not influenced by anyone else.*

This week's motivational quote:

"Realize that the present moment is all you ever have." ~Eclchart Tolle

My Thoughts: I totally agree with this quote. You never know which moment will be your last.

Happy Reading!

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millenium, #1)

By Stieg Larsson

Publisher: Vintage Books, 2008

644 pages, paperback

Date Finished: 23/9/2011

Genres: Adult, Some Action, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Mystery

Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch--and there's always a catch--is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "It happened every year, was almost a ritual."
~Last Line: "She tossed Elvis into a dumpster."

Review: I started reading this book last August, but forgot all about it and never finished it. This year, thanks to a BuddyRead, I started it again and am happy to say that the novel was amazing! The first 200 pages were really slow, but I'm glad that I kept reading! :D

Mikael "Kalle" Blomkvist is a financial journalist who has just been sentenced to serving 3 months of gaol (Swedish for jail). Our second main character (or secondary, she can be both) is Lisbeth Salander. She works a security agency; besides her tattoos and piercings, which she has a lot of, she definitely isn't very social.

Mikael is hired by Henrik Vanger, a legend of the Vanger Cooperation, to solve the mystery of his niece that's been missing for over 30 years. Eventually, Mikael learns of Lisbeth and they end up solving the mystery together.

The characters in Dragon Tattoo were really awesome, too. I loved Lisbeth's the best, though; Blomkvist definitely came very close behind her. Lisbeth's character was so . . . wow. I honestly can't think of a word to describe her. She's spunky and cool, but not afraid to give you a hard time if she (a) doesn't know you, or (b) doesn't trust you.

The plot of the novel was superb! It definitely wasn't like anything I've ever read before. I looved the "solve the mystery" stuff. The only thing that's kind of close to this that I've read is Angels and Demons (and all other Dan Brown books). But even still, Larsson just had an element that made this book so much different. Truly amazing.

I can't say too much more about this book without spoiling it. Just go buy a copy and read it. Then we can all celebrate by going to see the American movie version next year in theaters. An ahmazing novel indeed!

Plot Rating: 5
Character Rating: 5
Cover Rating: 4
GoodReads Rating: 5

Overall rating:
and three-fourths :)

Quotes from the book:

" 'Martin was dafter than a syphilitic polecat -- where do I get these metaphors from?' "

"This was how much time she had needed in the darkness of the building's stairwell to run through her plan one last time, consider alternatives, steel herself, and mobilise the courage she would need."

Teaser Tuesday #41

This meme is hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

*Grab your current read.
*Open to a random page.
*Share two teaser sentences from that page.
*Be careful not to include spoilers!
*Share the title and author.
*Leave a link to your teaser in the comment section at MizB's Blog.

From: Crossed by Ally Condie (Hardcover)
Page: 177
Links: GoodReads, Amazon

"My father wanted to be the person who changed everything and saved everyone. It was dangerous. But they all believed in him. The villageers. My mother. Me. Then I grew older and realized he could never win. I stopped believing."

Comments: I'm really loving this novel so far. I loved Matched, and Crossed is looking to be just as marvelous! :D

Happy Reading!

Music Monday #27

Music Monday is a "meme"* that I will try to post every week or biweekly. In these posts, I will provide you with what song, artist, CD, etc. I am currently into the most. This week it's:


1) Best for Last by Adele. A definite favorite! It came out two years ago, but I fell in love with this CD when my friend let me borrow it. Hope I get it for Christmas! :)

Song Rating: 5 Wings
Music Video:



Happy Listening!

Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine

Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires, #3)

By Rachel Caine

Publisher: Signet, 2007

245 pages, paperback

Date Finished: 11/9/2011

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Romance, Action

A truce between the living and the dead isn't enough to keep Claire Danvers out of danger in this third entry in the Morganville Vampires series.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "The instant the phone rang at the Glass House, Claire knew with a psychic flash that it had to be her mother."
~Last Line: " 'Aren't family reunions nice?' "

Review: The third installment in the Morganville Vampires series was really good. It left me with a huge cliffhanger (which I was forewarned of), and even though I have the next book, I refrained from starting it. For what, I have no clue whatsoever :).

Claire, Michael, Eve, and Shane all have some crazy stuff going on. Claire is an apprentice to super old, but suoer smart, vampire; Michael is getting a grip on being a newborn vamp himself. Shane is enraged that Michael would become a vamp under any circumstances whatsoever. Eve, well, she's just kind of in the middle. She understands why Michael did what he did, but also gets Shane's side of the story. Not to mention that Claire got protection for all the residents of the Glass House.

The characters' emotions in this one were portrayed really well. You could feel what they were feeling, and I think that was really important in Midnight Alley.

The plot was awesome as well. It flowed really good, and, as always, it pulled me right in. When something happened, you wanted to know why, or what was the effect it caused. English, somehow, has little words for me to use to describe these things. (Probably just my vocabulary bank, but that's not the point.) :D

Overall, this book was really great! I'll probably be starting Feast of Fools before the year is over.

