Reading Status (14 August, 2010)

Here's where I am currently in my reading:

Finished This Week:

• Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars, #4) by Sara Shepard. Finished on 8/11/10. 4 Wings! Another great addition in this series!

Currently Reading:

• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. On page 102. Cassie, the main character, has jsut witnessed John Henry Berry and what he looks like after he was burned.
• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. On page 409. Same spot basically. Edward and Bella have just jumped out the window to go hunt.
• Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead. On page 133. Still in the exact same spot. Haven't really been into this one. Think I will go read some of it now. :).

To Be Read Very Soon:

• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) by Stieg Larsson
• Catching Fire (the Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins
• Suddenly Supernatural: School Spirit by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Until next week's updates,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Guest Review Wednesdays

Hello, book bloggers!

I am starting a weekly "meme" for my blog called Guest Review Wednesday. Every Wed., I will introduce someone who I think can bring an awesome review to the table for our enjoyment!

My first guest will be my good friend Elyssa, who is tweaking one of her latest reviews for us right this instant! We will try to have the review up on the 25th of this month, but we're not entirely sure how that will work out.

As always, I'll be sure to keep you updated on stuff going on here at my blog. If any of you readers would like to Guest Review, let me know! Just leave a comment on this post. :).

Until my next review,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Friday Memes (13 August, 2010)

Today's another Friday the 13th!! OMG! You know what would be really spooky? If we didn't celebrate traditional Friday memes! :)

Book Blogger Hop

Thanks to Crazy Jennifer @ Crazy-for-Books for once again hosting the fantabulous Hop!

This week's question comes from Michelle over at Michelle's Book Blog and it is:

How many books do you have on your 'to be read shelf'?

My answer:

I actually don't really know. On my bookshelf in my room (whcich holds all my books, no category in particular), I have about 5 or 6 books that still have to be read, plus the three on my Kindle. Other than that, I just have a virtual one on Goodreads, about 800-900 of which I don't even own. :)

So how many books 'ya got on your TBR shelf?

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

The Friday 56 Gracias to Tonya @ Storytime With Tonya and Friends for spreading the ah-mazing Friday 56 to bloggers all over the world.

*Grab the closest book.

*Turn to page 56. Find the 5th sentence.

*Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog -- or if you don't have your own blog -- in the comments section of this blog.

*Post a link to your sentence/s back on Tonya's blog.

**Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest or most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.**

This week's snippets come from Angels & Demons by Dan Brown:

" 'He called the field New Physics.' Kohler pulled a book from the shelf and handed it to Langdon."

"Langdon felt disconcerted. And the power of God shall unite us all."

Come back next week for more fun Friday Memes! :D

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Teaser Tuesday (10 August, 2010)

You've got a present! :The famous Teaser Tuesdays is still fabulously being hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. Wanna participate?

*Grab your current read.

*Open to a random page.

*Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page.

**BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give away too much information. You don't want to ruin the book for others!)**

*Share the author and title as well, so that Teaser participants may add it to their TBR list is they enjoy your teasers!*

This week's teasers are from Unbelievable by Sara Shepard, the fourth book in the Pretty Little Liars series:

"Aria pressed her hands to her face. 'I am so, so sorry.' "

"Aria kissed Ezra's bare neck, and Ezra circled his arms around her waist. But when they heard a police car siren whoop, they shot apart, startled."








You're probably wondering, "Who the sam-heck is Ezra??" Well, you're just going to have to pick up Pretty Little Liars, Flawless, Perfect, and Unbelievable to find out! For more Teaser Tuesdays, check my archives, the Weekly Memes label, or other blogs! See ya next Tues.!


--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Another Blog Award...Times 3!

I recently received the Versatile Blog Award three times! Once from Elyssa @ Broken Day Dreams & A Literary Odyssey, another from Jen @ In the Closet With a Bibliophile, and lastly from Paperdoll @ Books Are Like People. I got the first one about two weeks ago, so I consider myself a little behind in posting this. Anyway, thanks soo much to Elyssa, Jen and Paperdoll for awarding me with this!!

How this award works:

~ Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
~ Share seven things about yourself.
~ Pass this award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (In no particular order...)
~ Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

Seven things I want you to know about me!