Plot Rating: 5
Character Rating: 4.5
Cover Rating: 4
GoodReads Rating: 5

Overall rating:
and five-eighths :)

The Week Ahead... (November 7-13)

Every Sunday, I will let you all know what to look forward to in the upcoming week: reviews, guest posts, memes, whatever I think/know I will be putting up for your viewing. The things I post will not always be followed out, but I'll try. Vice versa, I might end up posting something that isn't mentioned in this post.

For the week of November 7th - 13th...

Monday:
~ Music Monday?

Tuesday:
~ Teaser Tuesday
~ Review of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Wednesday:
~ Guest Review by Leanne?

Thursday:
~ Thursday Interpretation (Library Unveiled?)
~ Review of A Living Nightmare

Friday:
~ Friday Spolite?

Saturday:
~ What's your status?
~ Readathon update

Sunday:
~ In My Mailbox
~ Review of Always a Witch

Have a great week everybody!!! :D

In My Mailbox #37

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted every week by The Story Siren. To find out how to participate and the "official" details, check out the IMM page.

Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.

-----------------------------------------------------

Borrowed from library:
~~Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Bought from store:
~~Crossed by Ally Condie


Happy Reading! Leave a link to your IMM in the comments, and I'll be sure to stop by!

What's your status? (5/11/2011)

<a href="http://walkingbutterflyfeet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">img src="http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k506/madsteampunkery/books_stacked-1-1.jpg" border="Steampunkery & Book Reviews" /></a><br /> <br />

This post was inspired by, well, my previous Reading Status posts. I wanted to make it something that everyone could particpate in. Every Saturday (and sometimes Sunday), I will post what I've finished in the past week, what I'm currently reading and where I am in the book/s, what I plan to read next, and possibly what I want to buy/get. I will be trying to do this every week, so be sure to check back every weekend! Be sure to leave your links to your WYS posts in the comments.

This next portion of the post is an idea that I saw on the wonderful blog Small Review. She posts what reviews and memes she has posted and participated in that last week. Remember, however, that it is not mandatory for you to do this part of the post.

**No Vlog This Week.**

Things You Don't Wanna Miss:
~Eragon BuddyRead

Reviews this week:
~This Lullaby, by Sarah Dessen
~Guest Review, by Leanne

Memes this week:
~Music Monday
~Teaser Tuesday

Finished This Week:
1. nothing :(

Currently Reading:
1. Double Helix by Nancy Werlin. On page 156.

2. Dael and the Painted People by Allan Richard Shickman. On page 100.

3. Crossed by Ally Condie. On page 23.

Next On My TBR (To Be Read) Pile:
1. Eragon (Inheritance, #1) by Christopher Paolini. Purpose: buddyread.
2. Vampire Academy #'s 1-4 by Richelle Mead. Purpose: leisure, "recap," and challenges.

What I Would Like To Buy Next:
~NOTHING. (Broke the rule; bought Crossed.)

Don't forget to leave the link to your WYS post in the comments!

Guest Review #8 - Leanne

The bestie Leanne is back with another fabulous review! Enjoy :D

This book was amazing. It is the best Historical Fiction book I have ever read. It combines present day Brooklyn/Paris and Paris during the French Revolution so seamlessly,that you can not put it down for one minute, but you don't ever want the story to end. Revolution is so packed full of details and emotions. Andi's love for music is so deep & understandable since she has lost so much, from her brother, the sanity of her mother, and the security of a home. The way she can relate to Alex is obsessive for her, and she cant't stop. She doesnt want Alex to loose Louis-Charles, like she lost Truman. The bond between Alex & Louis-Charles is so touching & adorable. The relationship aspect in the story line is not a major point, but Andi's relationship with Virgil is so sweet, the way they sing to each other and they are so alike. When she is transfered back in time, she meets the man she is researching for a musical DNA project so she doesnt fail school back in Brooklyn, Amadé Malherbeau. He helps her tremendously, and she helps him. She gives him her iPod and he becomes influenced by some of her favorite artists. I still can not fully rely to you how amazing this novel is. I swear, I would recommend this book to anyone, it is so tremendously complex, and enjoyable. This gets 5 pins.

Teaser Tuesday #40

This meme is hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

*Grab your current read.
*Open to a random page.
*Share two teaser sentences from that page.
*Be careful not to include spoilers!
*Share the title and author.
*Leave a link to your teaser in the comment section at MizB's Blog.

From: Double Helix by Nancy Werlin (Library Book)
Page: 123
Links: GoodReads, Amazon

"My body was operating blindly, habitually, in the same way that a human brain could still receive phantom, lying signals from an amputated hand or foot.

What I didn't understand, though, was why I kept talking to her in my head."

Comments: This is super good so far! Far more interesting than I thought it would be, since I have to read it for school, lol. :p

Happy Reading!