1. My first name, Zakiya, means "smart or intelligent," and my middle name, Johari, means "jewel." (They're Swahili.)
2. I love to be challenged!
3. I sometimes pull out a book in the middle of class and read :).
4. I like listening to classical music and opera while I read.
5. I spend about 5-8 hours a day on the computer. (only on weekends, though, because of school)
6. My favorite school subject is Algebra -- or any type of math, but that's what I'm taking this year.
7. My favorite food is pasta. All kinds are fine, but I think I enjoy fettucine alfredo and penne w/chicken the most.

The fifteen ah-mazing bloggers I'm passing this award on to!

1. BookQuoter @ a thousand Books with Quotes
2. Alison @ Alison Can Read
3. Rachel @ And the plot thickens...
4. Ashley @ Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing
5. Diva @ DIVA'S BOOKCASE
6. Lindsay @ Just Another Book Addict
7. Michelle @ Michelle's Book Blog
8. Jada @ Moonlight Reviews
9. Anne @ Potter, Percy, And I
10. Jenny @ Supernatural Snark
11. Alex @ Tales of a Teenage Book Lover
12. Tara @ The Bodacious Pen
13. Various bloggers @ 5-Squared
14. Badass Bookie @ Badass Bookie
15. Jessica @ Confessions of a Bookaholic


--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Reading Status (7 August, 2010)

This week's reading status isn't much, but it's something to where I think you all should be notified! :D

Finished This Week:

• Still nothing. Working on it :).

Currently Reading:

• Unbelievable by Sara Shepard, chpt 10 (30% done). I started this book on either Wednesday or Thursday, and it's awesome so far! Right now, we're just switching between character perspectives, making questions faster than we're answering them. Still a great sequel to Perfect, though.
• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer, page 400. This book just gets better and better! But since school started last Monday, I haven't been able to read as much, so I've only read 11 pages in one week :(. ~~Currently, Bella and Edward are about to go hunting, Bella for her first time since becoming a vampire.~~
• Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead, page 133. I'm trying to get this book done, and it really surprised me the other day when I realized I'm only on chpt 7. I am determined to have this book done soon. ~~Presently, Rose and Lissa have just rescued their greatest enemy. They are heading for the exit of the prison.~~

To Be Read Very Soon:

• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) by Stieg Larsson
• Wicked (Pretty Little Liars, #5) by Sara Shepard
• Catching Fire (the Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins

Other News:

• Guess where I was the last week of July?? Disney World!!! It was so much fun! The parks are really giant and stuff, so I didn't even have to worry about coming home overweight because of all the walking we did. I will try to get some pictures for y'all on here soon to help "animate" my experience!
• I have found a great monthly meme that one of my blogging buddies started. I think you will like it. More info on that will be given at the end of the month, when I make my first post for it. Talk to you super-soon,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Friday Memes (6 August, 2010)

I know that I haven't really been on in the last week, but I have a legit excuse: Disney World! But, another topic for another post. This week's ah-mazing memes:

Book Blogger Hop

*hop! hop!* Hey everybody! Once again, the weekly Book Blogger Hop is being hosted by the fabulous Crazy Jennifer from Crazy-for-Books.

This week's question comes from Chelle @ The Prairie Library:

Do you listen to music when you read? If so, what are your favorite reading tunes?

My answer:

Yes, if I have the oppurtunity to play some music while I read, I will. I really don't have a certain thing I listen to while reading, though. Hip Hop/R&B, Classical, Country, Opera (sometimes on the weekends), Rock, Pop; it just all depends on what I think I can block out the best at that moment. However, I am picky about how loud the music is. I can't have it up too loud, or I start singing along to the beat. Not good in books that start slow. :).

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

The Friday 5654... 55... Yep, I was thinking of 56! This week's Friday 56 is once again being broadcasted by the awesome Tonya @ Storytime With Tonya and Friends. Participation Rules:

*Grab the closest book.

*Turn to page 56. Find the 5th sentence.

*Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog -- or if you don't have your own blog -- in the comments section of this blog.

*Post a link to your sentence/s back on Tonya's blog.

**Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest or most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.**

This week's snippets can be found in The Summons by John Grisham:

"A long pull on the bourbon, another long puff on the cigar. 'What about that hosebag who who ditched you? What's her name?' "

"Ray flinched slightly and his heart stopped, but Forrest was gazing at the front lawn and didn't notice."







Even I found these snip.'s to be very interesting! I might read this in my high school years, as I see a little profanity in it. Visit next week for more hopping and snipping, though. Happy Reading! :D.


--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Flawless by Sara Shepard

Flawless (Pretty Little Liars, #2)
By Sara Shepard
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books, 2008
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Date Finished: 7/11/2010
Genres: Young Adult, Chick Literature, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Coming of Age

First Line of Book: "You know that boy who lives a few doors down from you who's just the creepiest person alive?"

Review: Flawless was even better than the series debut, Pretty Little Liars. Even more thrills, more romance and friend prob's, and mystery after mystery. Who is "A"? Could they alwys be right around the corner? Is their anyway to solve the girls' personal problems??

This book ... wow. That's basically the rest of that sentence. If you loved PLL, you're really going to kiss Flawless all over (Caution: if, like myself, you are reading an eBook, this might be a little difficult; please -- don't injure yourself).

I have to say, this took me a little less time to read than the first book, probably because there was always something that I wanted solved. Then: WAM! I finished the book. I immediately bought and started the next book.

Like I said before, Flawless gives readers more thrills that I think are the best I've ever read; a little more teen romance that keeps the ball of "hate" rolling; the constant gaining/losing friends cycle; and more mysteries that might lead directly to "A." You're always trying to figure out who knows what, if that means what you thin that means, why she's acting like a baby. Believe me, if you love drama, you gotta get into this series before it's too late!

Rating:


Quotes from the Book:

"One of Melissa's nerdy friends, Liana, had a crush on him, and once made Spencer deliver a secret admirer note to him at the espresso bar where he worked. Spencer recalled thinking that Darren had biceps the size of Chunky Soup cans."

"Sean had tucked her in. She'd blown snot on his shoulder. She'd wailed like an insane person. What better way to lose the guy you like than slobber all over him?"

"Back inside the tent, some of the boys were having a break-dancing contest. Noel Kahn was trying to do a kickworm, and Mason Byers was doing some sort of butt-spin. Wasn't this supposed to be a civilized function?"

"He swung into his car and put the siren on. If the neighbors didn't know he'd been there before, they sure did know."

"And then, ... she'd woken up here, in her bed. Someone must have carried her in, and Aria, who slept like the dead, hadn't noticed a thing."


--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Teaser Tuesday (3 August, 2010)

More teasers!!
Teaser Tuesdays is a fun, weekly meme hosted by MizB out at Should Be Reading. Anyone who's everyone can participate; just do the following!

*Grab your current read.

*Open to a random page.

*Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page.

**BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!!! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give away too much information. You don't want to ruin the book for others!)**

*Share the book title and author as well, so that TT participants may add it to their TBR list if they enjoy your teasers!*

This week's teasers are found in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Yes, I have already read this book, but as I've used both of my current reads in previous Teasers, I'm using my latest recommendation. Enjoy!

"The Career pack sets off at a run just as dawn begins to reak, and birdsong fills the air."

"Slowly, gently, the dead tribute girl is lifted into the hovercraft. Then it vanishes."







That's it for this week! Visit me next Tues. for more fabulous teasing! :D

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

Reading Status (01 August, 2010)

Another week brings you more of my reading statuses! It's been two weeks since the first one, but I am back and ready for action! So here goes nothing:

Finished This Week:

• Nothing, unfortuantely :(.

Couldn't Finish:

• Summer Ball by Mike Lupica. I didn't even get to start this, but kept trying to. I think this will have to wait for the end of this month.
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Another end-of-the-monther.

Currently Reading:

• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. On page 389. This book is the bomb! The second best book in the Twilight series, preceded by Eclipse.
• Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead. On page 114. I haven't really been reading this book at all. But you know what, I'm gonna have to start, because this book needs to be done by Aug. 15th. I hate having books just lying around with an abandoned bookmark in them.

To Be Read Very Soon:

• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
• Suddenly Supernatural by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
• Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars, #4) by Sara Shepard

Well, this week's status has to come to an unwanted end. But I'll be back next Sunday with more updates for ya! So what have YOU been reading?? :D

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly